CALLAWAY PASS The Lagoon's Lifeline
About three miles west on West Beach Boulevard is Callaway Pass. It is a man made estuary connecting the Gulf of Mexico to Little Lagoon. In order for the Lagoon to be kept clean and fresh with an abundant supply of salt water and to facilitate the essential migration of the salt water wildlife the pass must be kept free and flowing. A local court order mandates the City of Gulf Shores to notify the State Department of Transportation to dredge the pass when the flow is deemed to be so minimal that it endangers the proper "flushing" of the Lagoon with Gulf Water.
WITH THE CONCURRENCE OF THE CITY OF GULF SHORES, LLPS AND THE WEST BEACH HOME OWNERS ASSOCIATION THE ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (ALDOT) IS MOVING FORWARD IN SELECTING A PLAN TO REBUILD THE CALLAWAY PASS BRIDGE AND "BETTER" ENGINEER THE PASS TO FACILITATE THE MOVEMENT OF WATER IN AND OUT OF THE PASS WHILE INSURING A SUBSTANTIAL EFFORT IS PUT IN PLACE TO REDUCE BEACH EROSION WEST OF THE PASS ON THE GULF BEACH PROPERTIES. ONCE THE FINAL PLAN IS AGREED ON ALDOT WILL PUBLICLY ANNOUNCE THE PLAN AND IT WILL BE POSTED ON THIS WEBSITE.
Update as of July 2010
As a result of the Oil spill clean-up emergency Callaway Pass has become the West Beach headquarters for the "clean up" contractors. To relieve the high water in the Lagoon, a spillway and "snake" style channel has been cut through the sand dams to allow a controlled tidal flow. This channel's overall impact on the Lagoon is unknown at this time, but the protection of Little Lagoon from oil contamination is of primary concern.
WITH THE CONCURRENCE OF THE CITY OF GULF SHORES, LLPS AND THE WEST BEACH HOME OWNERS ASSOCIATION THE ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (ALDOT) IS MOVING FORWARD IN SELECTING A PLAN TO REBUILD THE CALLAWAY PASS BRIDGE AND "BETTER" ENGINEER THE PASS TO FACILITATE THE MOVEMENT OF WATER IN AND OUT OF THE PASS WHILE INSURING A SUBSTANTIAL EFFORT IS PUT IN PLACE TO REDUCE BEACH EROSION WEST OF THE PASS ON THE GULF BEACH PROPERTIES. ONCE THE FINAL PLAN IS AGREED ON ALDOT WILL PUBLICLY ANNOUNCE THE PLAN AND IT WILL BE POSTED ON THIS WEBSITE.
Update as of July 2010
As a result of the Oil spill clean-up emergency Callaway Pass has become the West Beach headquarters for the "clean up" contractors. To relieve the high water in the Lagoon, a spillway and "snake" style channel has been cut through the sand dams to allow a controlled tidal flow. This channel's overall impact on the Lagoon is unknown at this time, but the protection of Little Lagoon from oil contamination is of primary concern.