The Northwest Florida Water Management District (NWFWMD) and the Bay County Board of County Commissioners are set to begin the first in a series of storm debris cleanups in a waterway behind Sunshine Drive in the Bayou George community on Thursday, May 2.
The initial project aims to clear approximately 1,400 linear feet of storm debris in the waterway stemming from the January 9 tornadoes that caused significant damage to several areas of the county.
“This partnership with Bay County is a great example of how local government and the state can work together to get things done efficiently,” George Roberts, chairman of the NWFWMD Governing Board, said. “It will also hopefully help bring closure to some of the homeowners in Bayou George who were so adversely affected by this severe weather event.”
The $35,000 project is funded by the district and will be completed by a contractor by May 8. Bay County will collect the debris and deliver it to the Steelfield Landfill, waiving transport and tipping fees.
The Florida Legislature appropriated $10 million in the upcoming budget year for clearing a much larger area of waterways impacted by both the January storm and Hurricane Michael in 2018, including Bayou George, Bear Creek and parts of upper and lower Econfina Creek.“We are so grateful to Sen. Jay Trumbull and Rep. Griff Griffitts for their continued commitment to helping us get these waterways cleared,” Bay County Commissioner Doug Moore said. “Removing this debris not only may help improve stormwater flow but it will also remove the daily reminders of Hurricane Michael.”
Additional information on the broader cleanup will be released later this summer.