News 12 at 11, November 15, 2008

AUGUSTA, Ga. --- Each time it rains David Jackson expects to see his yard filled with water and debris.

"Been already said that it's contaminated. So ain't no telling what it stirs up," David Jackson said.

And it's nothing new. The heavy rains have been flooding Jackson's yard since he grew up in his house in Hyde Park. Take a look at what it looked like on friday, when it rained more than three inches in Augusta. Augusta Commissioners went around town Friday to take a look at the flooded areas. Commissioner Don Grantham says Hyde Park is one of the lowest areas in Augusta, and that's why they have such a bad flooding problem.

"Ain't nothing we can do about it. We've been talking about it for years and years and years and years," Jackson said.

But commissioners say they can do something about it. Commissioner Grantham says they're going to try and help improve these areas, but the public has to do their part too, by keeping the ditches clean.

"Pretty much a mess and it will smell too when all the water dries up," Jackson said.

Jackson says he's even seen snakes in the flooded area's before. Once the water goes down, Jackson says he has a lot of cleaning up to do.

"It's pretty rough because it takes away a lot of time that you could be doing other things. You can't do it because you're trying to clean up this mess," Jackson said.

And he says the whole process will start again, when we get the next big downpour.

Commissioner Grantham says the main thing is the general public needs to keep the ditches clean and not throw trash in them. Friday, commissioners sent maintenance crews to help homeowners pump the water out of their yards and clean out the ditches.