The Sulphur River Basin Authority (SRBA) board of directors unanimously approved entering a cost sharing letter of intent with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the feasibility phase of the Sulphur River Basin study at its meeting Tuesday [November 18] at the Mount Pleasant Civic Center. The letter of intent does not require any funding from the SRBA, but it does establish a local partner for the Corps of Engineers to work with on future solutions for the Sulphur River Basin.
"This feasibility study will allow us as a team to do an assessment of the optimal use of all the water resources in the river basin," said Kevin Craig, plan formulation section chief in the Corps' Fort Worth district office. "We can assess the logjam and really get a holistic approach to the best practices for the river basin as a whole."
Craig was referring to the massive logjam near the point where the Sulphur River crosses U.S. Highway 37 between Mount Vernon and Bogata, which is causing flooding, erosion and frequent road closings. The logjam was created from cut timber moving down from Talco over the last several years. In addition, the silt builup has led to flooding episodes during heavy rain. Relieving the logjam has been one of SRBA's main projects.
[COMMENT: Just like in the report of the October meeting, this must be a misstatement. Logs could not flow upstream from Talco to south of Bogata and cause this logjam. However, if I am "missing something" here, please let me know. I couldn't attend either of these SeRBiA meetings. Thanks. R.]
"We completed a preliminary reconnaissance study in November of 1999 to identify that there were opportunities within the basin that justified the Corps' and federal participation in essentially solving those problems," Craig said. "It identifies the problems, needs and opportunities within the basin. We identify the federal interest and then find a local sponsor and partner in developing solutions to those problems. The Corps owns and operates two reservoirs in the Sulphur River Basin, Jim Chapman Cooper Lake and Wright Patman Lake. He noted that over the years the Corps has found that "this basin has appealed to many in the state in terms of its richness in water."
He explained that the feasibility study will go into detailed analysis of identifying alternatives, plans and projects that will maximize the benefits within water production, ecosystem restoration, recreation and any water quality issues in the entire Sulphur River Basin, including the logjam. The SRBA hopes that the Corps will find a solution to the logjam. Board Vice-President Dick Goodman asked how long the study would take, and Craig estimated it would take anywhere from two to three years. "It will come out in the report that if there are projects that economically justify the support, and the local sponsor agrees to that, then the report will be sent to Congress for authorization for projects," Craig said.
Audience members expressed concern that the logjam will only become more of a problem in three more years. "It's forming its own channel around it," said Paris resident David Nabors. "If that was helped a little bit now, it might solve the problem and leave the logjam right where it's at. The problem is that if we wait three more years, another logjam has already started."
Craig replied, "That, in our estimation in the reconnaissance report, was probably the most cost-effective way to deal with that." He then explained that the Corps has already considered a phased approach to solving the logjam situation. "One way is potentially constructing a detention structure along the North Sulphur to reduce the sedimentation that is coming down and then build a diversion around the logjam," he said. "That's one potential alternative and what we identified in the reconnaissance study."
Judy Lee, president of the board, noted that the Corps has set aside money for performing the scope of the study, and that the SRBA is not obligated to spend any money by signing the letter of intent. Michael Burke, executive director of SRBA, added, "This is the first step that really anyone has taken to be a local sponsor on this project with the Corps. It puts the Corps in a position of developing a scope of work that then we could secure the funds to move forward with the project." Craig added, "What you're agreeing to is if the scopes of work are aggreeable, that you intend to participate in that study. There's no outlay of funds until we sign a feasibility contract agreement."
Audience member John McConnell of Red River County asked why a state agency would need to work with a federal entity in order to solve a problem in Texas. "This allows local and state agencies and governments to leverage the money that they have by utilizing the federal government programs that are there to help," Craig explained. "If we go into a project and construct a project that will solve this problem, it is likely that the federal government will pay up to 65 percent of it. By leveraging one-third of the money, you gain 100 percent of the benefits."
Lee noted that SRBA has already talked with the Texas Department of Transportation and local authorities, "but there's not enough money there. There's no other way we've found to do this. In order to deal with the Corps we have to do this study, and they have to have a local sponsor in order to do it." Craig said that the Corps has earmarked $50,000 to develop the scope of work, and once a project has been developed, a budget request for necessary funding will be made.
In other business, the board heard an update on the "clean bill of health" received for SRBA's Clean Rivers program, approved the financial report, and approved the 2003 annual audit.