Development in suburban Mobile has included the building of several shopping centers on sites considered totally inappropriate by local environmentalists. During the construction phase these sites caused major sediment runoff problems. Now that they are built, people shop there with no idea of the problems the stores caused or the potential problems they may still cause. A quick examination of both sites reveals cracked concrete on the edges of both parking lots.
Water pouring off the large parking lots has to go somewhere.
My research project consists of documenting the history of each site, revealing the current drainage patterns created by the sites and examining erosional problems associated with high volumes of water that flow off the parking lots. I have obtained site plans for the drainage systems underneath the two Winn Dixie parking lots. Examining these site plans, photographs taken during the construction phase, present photos, and the history of the construction allows me to decipher the effectiveness of these drainage systems. Understanding the history and problems associated with these two Winn Dixie sites may help people to plan better in the future. In coastal areas, hydrologic changes in watersheds, in this case the Dog River Watershed, which drains into the Gulf of Mexico, can significantly alter nearshore water quality and habitat.