Video: Levee Break on a Webster County Lake Adds to Flooding Fears in the Area

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WEBSTER COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) — Some Webster County residents received twice as much flooding when a levee broke on a private lake,

This dirt on the side of the levee that protects area homes from Savannah Lake is washing away.

“911 received a call that there was a levee breached out at Savannah Lake and we didn’t know what was involved how much was involved until we actually got to the area,” says Jimmy Forrester.

Webster County officials say six inches of rainfall caused the levee breach.

James Charles Phillips, the owner of Savannah Lake remembers when his wife called to tell him what happen.

“My wife and five little kids were. Thankfully they weren’t downstream of that volume of water. It’s a little over fifteen acres almost 20 feet deep and it made quite a wave,” says James Charles Phillips.

“All the water went down the hill from here to around Hendricks Store, Hooper a road that way and then Luscious Road,” says Forrester.

Crews are working to open nearby roads. Webster County Public Information’s officer, Jimmy Forrester, says the only thing that will slow them down is more rain.

“If this storm would move through and the rain we stop they could get it done a lot quicker,” says Forrester.

Even though James and his family can no longer enjoy a swim in their lake, he is optimistic about getting it back up and running.

“Start work once it dries out; which hopefully will be this summer but we’ll see,” says Phillips.

As James waits to restore the 80 year old lake, he’s thankful the damage isn’t any worse.

County officials say no homes were damaged.

Hooper Road as of Monday night is open. Lucius Road however is closed.