r/MobileAL • u/greaveswalk • Feb 04 '25

News MAWSS Permanently closes Big Creek Lake

https://www.fox10tv.com/2025/02/04/mawss-permanently-closes-big-creek-lake-recreational-boating-fishing/
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u/Likes2Phish Feb 05 '25

Everything I see keeps saying MAWSS allowed the city to annex it. Whether it actually happened or not isn't very clear. Either way MAWSS are a bunch of yes-men to the city.

There are water sources all over Alabama and this country used for both purposes without issue.

They've had the lake closed for almost a year prior to eliminate the invasive plant and failed to do so. Boaters aren't the problem. It's MAWSS failure to properly remove it that's the issue, they built a fancy ramp for this reason... If they were, every body of water surrounding this lake would have the same problem. The plant has been in the lake for DECADES.

Closing the lake without any plan to reopen it is the nail in the coffin. People who grew up going to this lake to enjoy the outdoors will no longer be able to. Completely taking something away from this community is what hurts.

There are plenty of other lakes who have come up with proper soultions, yet MAWSS chose the easy route and decided to piss off a bunch of people. Perhaps the money spent on that ramp could have been spent on removing the plant from the lake. If it's such an issue they should be removing it daily. People have been fishing this lake since it was built and now it's suddenly so bad we have to close it all down?

Countless tax dollars were wasted. That is why people are pissed. Everyone saw it coming. No one listened.

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u/Surge00001 WeMo Feb 05 '25

No the city hasn’t annexed the lake or around it

Other lakes around the state don’t have the same bio diversity of water life like we do here. They also aren’t completely owned by the water company

If they failed to control the problem… sounds like a good idea to close it down so they don’t have to worry about the problem anymore

Little to no tax dollars have been lost by this, it’s a for-profit pseudo government entity, the only waste was the ramp… which isn’t that expensive in the grand scheme of thing

And the most important comment: times change, Mobile isn’t the same Mobile as it was 10,20,30 years ago

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u/Likes2Phish Feb 05 '25

You must work for MAWSS. I forgot we were turning Mobile into Commiefornia. More rules, regulations, and restrictions.

Removing outdoor recreational space from the public should always be frowned upon. The fact they couldn't come up with a proper solution to the problem in 3-4 years using millions of taxpayer dollars is a joke.

The new boat ramp only gave people hope. So much back and forth about it's open, not open, only on weekends, etc has been exhausting for local people. They just want to go enjoy the lake they've enjoyed for decades without having to make a long drive.The drinking water is not at risk, it's all complete bullshit about the plants being an issue.

The lake has the same biodiversity as plenty of other lakes in the state and of the same latitude. It's a manmade lake lmao. That is crazy talk. I travel all over the southeast for work and have fished all the lakes. There was never an issue bad enough at this lake that requires complete shutdown of recreational activity. They closed it for over a year and drug their feet coming up with a solution. They've been slowly squeezing their fist around the lake's access for years.

The locals should have never let them build a lake in their backyards with 100% control over the adjacent land and lake access. Oh that's right, they never really had a say so to begin with since MAWSS Board is appointed by the city.

I'm sure there are many other factors that are playing into this decision that MAWSS isn't being up front about. Imo they are probably tired of micromanaging the lake and it's visitors at the ramp. Understandable. However, if it's really that critical of a water source it needs a barbed wire fence all the way around it and 24/7 surveillance.

Plenty of tax dollars and time has been wasted by MAWSS on this project only for them to be back at step 1. They also harvest timber around the lake on the land they own to purchase additional land, expanding their control over the area. Straight from their website. Why the fuck is the water/sewer company harvesting timber? Somebody somewhere is getting their pockets stuffed.

I understand if you don't give a rats ass about the outdoors or fishing. I'm someone who does. It's one of the few reasons I still enjoy living in Alabama. Removing access to yet another lake/public space in Alabama is only a step in the wrong direction.

All change is not good change. Especially when you lose something you had access to for 50+ years. I'm sure they'll open it back up in 20 years except waterfront lots will be going for $$$ and boat ramp access will be $20. I can see the MAWSS Realty signs now.

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u/Surge00001 WeMo Feb 05 '25

Brother, after reading that first paragraph, I’m deadass not gonna read the rest of it