09/06/2026
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Little Lagoon is one of those places that can get overshadowed by the Gulf.
But for generations of Gulf Shores families, it's been part of everyday coastal life.
Fishing.
Boating.
Kayaking.
Waterfront homes.
Sunsets that can make you forget there's a major tourist destination just a few miles away.
Now Gulf Shores is undertaking a major effort to protect it.
The city has received $5.9 million in RESTORE funding for a five-year Little Lagoon Restoration Project involving several major universities and environmental partners.
And this isn't just planting a few marsh grasses.
The plan includes approximately 1,000 feet of living shoreline, marsh and seagrass restoration, an oyster restoration program, improvements to water movement through existing canals and long-term water-quality monitoring.
One particularly interesting part involves septic systems.
The project calls for connecting approximately 200 individual septic systems to the municipal sewer system, reducing potential impacts on lagoon water quality.
Partners include Auburn University, the University of South Alabama, Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Mississippi State University and the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
There's even an educational component involving Gulf Shores High School students and community volunteers.
Because here's the reality:
Gulf Shores isn't the sleepy beach community it once was.
Growth brings pressure.
And protecting Little Lagoon now could determine what this place looks like decades from now.
