Clay County EMA updates residents on possible flooding concerns

PRESS RELEASE (WCBI)- The Oktibbeha County Engineer, Clyde Pritchard from Pritchard Engineering, USACE identified an additional sink hole late Thursday afternoon roughly 4 feet wide and 3 feet deep. There was no water found inside the sinkhole. It was marked and is currently being monitored. There was an additional inspection conducted of the Dam initiated at 7 a.m. Friday morning and his report advised there were no changes since Thursday.

There is someone that is continuously monitoring the levels of the water and the condition of the slide 24/7. If there are any significant changes, the Engineer will consider requesting the County to upgrade the classification as part of their Emergency Action Plan to an “Emergency”.

The Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors held an emergency board meeting on Thursday, January 15th to approve for County EMA to submit a request through State for pumps and assistance with the demolition of the primary spillway riser. This was based off of the recommendation from USACE that was on site. County officials are still working on the logistics for pumps that will lower the water level of the lake. This must be done in order for any work to be done on the riser.

Local creek and tributaries have crested and starting to go down. This will lessen Clay County area of affected while the water is released at a controlled rate or if the dam breaches. There have been notices given to the residents in Clay County, by the Clay County Sheriff Department directly affected by the models.

Areas of concern in Clay County are south of Cedar Bluff, South end of Mhoon Valley, and the South end of Harmon Lake. If your neighborhood is in these areas and you did not receive a letter, watch the streams and areas that flood frequent. Should it breach, notification will be given by TV, phone, and radio.

According to the County Engineer’s estimates, with no additional rainfall and if the county is able to acquire pumps that would force the water off the lake at 25,000 gallons per minute, it would take anywhere from 22-24 days to lower the water level of the lake 5 feet.

County officials have had mechanisms in place that consist of (3) 8 inch pipes and (1) 10 inch pipe that has been siphoning water off the lake since Tuesday, January 14th. With this in place and without any additional rainfall, it could possibly take fewer days to draw the water down.

The Oktibbeha County EMA has also submitted a request for sandbags that will be placed along the roadway to create a diversion for rainwater to alleviate the progression of the slide on the Dam.

Both Clay and Oktibbeha Emergency Management is working closely with the National Weather Service in Jackson, MS as they are monitoring for upcoming weather conditions for the weekend into next week.

Oktibbeha County still have the Red Cross shelter open for residents of the affected area that is located at the First Baptist Church Outreach Center, 210 S. Jackson Street, Starkville, MS 39759. This is a pet free shelter.

Oktibbeha County Humane Society will board pets for any evacuees from the affected area.

This is located at 510 Industrial Park Rd, Starkville MS 39759.

Clay County still has Red Cross Shelters on standby in case our residents are affected.