A Bibb County man has agreed to a $1,000 state fine after he improperly dug out an intermittent stream to create a pond near Lake Tobesofkee.

Charles Lindsey of Tobesofkee Point Drive accepted the state’s fine in a consent order dated Aug. 20. Lindsey told the state’s Environmental Protection Division he will use appropriate erosion controls to reduce turbidity in the pond, located near Lake Tobesofkee between Moseley Dixon Road and Lower Thomaston Road.

In the consent order, EPD regulators said they’d been investigating the pond since February, and ruled in May that he’d violated state water-quality standards when he built the pond. The EPD said he had not designed, installed or maintained the appropriate sediment controls.

The $1,000 fine could have been much higher. The consent order says each day could have resulted in a penalty of up to $50,000.

Jim Cooley, program manager for the erosion and sedimentation team in EPD’s Macon office, said intermittent stream in question had no buffer requirements because the total disturbed area was less than an acre.

Cooley said Lindsey may face additional regulations from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, because more than 200 linear feet of the stream in the Corps’ jurisdiction was disturbed. A message to the Corps was not returned Monday afternoon.

According to the consent order, Lindsey “had channelized and dug out a stream” to build the pond.

To contact writer Mike Stucka, call 744-4251.