Perdido Pass
Perdido Pass forms a water passage that connects Perdido Bay with the Gulf of Mexico to the south, in the U.S. state of Alabama, 2 miles (3 km) west of the Alabama/Florida state line.
The Perdid Pass was about 2 miles (3.2 km) east of its present location until early in the 20th century.
The barrier spit on the western (Alabama) side of the inlet, Point Ornocor, overlapped what is now Perdido Key, extending for several miles parallel to and on the north side of Perdido Key.
The spit ending on the west side of Perdido Pass is now known as Alabama Point.
[2][3] Perdido Pass has historically moved westward due to longshore drift.
Several small-craft facilities are in the coves and Cotton Bayou, on the W side of Perdido Pass 0.7 miles (1.1 km) above the entrance.
Old River enters Perdido Pass from the east between Florida Point and Ono Island.
A fixed highway bridge with a clearance of 24 feet (7.3 m) crosses Old River, about 1 mile (1.6 km) east of Perdido Pass.
The use of stone and cement jetties combined with dredging and pumping sand out of the pass by the Army Corps of Engineers and the City of Orange Beach currently mitigates damage from hurricanes and sedimentation.
The daily high tide was causing oil-contaminated water to enter Perdido Bay.
The barrier system was designed to allow boats to travel through Perdido Pass, during the outflowing tide, but close during the rising tide and collect oil deposits in a retention area on the eastern edge of the pass.
