Reviewed by: Pat Byington
How Freshwater Land Trust is protecting a rare endangered species at Mardis Mill Falls
Reading time: 2 minutes
One of Blount County’s most cherished swimming holes and outdoor destinations just got a major upgrade. Freshwater Land Trust (FLT) recently completed a series of conservation and visitor improvements at Mardis Mill Falls in Blountsville, celebrating the updates with an official ribbon cutting this week.
The Birmingham-based nonprofit acquired the 23-acre site on Graves Creek in December 2024 through a donation by landowners Bill and Anne Blackerby to ensure its permanent protection.
Saving the Black Warrior waterdog habitat in Alabama
The waters moving through Mardis Mill Falls are part of the Black Warrior River watershed. This specific habitat supports the federally endangered Black Warrior waterdog, a rare salamander found only within this river basin.
To protect the surrounding environment, FLT worked with Further Forestry and the Friends of the Locust Fork River (FLFR) to conduct a prescribed burn. The burn cleared out heavy infestations of invasive Chinese privet, revealing a unique sandstone glade overlooking the falls. Since the burn, native heat-tolerant plants like Menges’ flame flower and lanceleaf coreopsis have begun to reclaim the area.
Parking and visitor improvements at the popular Blount County swimming hole
Because the falls have served as a popular local swimming and recreation spot for decades, high traffic during the summer months previously led to roadside parking issues and site degradation.
FLT and its partners addressed these challenges with several key upgrades:
- Expanded parking: A dedicated gravel lot provides more space for vehicles, while strategic natural boulders act as barricades to keep vehicles off the sensitive sandstone glade.
- Waste management: New trash and recycling receptacles help volunteers from the Friends of the Locust Fork River maintain their ongoing cleanup and water quality monitoring efforts.
- Informational signage: Newly installed signs outline safety notices, site rules and details about the property’s ecological importance.
How to get to Mardis Mill Falls
Want to visit the newly improved conservation site? You can check out the falls yourself in Blountsville.
