The current three-year feasibility study on Wright Patman Lake will not continue without an additional $2.796 million, with half coming from the Sulphur River Basin Authority. That's according to a letter the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers sent to SRBA on Wednesday, which also stated there are currently no federal funds available for the Corps to fund its half.
For three years, the Corps and SRBA have been in a 50/50 partnership to fund a study to determine the amount of flood storage that might be reallocated to supply the growing water needs of Texas water planning Regions C and D.
Estimates show more than $4 million has been spent on the project, which has changed in scope several times. Elston Eckhardt, chief of the Civil Management Branch of the Corps' Fort Worth District, said that's what caused delays in its completion.
"It morphed as we went along," he said. "When we first started, it was a more robust feasiblity study and it went to purely reallocation. It all took more time than we originally anticipated."
SRBA President Mike Sandefur and Riverbend Water Resources District Executive Director/CEO Liz Fazio Hale both said the letter took them aback.
"We were surprised by the delay and the cost overall," Hale said. "We have a lot of questions, and we want to sit down with the Corps and see how the process plays out. This is a marathon, not a sprint."
Sandefur said his response is to forward to the email to the Joint Commission for Program Development, SRBA's funding partner.
"By working appropriately with both our USACE partner and our funding partners, we will respond appropriately as soon as we can," he wrote.
JCPD consists of the city of Dallas, the city of Irving, North Texas Municipal Water District, Tarrant Regional Water District and the Upper Trinity Water District-all Dallas Metroplex entities needing water. They are SRBA's sole source of cash inflow, a topic the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission decided should change after holding a public hearing in June to address SRBA's failings.
Sandefur has since taken steps to address the issues in the Sunset Report, including seeking additional funding, but none has been found to date.
The Corps was due to present a Tentatively Selected Plan this December, which states its recommendation as to what level Wright Patman should be raised. Eckhardt said it would take "a few more months" to complete the TSP, adding that would require funds the Corps has not dedicated to the project. To get money for the study, they can apply for an exemption, which would ultimately be reviewed by the deputy general for civil works at the USACE headquarters in Washington.
"We have to convince the people in Washington it is a good thing to continue with this study and put our best foot forward," he said. "We have to make sure that we have the proper commitment at the local level to commit to the funding of it. Also (we have) to discuss how urgent it is that we complete the study and let them know we're doing the right thing and are on the right track."
If additional funding is not available at the local or federal level, the study would end, Eckhardt said, and all information gathered so far would become public domain. It would also end if SRBA does not come up with the money through JCPD or local entities, including Riverbend and the city of Texarkana.
Walt Sears, executive director of the Northeast Texas Municipal Water District, said this might actually be an opportunity for regional stakeholders to have a seat at the water table.
"This is not completely distressing," he said. "I see it as an opportunity because I want to see a deeper and more thorough partnership by the local systems that are affected. I am encouraged that the letter offers an opportunity for that increased role. That's a good thing."
As far as Riverbend's helping SRBA fund its portion of the study, Hale said, "I think it's something that we would consider. It's too soon to say outright. That would be a member entity decision, but I think that it's certainly a possibility."
This issue will be discussed further at SRBA's next regular meeting, scheduled for 1 p.m. Tuesday at Mount Pleasant Civic Center, 1800 N. Jefferson Ave., Mount Pleasant, Texas.