CAFOs

Approximately 17% of the Black Warrior River is covered by agriculture. Poultry industry has extremely impacted the Cullman region of the Black Warrior Basin. Cullman County is the fourth largest chicken producing county in the United States, "producing" 164 million chickens per year; Cullman County produces more chickens than any other county in Alabama. Unusually high amounts of pathogens occur near the Black Warrior headwaters in the upper basin (Winston, Cullman, Blount and Walker Counties).

Photos © Nelson Brooke, Bryan Burgess, Mark Martin

Two major sources of these pathogens and bacteria are poultry waste from confined animal feeding operations ("CAFOs"), and human waste from various public and private wastewater treatment facilities. In 2002, Brindley Creek, Broglen River, Eightmile Creek, and Catoma Creek, all tributaries of the Mulberry Fork in Cullman County were so polluted with pathogens, that they were listed as Federally Impaired tributaries under the 303(d) section of the Clean Water Act. Brindley and Eightmile Creeks are public water supplies that the citizens of Cullman County depend upon. As if having two polluted water supplies isn't enough, the Cullman - Morgan Water District has been working to dam the beautiful, free-flowing Duck River for another water supply reservoir. The Duck, although absent from the ADEM 303(d) List, contained not even a snail in a recent survey done by Dr. Michael Gangloff at Auburn University.

To view maps showing chicken factories locations and there impact on the watershed click here.

Left: Chicken Factory Houses near Catoma Lake part of Eightmile Creek of the Mulberry Fork (Cullman Co.)

Right: Tyson Chicken Processing Plant in Blountsville (Blount Co.)