Dumpsters, docks, lawn chairs, oh my! Kinchafoonee Creek is loaded with litter
LEE COUNTY, Ga. – If you have anything missing from your backyard after the recent floods, there’s a chance you’ll find it in Kinchafoonee Creek.
After recent floods in Southwest Georgia, roads are clearing and water levels are receding, but that doesn’t mean we’re out of the woods just yet.
Lee County Code Enforcement spent Thursday morning on their boat as they assessed the debris that’s made its way into the creek.
High water levels and a swift current caused some docks to break away, furniture to be displaced and provided one dumpster with a nearly 4 mile tour down the waters.
Volunteer David Dixon says he tagged along with Code Enforcement to see the condition of the creek.
He said he wanted to take photos to document items that people may be missing.
David Dixon
“Things could be be hung up in the trees or in the bushes, this is just our preliminary survey to see what’s out there, try to get a location on it and pick up some stuff if we can.”
Now that Kinchafoonee is receding, debris is becoming more visible and slightly more accessible. Dixon says getting the litter cleaned up is vital.
“You don’t want oils and greases and pesticides and fertilizers and other things that are in there that can kill or damage the creatures that are in it or affect the people that want to enjoy the water.”
Jim Wright
Co-director of Lee County Code Enforcement, Jim Wright, says the high levels and aggressive current won’t allow for much clean up for at least another week but that he will do what’s possible to get displaced items back to their rightful owners.
“We would like to return as much of the property as we possibly can. As they’re recovered they’ll be turned over to one of two different people: the DNR if it’s a boat and if it’s another type of property, we’re going to turn it over to the Sheriff’s Office so that possibly someone can get their property back.
Recovering drifting wagon
He says seeing bizarre items in the creek doesn’t surprise him.
“In the past I’ve seen just about anything that you can imagine float off and get hung up in the trees.”
Wright advises against going out and retrieving items at this time since the water is nearly five feet above normal levels.
If you do stop by the creek and find property that isn’t yours, Wright says to turn it in.
“That isn’t free property, that belongs to somebody and they need to do the right thing. They can contact Code Enforcement or they can contact the Sheriff’s Office.”
Tangled dock in creek
Every summer, Lee County Rivers Alive hosts a cleanup event which is how most of this debris will be cleared out.
On average about 100 volunteers come out and help clean up these waters, this year though, Dixon says they might need 400-500 participators to clean up the creek.
If you think You’ve lost something to the Kinchafoonee Creek, go to the Lee County Rivers Alive Facebook page to check out pictures of displaced items.
