ABILENE, TX — Many would say there is no water crisis in Abilene.
"Our average is about 21-million gallons a day,” said Tommy O'brien, executive director of water utilities with the city of Abilene.
The Cedar Ridge reservoir planned to be built on the clear fork of the Brazos River will help prevent a forecasted water shortage.
"[In] 2070, we show that we have a shortage of existing water supply to meet our projected demands,” said O’brien.
But the city needs a federal and state permit to build this dam.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers started the permit process with a public scoping meeting to help draft an Environmental Impact Statement.
"We would be back in Abilene in a year or 2, or 3 to hold a public hearing,” said Fred Land, regulatory project manager with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth District. “In the public hearing we address the public's concerns with the environmental Impact Statement that we have developed to that point."
At the scoping meeting was Janice Bezanson with the Texas Conservation Alliance, an environment advocate group.
"Abilene has done an excellent job at developing water and the result is Abilene already has enough to meet its needs over the next 50 years,” said Bezanson.
Bezanson along with other environment advocate groups commented on the lack of need for the project. Texas Conversation Alliance commissioned multiple studies that show the reservoir isn’t needed and that there is other alternative.
"Building the Cedar Ridge Reservoir will cost 290-million dollars that will be paid for by tax payers and the right payers of Austin and it's customer cities,” said Bezanson.
O’brien said they've explored other options but the Cedar Ridge reservoir is the avenue to take.
The U.S. Army Corps will continue to take public comments until June 15th.
Mail comments to:
Fred Land
US Army Corps of Engineers
Fort Worth District
Regulatory Division
P.O. Box 17300
Fort Worth, Texas 76102