Creek cleanup begins with debris removal in east Fayetteville

By JOHN MUNFORD
jmunford@TheCitizenNews.com

Fayetteville public works crews began clearing debris from a privately owned creek in the east Fayetteville basin this week in hopes of preventing future flooding.

One of the larger items was a work shed that had washed into the creek during the floods last June, noted City Engineer Don Easterbrook. Crews also found an old tailgate from a passenger truck.

The creek eventually flows into Nash Creek, passing by Circle Drive and other areas that experienced flooding problems in June.

City Manager Joe Morton said the crews didn’t have access to the entire unnamed creek but they were using easements that were already on record. The City Council decided the work needed to be done quickly and was feasible due to the creation of the new stormwater utility that will fund similar stormwater drainage improvements in the future, Morton said.

Because of environmental regulations, there is little the city can do except remove debris that piles up in the creeks and causes a hazard, Easterbrook said.

Debris in area creeks was at least partly to blame for the flooding in June when a significant amount of rainfall was received overnight. Homes in the east Fayetteville area and Weatherly Walk Apartments were hard hit in the June flood along with areas on the west side of town near Pye Lake.

City officials are also working with the owners of Pye Lake to help develop a plan to make sure the faulty dam gets some temporary repairs for now, Morton added. Later, crews will evaluate what steps need to be taken to improve the dam on a long-term basis.

Officials from the state Safe Dams program have determined the dam is in danger of being breached during periods of heavy rain — which could put at least one resident in danger of being killed.