Recent storms cause creek to rise in Millport
MILLPORT, AL. (WCBI) – Recent rains are once again causing the Luxapalila Creek to leave its banks near Millport, Alabama.
Debris floating down the creek created an almost literal log jam at the Highway 17 Bridge, slowing the flow and causing waters to rise.
“It’s looking rough, flooding more and more. It’s backing up more and more,” said Millport Mayor, Stanley Allred.
He said the problems with the Luxapalila Creek are ongoing.
“It’s got to be dredged out because it’s full of logs, silt, and everything else. It’s to the point where it’s not much of a creek running down through that,” said Allred.
The debris piled against the Highway 17 bridge slows the flow of water, causing the creek to rise especially when there’s a storm.
This has also put nearby land underwater and even made some homes unlivable.
If it’s not fixed soon, Allred fears it could also overflow onto the bridge and the railroad — and that could swamp Millport’s economy.
“That railroad supplies Weyerhaeuser, SDR, a pole company up in Kennedy, and another lumber plant in Belk. And when those are gone, we’re talking about a real economic drain on this area,” said Allred.
Allred said companies like Weyerhaeuser use the bridge on Hwy 17 North as a major way to move their material and products.
He said the U.S. Army Corps Of Engineers has begun studying the issue.
“They have started some studies but to complete the studies and get some idea of how much is going to cost, we’ve got to go through Congress,” said Allred.
Allred said he calls the Corps often for updates, and the project could take 2 to 4 years.
“If the Lux is not corrected within the foreseeable future, you can just draw a line across the South end of Lamar County, and about 2 miles down Fernbank land, and we would just be wasteland down here because you couldn’t get to it,” said Allred.
It will be March at the earliest, before they know the fate of a funding bill making its way through Congress.
Allred said overflow from the creek could also affect the sewer system of Millport and the surrounding towns it serves.
