But to be fair, Cook isn't the only mud maker in the area. There are now two more developments contributing to the never ending mud wash. The three developments are within a quarter square mile of each other and all three are sending silt laden runoff onto others properties, ours included, into the creek and ultimately into the Tennessee river.

There was a time when the state could be depended on to address these issues, but apparently the state has abandoned any enforcement at all now. So, it's going to have to be up to the county to stop this mess. The county commission and the county planning office are researching the best way to stem the problem. It appears the best approach will be to levy heavy daily fines and place stop work orders on the developments until they comply with runoff regulations.

It's unfortunate that developers have so little regard for surrounding property owners and the damage they're creating for others and the environment.

I've often wondered what these developers would think if the rest of us dumped all our waste on their home properties.