ORANGE BEACH, Ala. (WPMI) — Auburn University researchers recommend dredging and aeration to improve sediment and water quality in two popular Orange Beach bodies of water.

The study was funded by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the RESTORE Council. The shallow waters and channels of Terry Cove and Cotton Bayou have long been breeding grounds for wildlife, but over the years the natural shorelines have been replaced by levees, leading to the deposition of sediment. This disrupts natural water mixing, which can impact water and sediment quality.

“Both bays do not have good currents. Development in these two areas sometimes causes the water to stagnate. We have periods of low oxygen levels or fish kills. The goal of the study was to find out what could be done to improve water quality in these two areas,” said Chris Blakenship, commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Poor ecological health and low oxygen levels in the water column contribute to algal blooms and fish kills in Terry Cove and Cotton Bayou. The goal of the study was to find a way to improve the low oxygen levels in the water column.

“Water quality deterioration is not good for anyone, whether people or the animals that use the water, so finding ways to improve water quality in Orange Beach is of great importance to the quality of life for people in these two areas,” Blakenship said.

Scientists at Auburn University developed a three-dimensional hydrodynamic model to evaluate potential restoration options. The researchers tested four scenarios and collected data on the impacts of each scenario on water quality.

“Now that they have some information from the research that has been done, they can make some decisions about what funding to apply for and how to implement some of the actions they have proposed to improve their water quality,” Blakenship said.

The researchers concluded that a combination of targeted dredging and bottom aerators would likely be the best restoration option. Through testing, the scientists found that the combination would help maintain high oxygen levels in the water.

“I’m sure we’ll work with the city of Orange Beach to find funding to do some construction and then coordinate that with the Alabama RESTORE council, which is administered by the Department of Conservation,” Blakenship said. “Hopefully something can be done in the next year or two to install those systems and improve the water quality there.”