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County to work with Corps on Old Lock One Park The Clarke County Commission voted Tuesday to partner with the U.S. Corps of Engineers to improve the park facilities at Lock One in the Salipta community. The county will maintain a two-mile stretch of water line, which runs from the last house on the Old Lock One Road to the gates of the park. The Salipta water authority initially helped run the water lines to the water fountain and restrooms at the park, said County Engineer Sam Noble, however, flooding and damage from utility trucks has damaged the water line. Eventually, Salipta abandoned a portion of the water line. "They just felt like it was going to be a continuous problem with every time the river got up and got over the line, it was going to blow out," Noble said. "It makes it hard for us, as a government agency, to maintain a water line like that on property that is neither an easement or free property, owned by the government," said Chip Dixon, Demopolis site manger with the Corps. The water line has been tested numerous times in the past several months, Dixon said, and no leaks were found. "We've taken measures to try to protect the line in places where the water does come across the road at times by placing rip-wrap," Noble said. The county had previously worked with the Corps and the county utility department on improvements such as paving the lock road. There had also been plans to construct additional camp sites, Noble said. "A lot of money has been spent down there," said Commissioner Rhondel Rhone. "It's a shame that people can't utilize it." He talked of some county residents who had recently wanted to use the park for a family reunion, but water was not available.
Under the agreement with the Corps, the county would take over maintenance of the water line and could receive revenue from the Corps for the park's water use and also providing water to a nearby hunting camp or other potential customers.
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