The Alabama River isn’t just a venue for fishing and relaxation. It’s also a thoroughfare.

And according to Mayor James Perkins Jr., it’s in danger of disappearing.

On Monday a barge carrying a 2,276-ton stamping bed passed through Selma on its way to the Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama plant in Montgomery. More than 80 trucks drove up I-65 from Mobile carrying pieces of the stamping bed, but two items, the giant crown and stamping bed press, were so large that the Alabama River was used instead of a highway.

Perkins, who is on the Coosa Alabama River Improvement Association’s board of directors, traveled to Washington D.C. last week to ensure funding for the river is maintained. That funding is in danger of being cut, which would almost ensure it couldn’t be used as a waterway. &uot;We spoke with virtually every legislator in the Alabama delegation,&uot; Perkins said. &uot;It was a pretty impressive list.&uot;

According to Perkins, President George W. Bush’s proposed budget would cut funds that enable the corps of engineers to keep the river cleared for traffic. &uot;The river needs to be dredged,&uot; Perkins said. &uot;Silt falls down and you can’t get ships down the river. Usually, people don’t think that a mayor thinks about river cleaning.&uot;

But Perkins is thinking about it. If funding is cut, several businesses along the river would be affected, including International Paper. &uot;IP uses millions of gallons of water a day,&uot; Perkins said. &uot;If you shut down the dam system, you make an unstable water supply for plants. How can you discount that economic impact?&uot;

In addition to cutting funds for dredging the river, Perkins said it would also close the Claiborne Dam &045; Alabama’s southern-most dam. &uot;If you close the Claiborne Dam, if you stop maintaining it, it hurts all other dams,&uot; Perkins added.

Last week wasn’t the first time Perkins traveled to Washington D.C. to keep the river open. Last year he visited the capital and obtained $1 million, which is currently being used to operate the waterway. &uot;We got the funds because of those talks,&uot; Perkins said. &uot;I’m cautiously optimistic. This is part of the process. You’ve got to tell your story and ensure people understand how their decisions affect us.&uot;