Groups endorse DeGray Lake plan

The agreement between the city and Central Arkansas Water to use DeGray Lake as an additional water source has been endorsed by the governing board of The Greater Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce and Hot Springs Fifty for the Future.

City officials reached an agreement in October 2013 with CAW, which has the biggest allocation of the available water in DeGray Lake, to sell 20 million gallon of water a day to Hot Springs.

City officials began several years ago trying to acquire a water allocation from Lake Ouachita through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, but those plans have been delayed due to a possible safety issue at Blakely Mountain Dam, which had its Dam Safety Action Classification class lowered to 2. That rating prohibits raising the conservation pool behind the dam to accommodate an allocation to the city.

Any water allocated now from Lake Ouachita would have to be taken from the power pool and the city would have to reimburse Southwest Power Administration for the lost revenue for not being able to use that water to generate electricity.

The city's main water source is a 20 mgd allotment from Entergy Arkansas Inc. through an intake on upper Lake Hamilton, with an additional allotment possible during peak days as long as the withdrawal doesn't exceed 30 mgd.

Considering the remote possibility of a tainter gate failure at Carpenter Dam, which would lower the level of Lake Hamilton below the city's intake structure, Entergy said it would not allow any more water to be taken from the lake until an additional source was online.

The resolution passed by the chamber and Fifty for the Future boards endorses the city's plans to secure additional water supplies through long-term water rights from Lake Hamilton, Lake Ouachita, and to further develop DeGray Lake as the next water supply source.

"There is no question that the future growth of our community is dependent upon our ability to identify and bring online additional sources of clean water," Bryan Smith, chairman of the chamber board, said in a news release.

"The city contracted with a registered, professional engineering firm which thoroughly studied all of the alternatives and made this recommendation. Our organizations wanted to publicly show our appreciation for their efforts and encourage our community government leaders to respect their engineers' professionalism and accept their counsel," he said.

Acting on a request from the two organizations, the Hot Springs Board of Directors appointed District 3 Director Becca Clark and District 6 Director Randy Fale to sit on a new bilateral Community Water Study Committee. The Garland County Quorum Court has been asked to also select two members who are expected to be named at the quorum court meeting on Sept. 8.

Larry Stephens, who chaired the former Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee that researched a new county detention facility and ways to fund one, has been selected as chairman of the water committee. He will appoint two at-large members, and one at-large member will be appointed by the quorum court and city board delegations, to make up the nine-member committee.

City Attorney Brian Albright and County Attorney Ralph Ohm will serve as ex-officio members in an advisory capacity.

"Our city board and quorum court are showing bold leadership by establishing this committee," Fifty for the Future President Don Gooch said in the release.

"Cities all over America are scrambling to find reliable, long-term water resources. If our community hopes to continue enjoying our quality of life and being competitive in economic development efforts, we must come together with a far-reaching, comprehensive water policy. This committee will be a huge step in that direction," he said.

The Garland Good Government Group presented a petition to the city clerk's office Thursday seeking to have an initiative placed on the Nov. 4 general election to halt the city's effort to acquire additional water from DeGray Lake, unless approved by voters.

Local on 08/31/2014

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