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Big Bay Lake
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Big Bay Lake is an artificial lake of about 900 to 1000 acres created by an $2.5 million earthen dam on Bay Creek, about 11 miles west of Purvis.
Dam break
On March 12, 2004, at about 12:35 PM, the dam failed, releasing 7.2 billion gallons of water and flooding nearly 100 homes, and affecting almost 17 miles west of the dam.[1][2] Proposals to rebuild the dam were controversial, with landowners at the former lake largely supporting the rebuilding of the dam, and residents and business owners downstream largely opposing the dam.[3][4]
On May 8, 2007, the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) approved the application to rebuild the dam. During the first year after construction MDEQ would inspect the new dam every three months, and then inspect the dam annually after the first year.[5] Construction of the new concrete dam began June 14, 2007,[6] and was completed in 2009.[7] The court battle ended in 2010 with a $1 million settlement being split between more than 100 residents affected by the flood.[8]
See also
- Video of Big Bay Lake after three years, Hattiesburg American, March 11, 2007
- Damage photos
References
- ↑ Big Bay Lake Dam Break, retrieved March 11, 2007
- ↑ "Residents' feelings mixed about rebuilding Big Bay" by Reuben Mees, Hattiesburg American, March 11, 2007
- ↑ "Residents speak out on Big Bay dam" by Jillian Kramer, Hattiesburg American, March 30, 2007
- ↑ "Flood victim 'hates' to see dam built back" by Reuben Mees, Hattiesburg American, May 9, 2007
- ↑ "Big Bay dam to be rebuilt" by Jillian Kramer, Hattiesburg American, May 9, 2007
- ↑ "Appeal set for dam decision" by Jillian Kramer, Hattiesburg American, September 26, 2007
- ↑ "Big Bay Lake dam reconstructed", WLBT, July 8, 2009
- ↑ "Settlement reached in Big Bay dam break trial", WDAM, March 25, 2010