NATCHEZ &045; According to City Engineer David Gardner, the city of Natchez isn’t washing away.

At least, not any more than usual.

At Tuesday’s Board of Aldermen, no less than three separate erosion control projects were mentioned. First, the board approved a change order of $124,381 for erosion control work on a creek running behind houses on Woodville Drive.

Aldermen also approved a change order of $8,000 to fix erosion next to the Social Security building on Lower Woodville Road. Property owner Stephen Guido has agreed to put up a $1,200 match for the additional work.

And Gardner told the board plans being drawn up for an erosion control project on Bluebird Drive are 90 percent complete.

But the only reason so many projects are being done at the same time is because the U.S. Natural Resource Conservation Service approved all the projects at the same time and gives the city only 220 days to complete them all.

&uot;We had to push those projects ahead, so it just seems like you’re hearing more about (erosion) now,&uot; Gardner said. &uot;But we’re not really having any more of it than we’ve had in the last 10 years.&uot;

Also in Tuesday’s meeting, Alderman Jake Middleton noted that St. Catherine’s Creek behind Village Green subdivision is eroding.

But he said a contractor who lives there offered to supply workers and equipment for the job if the city will buy $30,000 worth of &uot;rip-rap&uot; rocks. No action was taken on the offer Tuesday.

Natchez will always battle erosion due to its loess soil, which tends to erode more than other types when it is saturated with water, Gardner said.

But despite days of intermittent rain, Gardner said no significant erosion has been reported recently, except for Middleton’s report.

&uot;These winds will dry out the soil, hopefully,&uot; Gardner said.

And after today, the area should enjoy a respite from rain until Sunday.

The National Weather Service has forecast a 90 percent chance of rain for today. Clear skies Thursday and Friday will give way to clouds Saturday, with a 60 percent chance of rain returning Sunday.