PANEL COMES UP WITH WITH PLAN FOR CONTROL OF HUBBLE CREEK

JACKSON -- A committee investigating erosion of Hubble Creek presented its proposed solution to the Cape Girardeau County Commission Monday.

Commissioners and Jackson city officials agreed that something must be done to correct the problem, but the question of who should take charge and how to fund the recommendations remains.

"One entity cannot solve the problem," said Carl Talley, chairman of the committee. "Everyone who lives in the watershed must work together or we will never solve this problem. For this to be successful, all the entities must work together.

After hearing the report, Presiding Commissioner Gerald Jones suggested that county officials and Jackson city officials meet to discuss a collaborative solution.

"We have to do something," Jones said.

The committee's recommendation for a solution has four parts and is expected to cost $4 million.

-- Cape Girardeau County should adopt runoff control and stormwater detention ordinances for new development.

-- Jackson should adopt similar ordinances for new development within the city.

-- Detention storage structures should be built in the upper regions of Hubble Creek. About 90 are needed.

-- Rock and concrete structures should be installed in channels of Hubble Creek and its major tributaries to stabilize the stream bed.

The committee was formed two years ago by the Cape Girardeau County Commission in response to severe erosion problems in some areas of the creek. The problems are especially bad south of Gordonville where Hubble Creek is deepening and widening dramatically.

Access to a bridge on County Road 228 south of Gordonville is eroding, and officials say the bridge at the junction of Highway 74 and Route A at Dutchtown will one day be imperiled if the erosion isn't reduced.

From the county's point of view, $250,000 bridges may have to be replaced. Meanwhile, landowners on Hubble Creek are seeing their property erode at the rate of a quarter acre per mile per year.

Jackson is experiencing storm-water runoff problems in part because of development within the city and development to the north of Jackson.

Steve Wilson, Jackson city manager, said Jackson has already started looking at improving flood control within the city.

The city has an ordinance dealing with soil erosion but doesn't have an ordinance dealing with storm-water runoff.

The county doesn't have ordinances dealing with either issue. However, a commission is preparing recommendations for county planning and zoning.

Associate Commissioner Larry Bock said the commission's recommendations could address soil erosion and storm water.

Dave Owen, district conservationist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, worked with the committee. "We made a plan for what's needed, and then we can go get the funding," Owen said. "The search for money has not begun."

But the problem continues to worsen, Owen said. "The rains keep falling. The banks keep falling in, and it's only going to get worse unless something is done."

Money in the form of grants may be available from a variety of federal and state sources, but a plan is needed before seeking funding, Owen said.