Work leaves Mason Creek a muddy mess

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) - Mason Creek residents are blaming the City of Norfolk's bridge work for the wetland's bad condition.

Shallow, bare mud flats that smell of sulfur can be found everywhere on the once water front property. Rod Nelson has lived by Mason Creek for 55 years.

“I paid for it. Can you believe I'm paying for waterfront property? It is impossible for me to understand how a city can say this is waterfront property,” said Nelson.

The tide is lower than normal because Norfolk's fixing the Granby Street Bridge over Mason Creek. The city asked the Navy to closed the Mason Creek floodgate so the City could access the area under the bridge.

The teporary closure allowed sediment deposited by several storm water drains to build up in the creek. Mason Creek residents think the city should budget money to dredge the creek.

Mason Creek Committee President Bob Vitek said, “There are 200 homes that border this creek, and all are affected one degree or another due to sediment or flooding. All are losing this creek as the recreational resource that it should be.”

Vitek said since Mason Creek is a storm water retention basin it should be monitored for dredging every five years. The last time it was dredged was 60 years ago.

The City of Norfolk says the property is a wetland.

“That is wetlands, so there are rules and regulations on what you can and can not do,” said John Keifer, Director of the Department of Public Works.

Vitek and Keifer both agree dredging can be done at the mouth of a storm water drain, for navigational purposes or for recreation. Vitek says under those considerations Mason Creek qualifies for dredging.

“I want my water back. I want the water back where it's suppose to be," said Nelson.

Nelson, a retired Navy commander, is so mad he wants to put up an upside down American flag on a boat in the middle of the muck.

“An upside down one which in the Navy means distress, and that's what we got here. It is disgraceful and it is a distress.”

The city has hired a consultant to conduct a study to explore the possibility of a pump station being installed to solve flooding problems.

Work on the bridge is expected to be complete on July 31, the Mason Creek flood gate is expected to open that day as well.