CHOCTAWHATCHEE

LANDUSE

Land use for the Alabama portion of the basin in 1976 was determined to be approximately 51.7% forestry, 30.6% cropland, 11.6% pasture, 3.2% urban development

The region is largely forested, but there are extensive open lands devoted to farming and pasture. The percentage of rural population is decreasing as the number of farms decreases and the size of existing farms and their mechanization increases.

(Corps of Engineers Water Projects of Alabama)

Farm products include field crops, mainly soybeans, corn, peanuts, cotton, small grain, hay, fruits and nuts, truck crops, and livestock products. Forestry products are also an important source of income. In ’91 only 1,500 acres were devoted to catfish ponds.

About 90% of the Pea River watershed is forested while about 70% of the Choctawhatchee remains forested. (Troy) Approximately five to six percent of forestland in the basin is disturbed in an average year. (NRCS)

Major centers of industry are Troy and Enterprise. Other cities include Elba, Ozark, Newton and Geneva, with Dothan sitting between the Choctawhatchee and Chipola watershed boundaries. One third of Dothan lies in the basin. (Corps)

Population in the upper basin in 1970 was 160,000. In 1990 it was 187,000, a relatively slow rate of growth. Predicted population in 2040 is 235,000. (NRCS)

Almost one-half of the basin’s Alabama residents depend upon septic systems for waste disposal (six of every ten families). In 1993 there were an estimated 36,000 septic systems in operation in the basin. One of every five systems has serious problems. (NRCS)