New Log Jam Once Again Blocking The Escambia River

March 14, 2017

In 2015, a log jam blocking the Escambia River south of Century was removed, but now a new log jam appears to have formed, once again blocking the river.

The new log jam is about a half mile downriver from the previous log jam, or about a half mile feet upriver from the entrance to Cotton Lake.

Under a contract with Escambia County, Southern Forest Recyclers removed the old log jam in 2015 at a cost of $68,498. The company reportedly had a multi-million dollar contact to sell the reclaimed wood.

Pictured above and below: Photos for NorthEscambia.com show a new jog jam blocking the Escambia River north of Cotton Lake. Pictured bottom: A map of the log jam location. NorthEscambia.com images, click to enlarge.

Comments

9 Responses to “New Log Jam Once Again Blocking The Escambia River”

  1. David Huie Green on March 17th, 2017 10:38 am

    CONSIDERING:
    “The old log jam was never removed, it was just broke loose and it re-located.”

    The jam was unjammed, the water level dropped upstream. Maybe they should have cleaned up/out after themselves better, but that is why we have contracts and lawyers to make sure exactly what each side is agreeing to do.

    If they met the terms of the contract, maybe it was a bad contract.
    If not, they would be in breach of contract and subject to any penalties specified.

    David for sawing logs
    or taking them home for souveniers

  2. Leroy Findley on March 15th, 2017 2:47 pm

    I think some one needs to look back at the snag boats they used to keep the river clear for river traffic. There were steam cargo boats that used the river from the bay to well above Brewton. Check the book, A Pictorial History, Settlements Along The Escambia-Conecuh River, The Alger-Sullivan Historical Society, page 161.

  3. Tim on March 14th, 2017 12:44 pm

    I was going to write a long post on this issue. Barry hit the nail on the head. The old log jam was never removed, it was just broke loose and it re-located.
    The first jam had been there for years. They removed what logs that was good and the rest went down to the river just to get hung up again.
    I live on this river and I knew exactly what was going to happen. Also people don’t realize the amount of trash that was in this jam that never got contained and broke loose just to float down river. And one more thing, most of the first jam is still there
    Your tax money at work. LOL

  4. chris on March 14th, 2017 12:12 pm

    the environmental impact of letting just anybody cut trees by the river could be devastating.

  5. Just saying on March 14th, 2017 9:55 am

    Cutting trees off the banks isn’t the answer. That will lead to erosion and different problems.

    When river travel was important means of commerce they had snag boats to remove them before it became a problem. Now the problem develops then they deal with it.

  6. anne 1of2 on March 14th, 2017 9:24 am

    How about open season on cutting trees 30 ft each side of the creek so they can’t fall in? Isn’t this what the power companies do in the woods? Anyone cutting a tree has to take it with them. No money spent and free wood for the cutter.Oh, yeah, they will try to charge each person $50.00 per tree because it is always about money. The world gone mad.

  7. Phil on March 14th, 2017 8:45 am

    Phil thinks Mother Nature is going to do what she does. I can’t help but giggle when I read Barry’s post. Of course they would sell the reclaimed lumber.

  8. Barry on March 14th, 2017 8:30 am

    The people that are contracted to clear these log jams on Escambia and Perdido river are only thinking about the money they can get from the good logs. Pulling the logs from the rivers and cutting the huge stumps off, taking only the good stuff and leaving the stumps and bad logs in the flood plain. The next time the river floods all this removed debris has had time to dry out and it just floats down the river and creates another log jam. If they’re gonna profit from this someone in charge needs to make them do it right. All the debris need to be removed from the flood plain not just drug out and left on the bank. I live on Perdido River and travel it a lot by boat . If these are tax dollars paying for people to clean up these log jams, we’re getting taken

  9. Don Neese on March 14th, 2017 6:57 am

    I hope they get this out soon…It was so nice to be able to go up river from cotton lake…
    Theres also a jam against the bridge going over Perdido

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News