For Additional Headlines - go to our News Section »

• Unemployment Tax Hike on Hold
  made by String
• Four Students Arrested in Connection with Mowat Gang Initiation
  made by sugarbear24
• Unemployment High, but Might Change
  made by gator@work
• Unemployment High, but Might Change
  made by String
• Airport Storm Water Runoff Controversy Continues
  made by gator@work

• Club La Vela Fire
• Reported Armed Robbery Exposed as “Drug Deal Gone Bad”
• Tyndall Air Force Base Directs Haiti Skies
• Man Arrested for 13 Counts of Molestation
• Strip Club May Set Up Shop Near Thomas Drive
• Four Students Arrested in Connection with Mowat Gang Initiation
• Road Conditions Due to Heavy Rains
• Shocking Video Raises Questions about School Violence
• Hikers Rescued After Bring Trapped by Rising Flood Waters
• New Bill Restricts Tattoo Industry

River Levels Rise in Caryville
12/16/09 - 04:40 PM
 RSS Feed

Rising river water may create problems for some Washington County residents as heavy rain from Southern Alabama heads downstream.  The Choctawhatchee River is beginning to overflow, and it has some residents of the riverside town of Caryville practicing their preparation routines.

“I’ve seen it waist deep in it several times,” said lifetime Caryville resident Larry Mercer.  To him, the flooding is just one more in a series that’s driven most of his neighbors away.

“It’s really a ghost-town now… Most of the people here have just about moved out anyway,” said Mercer, “I never thought I’d live long enough to see it like this but it’s changed completely from when I was growing up.”

The river is expected to crest on Friday, 5 feet above flood stage.  It’s already responsible for 3 washed out roads.  Water creeping up to the correctional work camp forced their evacuation.

“As a precautionary measure we went ahead and evacuated,” said Assistant Warden Richard Comerford, “There’s concerns with road flooding… number one that would impede our access in and out of the institution and it takes an effort to go ahead and move them”

Comerford has supervised 5 of those evacuations in the past 3 years.

“We don’t want to impede public safety and if we can be proactive and move these inmates prior to any kind of danger then that will allow local law enforcement and rescue workers to address those issues,” he said.

Anyone with questions about visitation during the relocation can visit their Web Site for the latest updates.