A community-wide effort may be what gets and keeps the Indian Bayou clean.
Aquatic Restoration Services’ Dan Prevost and Sunflower County Extension Agent Alex Deason presented the Indianola Board of Aldermen with improvement options for Indian Bayou.
Aquatic Restoration Services provides underwater management services, including aquatic weed control, particularly custom applications.
“We want to recognize that responsibility for improving the bayou shouldn’t just fall on the city itself, and other civic organizations are looking to contribute to the problem,” Prevost said.
Prevost explained to the board the essential steps to a clean bayou.
First, Prevost explained that there was a need for groups to come together to focus on one objective and build a plan to execute.
Secondly, this execution would include a resolution from the city making Indian Bayou a priority. Following that would be the formation of groups representing the city and civic organizations.
“I would recommend some type of committee pushing it long term,” Prevost said.
Lastly, he suggested engineers come into scope with the specifics of the project and the roles of each group involved.
City Engineer Ron Cassada added he had a file from a study conducted by four engineers in the early 2000s that would give them insight into the structure of the bayou.
Ward 3 Alderman Ruben Woods said that Indian Bayou had been a priority, noting that he brought the matter several times to the board. Woods said he spoke to Shelia Waldrup of Indianola Chamber Main Street about the plans of the civil groups to get involved with the matter.
“She told me what you all had decided to do; nothing was mentioned about the south part that goes southwest and back out.”
Mayor Ken Featherstone referred to maintenance by asking what the plan for trash removal in the bayou was.
“Our plan needs to be police patrolling and writing tickets for littering,” Fratesi answered.
Prevost included the longevity of a project of this nature makes maintenance a major factor.
“As long as the sun shines, weeds will grow.” Prevost said.” That’s just a fact of life.”
Speaking specifically of the bayou that runs from Front Street to Highway 49, Prevost said the chemical cost would be the primary driver causing the project to cost about $14,000 to $20,000, depending on how deep the water is.
“This is the only bayou in the whole Delta from Leland, Greenville that looks like hell,” Walton Gresham spoke from the audience. “Let’s get right down to it.”
Gresham added if the city gets it cleaned up, he will put together a group to maintain it.
The board voted to give a cost proposal to clean up and maintain the entire Indian Bayou.
Prevost said they would start with the application on Front Street to the highway on May 15 and the west to the south would tentatively begin in June.
