FUN FACTS
- Once upon a time, ridge and swale topography and longshore coastal sedimentary processes gave rise to a remarkable, 8 miles long, ¾ mile wide, sand dominated, brackish water coastal lake called Little Lagoon
- Little Lagoon is the largest (2,480ac) of a series of 5 E-W oriented coastal lakes, which are an integral part of the Little Lagoon watershed
- The watershed is defined by the current dune system on its southern border and a paleo beach ridge system on its northern border
- Lake Shelby (678 ac), Middle Lake (250 ac), Little Lake (45 ac), and Gator Lake (45 ac) are essentially fresh, tannin-rich lakes that receive saltwater only during abnormally high (tropical) tides
- The processes which created Little Lagoon also created an environment conducive to a prolific and diverse flora and fauna
- Little Lagoon is home to more than 64 species of fish, 13 species of crab, 11 species of mollusks, 7 species of shrimp, 3 species of jellyfish, and 1 species of starfish, as residents and visitors
- The four black water lakes east and west of the lagoon also support populations of bass, sunfish, catfish, crappie, striped bass, speckled trout, redfish, flounder, mullet, shrimp, and blue crab
- 373 species of migratory and resident birds have been documented within the westernmost third of the watershed in the Bon Secour National Wildlife refuge
- Animal species within the watershed include alligators, beach mice, black bears, and numerous species of snakes
- Endangered animal species are: Alabama Beach Mouse, Bald Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, Piping Plover, Wood Stork, Eastern Indigo Snake, Gopher Tortoise, Loggerhead Turtle, and Green Sea Turtle
- Little Lagoon was a secret for several hundred years, known only to a few resident families and visitors.
- Commercial fishing, shrimping, oystering, crabbing, and maritime trade was a way of life in this isolated, harsh environment
- In 1979 and again in 2004 category 3 Hurricanes Frederick and Ivan scored direct hits on Gulf Shores
- National publicity, low-interest loan money, Federal Flood Insurance, and the general desire of our population to live on and visit the Gulf Coast resulted in dramatic development within the watershed
- Little Lagoon, as we once knew it, is now being threatened and needs protection