Canal work sparks fears

Emily Stranger | Bruswick News
January 17, 2007

James Holland doesn't like people messing with rivers or creeks.

So when the Altamaha Riverkeeper heard that Glynn County was cleaning out the Altamaha Canal at Georgia 303, he was not happy.

He knew there was something Glynn County failed to bring to the work site.

"They do not have the proper permits, nor did they install proper erosion control," said Holland, the watchdog for the environmental activist group.

James Holland, the Altamaha Riverkeeper, an environmental activist, stands by what he says is improperly installed silt screening along the Altamaha Canal, in Glynn County. (Bobby Haven/The Brunswick News) "They have also destroyed the natural buffer of roots and foliage that protects the sides of the canal from erosion."

Holland found fault in the nylon silt fence the county had placed along the top side of the canal. Its purpose was to prevent loose dirt from falling into the culvert, but it was not properly installed, he said.

"Silt fences are supposed to be buried 4 to 6 inches deep and not just laid out with some dirt thrown on top of them to keep them in place," he said.
The failure of the fence is evident, he said. There are areas where the soil beneath the silt fence has fallen through, leaving open holes alongside the banks adjacent to the highway.

"How can Glynn County justify making a developer keep dirt from eroding on their property when they're letting this go on?" Holland asked.

Holland also is concerned about the sediments found at the bottom of the canal and suggests a sediment sampling be taken before any further dredging of the canal continues.

Holland said he notified the Coastal Resources Division of the Department of Natural Resources of the alleged violations.

Buck Bennett, complaint and enforcement manager for Ecological Services of Coastal Resources, assessed the site.

"I took a quick survey and found (the county) wasn't encroaching into jurisdictional salt marshes yet," Bennett said. "However, they were 40 to 50 yards away from marsh territory."

He advised the county it would need to get proper permits if it planned to work any further.

The county ceased working in the canal on Jan. 4.

John Carter, director of Public Works for Glynn County, said the county was just trying to get all of its work done.

County workers were instructed to clean out the canals in order to reestablish drainage outfalls, Carter said.

Now, the work will be delayed.

"It was pointed out that we need to get permits, so now we're in the process of getting those permits," Carter said.

The county will hold a public comment period before any further work is performed, he said.

Failure on proper permitting shameful >>