Red Clay: A Pox on our Snow Red Clay: A Pox on our Snow White Beaches! White Beaches!

Dennis Hatfield, President LLPSDennis Hatfield, President LLPS

How did our beaches get so How did our beaches get so

white?white? Our beaches are special! 99.97% snow white, pure quartz Our beaches are special! 99.97% snow white, pure quartz

sand, with no natural clay, and a very small (.03%) sand, with no natural clay, and a very small (.03%) percentage of dark iron and titanium rich heavy minerals percentage of dark iron and titanium rich heavy minerals

The source materials for the “Miracle Strip” are quartz and The source materials for the “Miracle Strip” are quartz and feldspar rich granites from the Appalachians feldspar rich granites from the Appalachians

The quartz sand rich Miracle Strip is a “mature” product of The quartz sand rich Miracle Strip is a “mature” product of numerous repeated episodes of erosion, and deposition. numerous repeated episodes of erosion, and deposition. Physical transport and chemical weathering have removed Physical transport and chemical weathering have removed all less resistant minerals and left only the quartz all less resistant minerals and left only the quartz

Microscopic examination of individual sand grains tells a Microscopic examination of individual sand grains tells a story. The sand is well sorted, and each grain is almost story. The sand is well sorted, and each grain is almost perfectly rounded, frosted, polished, and pitted perfectly rounded, frosted, polished, and pitted

A “River of Sand” brings us our A “River of Sand” brings us our Sand From Apalachicola Sand From Apalachicola

Mobile Bay delivers a tremendous volume Mobile Bay delivers a tremendous volume of distinctly different sediment to our of distinctly different sediment to our coast compared to “Miracle Strip” coast compared to “Miracle Strip” sediments derived from Flasediments derived from Fla

A “river of sand” flows from Apalachicola A “river of sand” flows from Apalachicola to the mouth of Mobile Bay to the mouth of Mobile Bay

The Fort Morgan Peninsula forms a barrier The Fort Morgan Peninsula forms a barrier which effectively separates Mobile Bay which effectively separates Mobile Bay sediments from “Miracle Strip” sediments sediments from “Miracle Strip” sediments

Red Clay on the Miracle Strip is Red Clay on the Miracle Strip is like a “Road Alligator”like a “Road Alligator”

If we want Lagoon waters to remain relatively clear, and lagoon and If we want Lagoon waters to remain relatively clear, and lagoon and beach sand to remain unique/special/white we have to say no to beach sand to remain unique/special/white we have to say no to importing any and all red/yellow materials onto Pleasure Islandimporting any and all red/yellow materials onto Pleasure Island

Clay is both a textural and mineralogical term-clay minerals and sized Clay is both a textural and mineralogical term-clay minerals and sized particles are 1/256 MM and smaller particles are 1/256 MM and smaller

Sediments turn yellow or red because the iron contained in them is Sediments turn yellow or red because the iron contained in them is “oxidized”“oxidized”

Oxidized clay sized sediment is very mobile-easily transported by Oxidized clay sized sediment is very mobile-easily transported by water and windwater and wind

A small amount of oxidized iron rich material can stain a large A small amount of oxidized iron rich material can stain a large amount of pure white sand for a long time, and once it is in our amount of pure white sand for a long time, and once it is in our special pure white quartz sand environment, it can do damage over special pure white quartz sand environment, it can do damage over and over again and over again

Red Clay is Illegal along the Fort Red Clay is Illegal along the Fort Morgan RoadMorgan Road

Uses: Uses: – Inexpensive (short term) road bed and house pad material Inexpensive (short term) road bed and house pad material – Inexpensive (short term) fill and grade material Inexpensive (short term) fill and grade material

Gulf Shores recently passed ordinance prohibiting colored Gulf Shores recently passed ordinance prohibiting colored materials for use south and in large areas north of the Fort materials for use south and in large areas north of the Fort Morgan Hwy Morgan Hwy

Code enforcement is currently lacking, numerous examples Code enforcement is currently lacking, numerous examples exist of code violations since new code passedexist of code violations since new code passed

We (LLPS) can help by educating/understanding code, We (LLPS) can help by educating/understanding code, reporting code violations and following up to see that code is reporting code violations and following up to see that code is enforced, and violations punished enforced, and violations punished