[ HANNAH COLLINS | hcollins@kentsmith.biz]
Due to Hurricane Helene and the upcoming storms, the City of Bonifay has tasked the public works department with clearing ditches. However, there is an issue with beavers damming the ditches near Middlebrooks Park shortly after they have been cleared. Council members had voted at a meeting two weeks prior to the hurricane to clear the beaver dams out, but within two days they had dammed the ditch again. At the October 7 meeting, Bonifay officials approved contacting the individual who previously took care of this problem to once again come and address the issue.
The reason this task is essential is that not having a proper drainage system in place will result in flooding of low-lying areas, thereby causing property damage and health risks. In rural areas, beavers may dam drainage ditches and small streams and plug drain pipes or culverts. This can lead to localized flooding of roads, timber lands, or agricultural cropland. With the possibility of more tropical storms off the coast threatening our state, the clearance of the ditches is vital. The Bonifay City Council is addressing the issue, working to safely remove the beavers and once again clear the essential drainage systems.