Black Warrior Riverkeeper unveils 25-year map of 170+ Wins

In celebration of its 25th anniversary, Black Warrior Riverkeeper (BWRk) has released an interactive map of over 170 “Watershed Moments” throughout its storied history.

If you are interested in efforts to protect our community’s drinking water and preserve our precious natural resources, this extraordinary timeline shows what one group can do. 

Check out the Story Map.

Mission: Protect Black Warrior River Watershed

Founded in 2001 by David Whiteside and Roger Conville as the 72nd Waterkeeper organization in the world, the mission of the group is simple: protect and restore the Black Warrior River and its tributaries.

It is a special watershed with lots of challenges.

For example, did you know: 

• Black Warrior River watershed is the largest river basin entirely contained in Alabama, America’s leading state for freshwater biodiversity. The basin covers parts of 17 counties.

• The headwaters of the vast watershed include the Sipsey Wilderness and three main tributaries: the Sipsey Fork, the Mulberry Fork, and the Locust Fork. 
• The watershed serves over a million people, including Birmingham, Cullman, Jasper, Oneonta, Tuscaloosa and Demopolis.​​
• The basin is home to 146 kinds of freshwater fish, 36 species of mussels, 33 crayfish species and 15 turtle species
• There are a wide variety of industries within the watershed, including most of Birmingham’s industrial footprint, coal mining and forest products. The Black Warrior River is also a major transportation route. 

Favorite watershed moments

Here are a few of Black Warrior Riverkeeper’s biggest wins since 2001:

Volunteer Litter Cleanups: Since 2021, BWRk has organized countless volunteers to remove over 150,000 pounds of trash from neighborhoods within the watershed. That’s 75 tons!

Shepherd Bend Mine: A proposed mine BWRk prevented that would have discharged coal mine pollutants into the Mulberry Fork of the Black Warrior River, within just 800 feet of an intake for one of Birmingham’s major sources of drinking water, serving 200,000 people water daily.

Acquisition of 366 acres on a peninsula situated at the confluence of the Mulberry Fork, Locust Fork, and Black Warrior River by Freshwater Land Trust as a result of a consent decree between Black Warrior Riverkeeper and Drummond Company regarding the closed Maxine Mine location near the property.

Freshwater Land Trust closes on a 26.1-acre conservation easement in the Powderly neighborhood in Birmingham saving watercress darter habitat. The land was preserve because of a successful BWRk pollution lawsuit.

Platinum rating (highest possible) on GuideStar, the leading source of information on American nonprofits. Black Warrior Riverkeeper became the first Waterkeeper organization in the world to earn this distinction and continues to earn Platinum in all subsequent years.

Accolades over the years: 

• UAB School of Public Health’s Lou Wooster Public Health Hero Award
• Conservation Partner of Orvis
• Green Paddle Award from American Canoe Association in 2008
• 2010 River Hero Award — BWRk Riverkeeper Nelson Brooke

Never stop fighting for clean water and the future

Perhaps the most impressive feature about the Black Warrior Riverkeeper is its experienced staff. Presently, four of the six employees have worked there for 20+ years.

Marc Yaggi, the CEO of Waterkeeper Alliance sums up what makes BWRK’s stand out.

“For 25 years, Black Warrior Riverkeeper has demonstrated what it means to be a Waterkeeper: to know a waterway, watch over it, stand up for the communities that depend on it, and never stop fighting for its future.”

Longtime BWRK Executive Director Charles Scribner added:

“Black Warrior Riverkeeper is grateful to thousands of volunteers and donors for propelling us to our 25th Anniversary. We are proud of our efforts promoting public health, wildlife habitat, and recreation throughout this 17-county watershed, yet we feel more energized than ever to continue the progress. 

Rather than just looking back, we are eager to keep updating the historical timeline on our website with new milestones. We are also excited to announce several celebrations and community service events across our service area during these 12 months. Cheers to clean water for all!”