Black Warrior Riverkeeper

Black Warrior Riverkeeper Our mission is to protect and restore the Black Warrior River and its tributaries. We are a proud member of Waterkeeper Alliance.

Black Warrior Riverkeeper’s mission is to protect and restore the Black Warrior River and its tributaries. We are a citizen-based nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting clean water for the sake of public health, recreation, and wildlife habitat throughout our patrol area, the Black Warrior River watershed. This vital river basin is entirely contained within Alabama, America’s leading state

for freshwater biodiversity. Patrolling waterways, educating the public, and holding polluters accountable has made us an important proponent of clean water throughout the basin. Our staff identifies and addresses pollution problems while increasing public awareness. Please contact us to report pollution and to inquire about volunteer projects, donations, educational presentations, or public events: [email protected]

The Black Warrior River drains parts of 17 Alabama counties. The area the river drains, its watershed, covers 6,276 square miles in Alabama and measures roughly 300 miles from top to bottom. The Black Warrior River watershed is home to over 1 million residents and contains 16,145.89 miles of mapped streams. 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. Near Tuscaloosa, the river flows out of the rocky Cumberland Plateau and enters the sandy East Gulf Coastal Plain, forming the border of Greene and Hale counties in the Black Belt. At Demopolis the Black Warrior flows into the Tombigbee River towards Mobile Bay.

09/08/2026

We're thrilled to host the Southern Exposure Film Fellowship again this year! Join us Sept. 25!

09/08/2026

Black Belt Paddle Festival Committee Highlight, Newbern Alabama:

Since joining Rural Studios in 2012, Eric Ball has played a central role in educating architecture students about the relationship between land, community, and regenerative design.

He manages the program's organic farm, overseeing the production of approximately 6,000 pounds of produce annually. This harvest provides fresh ingredients for daily shared meals prepared for the Rural Studio students, staff, and community.

Mr. Ball works directly with groups of architecture students. He teaches them all aspects of crop production—from seed-starting and transplanting to harvesting—to give them a grounded understanding of the social, environmental, and historical realities of living in Alabama’s Black Belt region.

Ball holds a Permaculture Design Certificate from Oregon State University (in addition to a BS in Biology and Philosophy from the University of Oregon). He teaches intensive permaculture crash courses to help design students incorporate ecological systems and regenerative strategies into their architectural site analyses.

He regularly hosts educational farm and greenhouse tours during major community and institutional events, such as the annual Rural Studio's Pig Roast and ACES Housing Forum.

Through his work, Ball bridges the gap between sustainable architecture and agriculture, teaching future architects the value of land ethics and community self-reliance.

Grateful to Friends of the Locust Fork River for highlighting the beauty of Blount County with their annual Art, Photogr...
09/08/2026

Grateful to Friends of the Locust Fork River for highlighting the beauty of Blount County with their annual Art, Photography, Video, and Poetry Contest, and for inviting us to speak at the ceremony.

The new Fall 2026 issue of Smith Lake Living has a great article about Vista Lago and Black Warrior Riverkeeper: https:/...
09/07/2026

The new Fall 2026 issue of Smith Lake Living has a great article about Vista Lago and Black Warrior Riverkeeper: https://smithlakeliving.com/

"Riverkeeper Nelson Brooke trekked along the river by boat on Monday. He documented numerous dead fish 12 miles upstream...
09/05/2026

"Riverkeeper Nelson Brooke trekked along the river by boat on Monday. He documented numerous dead fish 12 miles upstream from Cordova to the confluence of the Mulberry and Sipsey forks, and 5 miles up the Mulberry Fork." -Daily Mountain Eagle

Black Warrior Riverkeeper, an environmental non-profit organization, opened an investigation of a fish kill on the Mulberry Fork on Monday, Aug. 24.

09/04/2026
09/03/2026

Black Belt Paddle Festival Committee Highlight, Akron, AL

Dimetra Rollins is a Hale County native, originally from Sawyerville, Alabama, and has called Akron home for most of her life. She is a Licensed Practical Nurse with more than 20 years of healthcare experience and currently works at University Medical Center, where her work includes clinical documentation, research, and community health outreach and engagement across West Alabama.

Dimetra is passionate about serving her community and is involved with several organizations and initiatives, including Auburn University Rural Health Ambassadors, the Black Belt Community Foundation, Akron Public Library, and local health and nutrition efforts through the Town of Akron. Much of her work focuses on rural health, education, youth and senior engagement, and connecting people with resources and opportunities that strengthen the community.

She is also a senior at The University of Alabama, pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus on Community Studies.

Faith and family are a big part of her life. Dimetra is an active member of First Baptist Church of Akron, where she serves in several ministries. She has been happily married to her husband, Chris, for 27 years and is the mother of CJ, Kennedi, and Khloe.

Dimetra believes in bringing people together, celebrating the beauty and strength of rural communities, and creating more opportunities for people to connect, grow, and thrive.

Address

712 37th Street S
Birmingham, AL
35222

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+12054580095

Website

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