[Announcer] This program is supported by grants from The Solon and Martha Dixon Foundation, and the Alabama Wildlife Federation, working for wildlife since 1935.

"Discovering Alabama" is a production of the Alabama Museum of Natural History.

(water gurgling) (crickets chirping) (birds chirping) (water gurgling) (woodpecker banging) (water gurgling) (birds chirping) (water gurgling) (water gurgling continues) (car door banging) (wind swooshing) (water gurgling) (crow cawing) (water gurgling) Welcome to "Discovering Alabama" and welcome to a lovely pleasant stretch along one of Alabama's many 1000s of miles of rivers and streams.

132,000 to be precise.

And if that sounds like a lot of miles, well, a big reason for Alabama's abundance of rivers is Alabama's abundance of geological and physiographic diversity.

With several major drainage basins comprising many varied watersheds and water systems across the state.

In fact, the full graphic of Alabama's streams is ready evidence of Alabama acclaim as the aquatic state.

(water gurgling) In my 40 years of producing "Discovering Alabama" one of the greatest blessings has been to explore Alabama's grand rim of water wonders.

Through the years and throughout this land "Discovering Alabama" feature movies have covered an expanse of territory.

Our travels have taken us to every part of the state.

From our earliest days scouting wild places long secret from the larger world.

And the secret is Alabama.

And (indistinct)dreams that today are examples of successful efforts to restore and protect their watersheds.

This lovely stream is Bear Creek So, Turkey here is keeping a look for bears.

And as the name maybe suggests the area is pretty wild.

Our travels have taken us over the broad range of Alabama's river diversity.

Welcome to "Discovering Alabama".

If you think me and Ol' Turkey here are trustworthy sorts, well, we've got some swamp land to sell ya.

But actually, this stretch of the Sipsey Swamp really isn't for sale.

It's part of several thousand acres of the Sipsey recently purchased by the Alabama Forever Wild Program.

To be set aside as a prominent natural area.

We've explored the unspoiled headwaters of rivers threatened by encroaching development.

Today we're still fishing these waters.

Though the fishing technology has changed a bit.

(reel zinging) -Catching anything?

-Catching a few.

All right, well you've got a good day for it.

(water swooshing) -Good luck.

-Thank you.

(water swooshing) We've paddled the wide waters of rivers now impounded to become waterways of commercial transport.

Obviously something has changed.

And apparently it was a big change.

And we certainly enjoyed quality time experiencing the allure of Alabama's coastal area.

-Sh.

-(water splashing) We don't want to wake anybody.

(upbeat music) We even ventured up for a return to the river of my childhood ramblings.

And to visages of a period from yesteryear.

And this is what's left of the fireplace of the old family home site.

You know when the old timers complain about how hard times used to be I can relate.

This was our only heat for awhile.

But in this show, celebrating "Discovering Alabama" 40th year I think I'll just sit back and join you viewers for a special treat of some of Alabama's blessed water wonders.

(mellow music) (calm music) This program is about a land unknown to many people.

A land that in many ways has maintained it's native natural wonders.

A place of bountiful back country, forests, streams, and wildlife more diverse than can be found in most of the inhabited world.

Come along with me as we explore the wild wonders of this land.

Come along as we discover Alabama.

