March Trial Set for Lawsuit Over Mississippi Dam Break

A civil lawsuit filed over the damage caused by the 2004 collapse of the Big Bay Lake dam in Lamar County has been moved to Harrison County and set for a March 22 trial.

Circuit Court Judge Michael Eubanks granted the change of venue at the request of the defendants.

Two defendants have been dismissed. Remaining defendants are engineer Timothy R. Burge; Land Partners Limited Partnership, which owned the dam; and Big Bay Lake Inc.

The 2004 collapse of the Big Bay Lake dam unleashed an estimated 7.2-billion gallons of water that roared downstream through property in Lamar and Marion counties. There were no fatalities but about 100 homes were destroyed or damaged in failure of the earthen-dam.

Lawsuits filed by more than 100 plaintiffs were consolidated.