Clean-Up Funds Delayed

From Channel 42 News
Reported by: Al Ratcliffe
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WIAT) - It's been nearly five months since tornadoes ripped through the state of Alabama. And much of the debris from the storms have been cleaned up. But not in the creeks and streams of Tuscaloosa County.

County leaders have been waiting on money from the government to help with those efforts. Now, those funds have been delayed until the start of the next fiscal year. The reason - there have been so many disasters this spring and summer that there isn't enough money left to do the job.

One of the creeks in the area is way ahead of schedule though. The Friends of Hurricane Creek have been hard at work since just a few days after the tornado. Creek keeper John Wathen says they started to clean up even before they knew money was going to be available. But he says even though his creek may not need the money, all of the others do.

The creeks are choked with debris, and if enough waters comes through them all of the tree dams could dislodge and damage.