PLANS ARE AFOOT TO FIX THE Big Bay Lake dam, following its sudden breach earlier this year.

The 17m high earth dam, constructed in the early 1990s on Bay Creek, collapsed on 12 March, releasing an estimated 13Mm³ of water and debris through rural Lamar and Marion counties, Mississippi, destroying or heavily damaging 98 homes in the process. There were no injuries or deaths reported. In addition, 30 roads were damaged or closed during the event.

The affected area stretched some 27km west of the dam to where Lower Little Creek meets the Pearl river. Rebuilding of the privately owned dam is estimated to cost US$1.8M–2.5M.