WEST JEFFERSON WATERSHEDS
Valley Creek Watershed
Valley Creek begins under concrete in downtown Birmingham, covering 164,000 acres within Jefferson County. The first appearance of the headwaters are at the junction of 5th Avenue North and 7th Street North. It flows about 50 miles from downtown Birmingham, northwest to the Black Warrior River. The watershed expands from the Birmingham area to Midfield, Fairfield, Bessemer, Pleasant Grove, Hueytown and Oak Grove. Numerous municipalities are located within the watershed.
Unfortunately, like many watersheds, the area is susceptible to pollution from litter, illegal dumping, and other human activities. Luckily, with the involvement of the surrounding communities, there are several annual cleanups, educational and outreach events in an effort to help reduce this pollution.
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Black Warrior River Watershed
The Black Warrior River drains parts of 17 Alabama counties. Its headwaters consist of the Sipsey, Mulberry, and Locust Forks. Once these rivers merge west of Birmingham, the Black Warrior River proper forms the border of Jefferson and Walker counties. The Black Warrior River watershed is home to 127 freshwater fish species (4 of which are federally listed as endangered), 36 species of mussels (5 of which are federally listed as endangered), 33 crayfish species, 15 turtle species (1 of which is federally listed as threatened), an endangered snail, and numerous other aquatic animals.
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For more in depth explanation of this watershed, visit https://blackwarriorriver.org/ .