TULSA works at stopping erosion along a local creek

Tuesday, July 17th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

KOTV told you Monday about a problem in a Tulsa neighborhood where a creek is eroding away their land. Joe Creek winds in and out of several neighborhoods along the 5200 block of South Marion near 51st and Harvard.

After our story aired Monday night, the Director of Public Works, Charles Hardt, met with residents in the area Tuesday. After looking at the creek, which has swallowed up huge chunks of back yards and foundations, Hardt decided something needed to be done.

Hardt says Public Works will design a plan to better control the flow of Joe Creek. Then he says, they can work to stop the erosion. "The amount of funding would probably require us to look over a two year time period. We'll start the design and work on that this year. And probably start construction next year."

Funding for the project could come from the 2001 city sales tax.

On Monday, local residents along Joe Creek say every time water runoff comes rushing through a drainage pipe it washes more of their property away. Resident Linda Kennett, "I've probably lost four feet in my backyard, the footings on my garage are now exposed to erosion, my neighbor has lost 15 feet of her yard." Another neighbor, Marilyn Phillips, "I have about 15 feet of yard left before it gets to my house. It's about five feet away from the deck. My gas lines are exposed, my meter's leaning over, my utility pole's eroded." And so has the neighbors' patience.