The board that voted in February to close Mobile's Big Creek Lake to boating and fishing is meeting on Monday, April 7. They are expected to discuss possible compromises to their complete ban on recreational use of the lake.
The meeting is at 1:30 p.m. Monday at Mobile Area Water & Sewer System (MAWSS) offices at 4725 Moffett Road in West Mobile. The business meeting is open for public viewing but does not appear to be a public hearing.
The board of MAWSS voted February 4 to halt fishing, boating and other recreational use of the lake, which has been popular for decades with local sportsmen and families.
Big Creek Lake supplies drinking water for approximately 350,000 consumers in the greater Mobile area, or 70% of the population.
MAWSS sent 1819 News this statement Friday:
MAWSS’s priority is to ensure a safe and abundant source of drinking water for the 350,000 residents we serve throughout Mobile, Spanish Fort, Chickasaw, Prichard, and Semmes. As a man-made reservoir, Big Creek Lake is the only source of water for these residents, their fire departments, hospitals, industrial base, and other essential services. Protecting this water source is crucial to our mission and the long-term growth of our communities and economy.
Currently, Big Creek Lake is facing threats from invasive species that can harm water quality, limit the water supply, and increase costs for utility customers. Several invasive species are already in the reservoir, and more are in nearby waters. The most dangerous of these is the Russian zebra mussel, which has spread rapidly from the Great Lakes to as close as Tuscaloosa. These mussels attach to boats and trailers at a microscopic level and multiply rapidly. In water systems across the country, these mussels have blocked pumps, pipes, and filters, resulting in increased costs for ratepayers that amount to billions.
We don't want that to happen here. Preventative measures are necessary to ensure that our community's sole water supply remains safe and that our residents, fire departments, and industries have access to safe, abundant, and affordable water.
Simply put, water is life. Providing safe, dependable, and affordable water isn't just a high priority – it's why MAWSS exists. As MAWSS continues to work with local stakeholders, we recognize the desire of some recreational anglers to use the lake for fishing. While we have consistently sought ways to allow recreational options on the reservoir and will continue to do so, MAWSS cannot permit outside boats to enter the lake, as this could potentially introduce invasive species that could cause millions of dollars in damage to our pumps, pipes, and treatment plants across the region. We will continue to collaborate with stakeholders and local officials to develop a path forward that enables recreational use while preserving this critical resource.
MAWSS's decision to ban recreation on Big Creek Lake sparked a citizen outcry, mostly in Mobile and nearby southwest Alabama.
Now, efforts to undo the MAWSS ban are happening in the state legislature and the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
The House Boards, Agencies and Commissions Committee held a public hearing Wednesday on House Bill 473. This bill prohibits water systems from stopping fishing, boating, and other recreation on public lakes. While statewide in effect, it primarily aims to reopen Big Creek Lake to recreation.
After the hearing, the committee did not vote. Committee Chair State Rep. Margie Wilcox (R-Mobile) indicated that the committee may schedule the vote at its next meeting on Wednesday, April 9. Members of the committee and contact information are listed here.
A Mobile-based group, "Take Back Big Creek Lake from MAWSS," supports the bill.
State Rep. Shane Stringer (R-Citronelle) is the bill's House sponsor. He spoke in favor of it at the hearing.
"Suddenly declaring an entire lake off limits without offering specific reasons or justification is unfair and hurts the quality of life for everyone who lives in the area. The residents of House District 102 are angry and upset at this bureaucratic nonsense, and I share their reaction, so if MAWSS refuses to reverse its decision, the Legislature can certainly step in and reverse it for them," Stringer said.
The executive director of MAWSS, Bud McCrory, spoke against the bill. He said it would be "detrimental" to MAWSS's mission of providing clean water to 350,000 people in the Mobile area.
Steven McNair, a spokesman for the City of Mobile, joined McCrory and opposed the bill.
Under the provisions of HB 473, a water or sewer board "may not in any way restrict the public's recreational use of a body of water, or portion thereof, owned or controlled by the board, including for fishing and boating."
State Sen. Jack Williams (R-Wilmer) has a companion bill in the state senate with the same wording as the House bill. Williams indicated that his SB 272 could come up for a committee hearing next week. Williams represents much of western Mobile County, including Big Creek Lake, in the Senate.
The citizen group "Take Back Big Creek Lake from MAWSS" has created a Facebook page with over 2,800 members. Electrical contractor Matthew Frazier organized the group.
There appear to be three different strategies to reverse the lake's closure—one political, one legal, and one legislative. The political strategy is to get public officials to push the MAWSS board to reverse its decision. That board is the one meeting on April 7.
The legal strategy would be to file a lawsuit or seek a legal opinion to invalidate the decision.
Stringer's legislative strategy is to pass a state law preventing the closure of public lakes by water systems.
The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources issued a determination Thursday that Big Creek Lake is open to the public. The determination came after Stringer filed a request with Conservation Commissioner Chris Blankenship on the question.
The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources findings do not carry the force and effect of law.
1819 News will continue to cover this developing issue.
Jim' Zig' Zeigler writes about Alabama's people, places, events, groups and prominent deaths. He is a former Alabama Public Service Commissioner and State Auditor. You can reach him for comments at [email protected].
Don't miss out! Subscribe to our newsletter and get our top stories every weekday morning.
