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| Tuesday, February 9, 2010 |
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Mud Creek boat ramp closed
Published May 29, 2009
One of Jackson County's most popular boat ramps on Lake Guntersville has been temporarily closed by the state.
An algae buildup on the Mud Creek boat ramp has made the ramp a safety hazard leading to the ramp's closure until a solution is reached, said Damon Abernethy of the Alabama Department of Conservation's fisheries division on Thursday.
"We've had some trucks go off the end of this ramp. It's real slick, and a lot of times people aren't able to pull back out of the water," Abernethy said. "It's a public safety issue and we felt obligated to close it until we get the problem fixed."
There were two reported incidents in which trucks towing boat trailers became submerged in the water at the ramp last summer. Another slipped into the water recently.
The ramp, located on Jackson County Road 213 near Hollywood, was officially closed Wednesday afternoon. Abernethy and other department officials were on site Thursday to inspect the ramp.
He said the state is hoping for a quick solution to the problem.
"Depending on the way we have to go will affect the length of time (it is closed)," Abernethy said. "A total replacement of the ramp would take a couple of months. It's going to be out of commission for a while."
Lonny Moody of the North Jackson Bass Club said the closure of the Mud Creek ramp is a blow to local fisherman. The Mud Creek ramp is the site for four locally-organized tournaments per week, Moody said, including his club's every-other-Saturday tournament.
"I'm not sure what will happen to those tournaments for the summer," Moody said. "We'll have to move our tournament to either Stevenson or Scottsboro, but by the time you drive all the way back to Mud Creek where everybody wants to fish, that's quite a bit of gas you're burning and gas is on its way back up.
"It's going to get in everybody's pocketbooks, and not just the fisherman."
Abernethy said he sympathizes with local fisherman and boaters.
"I hate it for them. This is a very popular ramp and a great part of the lake to fish on," Abernethy said. "It's going to be an inconvenience and we apologize for that. We're going to try to get it open as soon as possible."
Despite the closure, ramp barricades were moved and several trucks and empty boat trailers were parked in the Mud Creek boat ramp parking lot Thursday morning.
Captain John Clifton of the Alabama Marine Police said boaters could face legal trouble if they disregard the closure notice.
"It is a state-owned facility," Clifton said. "Those moving the barricades and using the ramp could be charged with tampering or interfering with a governmental operation."
• Sentinel Managing Editor Ken Bonner contributed this report.
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