NEW - Big Bay Lake begins to re-form in Lamar Co.

July 07, 2009 11:53 am

— PURVIS (AP) — The reconstructed dam at Big Bay Lake in Lamar County is in place and water is filling up the 945-acre lake.
Long-range plans are for a subdivision containing 800 to 1,000 lots.
The 2004 collapse of the Big Bay Lake dam unleashed an estimated 7.2-billion gallons of water that roared downstream through property in Lamar and Marion counties. There were no fatalities but about 100 homes were destroyed or damaged in failure of the earthen-dam.
The new concrete structure stands 47 feet tall and spans some 335 feet.
It features a slurry wall, which is designed to prevent water from creating channels beneath its base. Erosion at the base of the dam was believed to have led to the original dam's collapse.