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Property owner raises drainage, backed-up ditch concerns at County Road 49 and County Road 24
Summary
A Chilton County property owner told commissioners a closed ditch and new construction have redirected stormwater onto his land and into buildings during heavy rains; commissioners said the county engineer will inspect right-of-way ditches and noted potential Alabama Department of Environmental Management jurisdiction for other issues.
A property owner told the Chilton County Commission during public comment that drainage changes tied to neighboring construction and a filled ditch at County Road 49 and County Road 24 have caused water to back up onto his property and enter new buildings during heavy rains.
The property owner said a neighbor above his parcel “moved some dirt” that redirected water flow and that a convenience store rebuilt below his land closed about 65 feet of open ditch and installed pipe that reduced the ditch’s storage volume to an 18-inch conduit. “Now we’ve got water getting in our buildings when we get a heavy rain,” he said.
The county’s chairman, identified in the record as Chairman Williams, told the speaker the county engineer would be asked to inspect whether the roadside ditch and associated elevation need cleaning or adjustment. “Ask our engineer to look at it and see if they need cleaning out the elevation. If the elevation is wrong, then we clean them out,” Williams said.
Commission discussion noted limits to county authority for some problems the speaker raised. A commissioner told the owner that if the issue involves pollution or actions that fall under state environmental law, the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) could have jurisdiction. The owner himself referenced an Alabama statute he said prohibits stopping up water running off another’s property.
Commissioners and staff discussed technical details the owner provided: the historic ditch footprint visible in 2016 satellite imagery, a roughly 65-foot length of pipe placed where the ditch used to be, and an 18-inch receiving pipe that now carries concentrated flows. Commissioners suggested possible short-term approaches such as splitting drainage to provide an additional outlet and said county crews could clean or regrade ditches in the public right of way if the elevation or flow line is incorrect.
The owner said he has tried to work with neighboring property owners and has sought but not yet received help from the county engineer. Chairman Williams and other commissioners said the engineer (Jason Roberts) would be asked to inspect the site and determine whether county-maintained right-of-way work is needed; they also cautioned that some remedies could require ADEM review or private negotiation among property owners.
The commission did not take formal action during the work session. Commissioners directed staff to have the county engineer inspect the roadside ditch and report back; they did not commit to any immediate construction work or funding at the meeting.
The commission’s engineering review is the next expected step; the owner and commissioners indicated further action would depend on that review and whether any aspects fall under ADEM or private dispute resolution.
