MARION COUNTY GRAVEL PIT Stormwater Outfall, Winfield, Alabama

MARION COUNTY GRAVEL PIT is a stormwater outfall located on Blue Ridge Road in Winfield, Marion County, Alabama, United States. As a stormwater outfall, it serves as a discharge point for stormwater runoff from the surrounding catchment, which includes urban and potentially industrial areas. The facility is operational and falls under the regulatory framework of the US Clean Water Act, specifically the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permits. In Alabama, stormwater management is overseen by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM), which implements the NPDES MS4 program. Phase II MS4 permits apply to smaller municipalities like Winfield, requiring stormwater management plans to reduce pollutant discharges. The gravel pit likely functions as a retention or detention basin, providing storage and treatment of runoff through sedimentation and infiltration before discharge. The environmental significance of this outfall lies in its role in controlling stormwater runoff quality and quantity, protecting local water bodies from pollution and flooding. By managing runoff from the urbanized area, it helps maintain the ecological health of receiving streams and groundwater resources in the region.

The outfall discharges into local waterways that may be sensitive to urban runoff pollutants such as sediment, nutrients, and heavy metals. Marion County's landscape includes agricultural and forested areas, and stormwater management is critical to prevent erosion and protect water quality. The facility operates under NPDES MS4 Phase II requirements, which mandate best management practices to minimize pollution from stormwater discharges.