NATCHEZ — U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker commited Wednesday to support efforts to turn St. Catherine Creek into a recreational waterway.

Wicker was in town meeting with the St. Catherine Creek committee and other city officials.

“It sounds like a great concept to me,” he said. “The State of Mississippi is interested and supportive of this project.”

Wicker said he would be bringing the project to Washington when he returns Nov. 15.

“I want to do what I can as one of your senators to help in any way,” he said.

Proposals for the creek include constructing five weirs to dam up the water all the way to the Mississippi River.

“This will turn the creek into five separate lakes,” City Engineer David Gardner said. “The reason we have so many weirs is that the grade is so steep you can’t dam it up at just one point.”

St. Catherine Creek Committee Chair Tony Byrne said the city has already received a $75,000 grant to study the feasibility of the project, and the study’s results were positive.

Gardner said the city is asking for $3 million to start work on the project.

“This money is to do all non-construction aspects of the project,” he said. “This includes things like permits and environmental studies.”

Gardner said the project would change the creek from an eyesore to something Natchez residents can enjoy.

“It is going to be turned into something scenic,” he said. “People will be able to do things like swim, fish and canoe. It has a lot of benefits.”

Gardner also said the weirs will help with erosion problems the creek has been causing.

“The weirs will help hold the bank and make areas less susceptible to erosion,” he said. “It will maintain the water levels to a point where they are stabilized, and if it rains, the water will just wash over the weir.”

Gardner said the St. Catherine Creek project could save money in the long run.

“There is a sewer line close to the creek that has had to be moved two times to keep it away from the erosion,” he said. “To date $13,196,962 have been spent to protect the bank line of the creek from erosion. This project will help us save money.”

The money spent includes both federal and local dollars.