(crickets chirping) (thunder cracking) (rain sputtering) (thunder cracking) (water gurgling) (water gurgling continues) (water gurgling continues) (water gurgling continues) -(calm music) -(water gurgling) -(calm music continues) -(water gurgling continues) (bird squawking) -(calm music) -(water gurgling) -(calm music continues) -(water gurgling continues) -(calm music continues) -(water gurgling continues) -(calm music continues) -(water gurgling continues) -(calm music continues) -(water gurgling continues) -(calm music continues) -(water gurgling continues) (birds chirping) (crickets chirping) -(calm music) -(water gurgling) -(calm music continues) -(water gurgling continues) -(calm music continues) -(water gurgling continues) (birds chirping) -(calm music) -(water gurgling) -(calm music continues) -(water gurgling continues) -(calm music continues) -(water gurgling continues) -(calm music continues) -(water gurgling continues) -(birds chirping) -(water gurgling) -(birds chirping continues) -(water gurgling continues) -(calm music) -(water gurgling) -(calm music continues) -(water gurgling continues) (birds squawking) -(calm music) -(water gurgling) -(calm music continues) -(water gurgling continues) -(calm music continues) -(water gurgling continues) -(crickets chirping) -(birds chirping) -(water gurgling) -(calm music) -(calm music continues) -(water gurgling continues) -(calm music continues) -(water gurgling continues) -(calm music continues) -(water gurgling continues) -(calm music continues) -(water gurgling continues) -(crickets chirping) -(water gurgling) (water gurgling continues) (water gurgling continues) (water gurgling continues) (water gurgling continues) (water gurgling continues) -(calm music) -(water gurgling) -(calm music continues) -(water gurgling continues) (birds chirping) -(calm music) -(water gurgling) -(calm music continues) -(water gurgling continues) (crickets chirping) -(calm music) -(water gurgling) -(calm music continues) -(water gurgling continues) -(calm music continues) -(water gurgling continues) (birds chirping) -(calm music) -(water gurgling) -(calm music continues) -(water gurgling continues) -(calm music continues) -(water gurgling continues) -(calm music continues) -(water gurgling continues) (birds chirping) (water roaring) (water roaring continues) (birds chirping) (birds chirping continues) (birds chirping continues) (water gurgling) (water roaring) (water roaring continues) -(calm music) -(water gurgling) -(calm music continues) -(water gurgling continues) -(calm music continues) -(water gurgling continues) (birds chirping) -(calm music) -(water gurgling) -(calm music continues) -(water gurgling continues) -(calm music continues) -(water gurgling continues) -(calm music continues) -(water gurgling continues) (crickets chirping) (calm music) -(calm music continues) -(water gurgling) -(calm music continues) -(water gurgling continues) (calm music) (calm music continues) (calm music continues) (calm music continues) (water roaring) (water gurgling) (birds chirping) (water roaring) (hawk squawking) (water roaring) (water roaring continues) -(upbeat music) -(water roaring) -(upbeat music continues) -(water roaring continues) -(upbeat music continues) -(water roaring continues) -(upbeat music continues) -(water roaring continues) -(upbeat music continues) -(water roaring continues) -(upbeat music continues) -(water roaring continues) -(upbeat music continues) -(water roaring continues) -(upbeat music continues) -(water roaring continues) -(upbeat music continues) -(water roaring continues) -(upbeat music continues) -(water roaring continues) -(upbeat music continues) -(water roaring continues) -(upbeat music continues) -(water roaring continues) -(upbeat music continues) -(water roaring continues) -(upbeat music continues) -(water roaring continues) -(upbeat music continues) -(water roaring continues) (water roaring) (water roaring continues) (water roaring continues) (water roaring continues) -(upbeat music) -(water roaring) -(upbeat music continues) -(water roaring continues) -(upbeat music continues) -(water roaring continues) -(upbeat music continues) -(water roaring continues) -(upbeat music continues) -(water roaring continues) -(upbeat music continues) -(water roaring continues) -(upbeat music continues) -(water roaring continues) -(upbeat music continues) -(water roaring continues) -(upbeat music continues) -(water roaring continues) -(upbeat music continues) -(water roaring continues) -(upbeat music continues) -(water roaring continues) (crickets chirping) (water roaring) -(upbeat music) -(water roaring continues) -(upbeat music continues) -(water roaring continues) -(upbeat music continues) -(water roaring continues) -(upbeat music continues) -(water roaring continues) -(upbeat music continues) -(water roaring continues) -(upbeat music continues) -(water roaring continues) -(upbeat music continues) -(water roaring continues) -(upbeat music continues) -(water roaring continues) -(upbeat music continues) -(water roaring continues) -(upbeat music continues) -(water roaring continues) (water gurgling) I wonder what's around that next bend up there.

(water gurgling) (water gurgling continues) (water gurgling continues) -(calm music) -(water gurgling) -(calm music continues) -(water gurgling continues) -(calm music continues) -(water gurgling continues) -(calm music continues) -(water gurgling continues) -(calm music continues) -(water gurgling continues) -(calm music continues) -(water gurgling continues) [Announcer] "Discovering Alabama" is produced in partnership with "Alabama Public Television".

"Discovering Alabama" is a production of the Alabama Museum of Natural History.

This program is supported by grants from The Solon and Martha Dixon Foundation and The Alabama Wildlife Federation.

Working for wildlife since 1935.