After heavy rains much of last week and into the weekend, three publicly owned properties are under water.
Flooding from the overwhelmed Tombigbee River has piled up several feet of water on the Riverwalk, and water is standing as high as the stage of the partially-complete Sen. Terry Brown Amphitheater at The Island. The city of Columbus owns both of those properties.
The Lowndes County Soccer Complex, located in Burns Bottom near downtown, also is under water pouring out from the banks of Moore’s Creek (affected by backwash from the Tombigbee River).
It’s unfortunate and inconvenient, said City Engineer Kevin Stafford, but instances like this are not entirely unexpected. In fact, he said plans for all those properties took flooding into account. Further, he said, he expects to find minimal damage at any of the properties once the water recedes.
“We knew when we built the Riverwalk and the soccer complex that we were building on floodplains,” Stafford said. “We knew it was the best use for the land and we made sure we put things in that weren’t going to be affected by flooding.”
Lights along the Riverwalk and near the soccer complex receive electricity from underground cables covered with waterproof sheathing. All complex electricity controls at both sites were placed in boxes well above the flood line. The new concession stands built on the north side of the soccer complex were built to resist flooding and strong winds with stainless steel and stone.
At the amphitheater — where the stage has been completed as part of a $3 million first phase — Stafford said electrical panels are built behind the stage too high to be affected by the flood water. For the second phase — estimated at $2.5 million — Stafford said concession stands, restrooms, fencing and gating all will be built above the floodplain.
“We will have to take a look at the stage once the water recedes,” Stafford said of the amphitheater stage. “There are some panels under that stage that we may have to replace, but it’s a minor cost.”
Lowndes County Recreation Director Roger Short said more than 50 percent of the soccer complex is still under water. However, he said the damage was less than he had expected, especially considering the EF-3 tornado that ripped through the city Saturday evening.
The county’s recreation department will have to check the air conditioning units inside the concession stands and bathrooms, as well as the irrigation system, Short said. The four soccer fields and the dog park on the north side of the complex are still totally submerged.
“We’re probably going to have to replace the (dog park structures) and I think the water fountain there has floated away,” Short said.
The playground near the center of the complex is still partially flooded, but the mulch surrounding the play structures is still in place. The five soccer fields, the irrigation system and the concession stands on the south side of the complex are now above water. Short expects the county will have to power wash and possibly re-till the fields, but the concrete concession stand has been unscathed.
“I was pleasantly surprised when I went down there,” he said. “There’s a little bit of debris but it’s not as bad as I thought. We’re not nearly in as bad of shape as I thought we were.”
According to The National Weather Service, the Tombigbee River crested at 166.6 feet on Monday. The last time the water levels were that high was in 1991. Stafford said the infrequency of such extreme flooding means it’s highly unlikely the amphitheater will flood often.
“I would not anticipate water getting up near the stage but every 10 or 15 years,” Stafford said.
City Councilman Bill Gavin, Ward 6, said he’s prepared for Columbus residents to decry the placement of the facilities under water.
“I’m sure we’ll get some blowback,” he said. “I think they’re in a great location, and of course we’ll do some clean-up efforts.
“There might be some concerns, but those things are already in place,” he added. “We can’t just pick them up and move them.”
After the water recedes, Stafford expects the city will need to power wash the Riverwalk and amphitheater before turning on the power to check the electrical boxes and lights.
“All of these facilities are designed to withstand flooding,” he said. “There should be a very minimal impact long-term.”
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