SRBA delays basin study effort

By LYNN MONTGOMERY | East Texas Edition

Sept. 29, 2005 - With no money in the budget to financially assist a basin-wide feasibility study, the Sulphur River Basin Authority (SRBA) decided at their Sept. 20 meeting to postpone the effort. The delay comes at a time when the aerial imagery portion of the study would be optimum. 

The study’s first task involves collecting data, by use of aerial imagery, of vegetative classification, land use, existing conditions of the basin. 

With fall approaching, Marcia Hackett, project manager from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Fort Worth district, stated time was critical to get the imagery needed and if it was not done in the next three weeks, the study would have to wait until the spring. 

The study is a cost-shared agreement between the SRBA, Tarrant Regional, Upper Trinity, and North Texas Water Districts and the City of Irving. So far, money for the project has not been received from any of the entities. 

The Vity of Dallas is likely to become a participant in the study, but a contract has not been signed as of yet. A contract is in the offering but the SRBA tabled the contract until legal representation is formed. 

Currently, $30,000 in federal funds has been received for the study, but according to Hackett, that is “essentially not enough funds.” She added she had been able to reprogram $87,000 of federal funds to the SRBA (to use for this first task) but couldn’t say it would not be reprogrammed into another Corps’ project if the funds were not used. 

�My gut feeling is if it costs us a few months, it costs us. Our number one priority is this board,� stated SRBA President Jim Thompson.

Also, without the funds, an approval of the project would mean the budget would have to be amended to begin the study, according to Mike Burke, SRBA executive director. 

The cost for this first part of the study is $739,000 which would be split between the partners. 

The consensus among the board was to wait until the funds had been appropriated. 

The board, also at the Sept. 20 meeting, did not take a stance on the proposed landfill in Red River County, near Avery.

Burke informed the board he had the completed application for the landfill, submitted by Edwin B. Kelsoe to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), if they would like to review it. The application would take one- to two-years to complete. 

�I am not in a position like TCEQ to review (the application) for its purposes,� Burke said.

�It will effect the water quality in the basin,� Burke added.

How it will effect the basin will be up to the TCEQ to decide.

The next scheduled SRBA meeting is Nov. 15, 1:30 p.m., Mount Pleasant Civic Center, Mount Pleasant.