The Army Corps of Engineers has given the Sulphur River Basin Authority a 30-day deadline to find $1.4 million to continue the current feasibility study determine the effects of raising water levels in Wright Patman Lake.
During Tuesday's regular board meeting, Elston Eckhardt, chief of the Civil Management Branch of the corps' Fort Worth District, said 30 days should be sufficient for SRBA to come up with its half of the additional $2.796 million needed to complete the study.
"That would be a reasonable time to expect a response from the Sulphur River Basin Authority," Eckhardt said.
In a letter sent to SRBA last week, the corps stated it did not have the money to continue the study, which began three years ago and cost $3 million, aligning with the corp's 3x3x3 Smart Planning process designed to reduce time and costs. With no funds in the government's fiscal year budget to fund the corps' half of the study, the corps must ask for an exemption, plus have the promise of $1.4 million from SRBA.
"So therefore, if the exemption is granted, we will be utilizing accelerated funds, which means your 1.4 million. We have to put that in for us to start working on it," Eckhardt said. "If we never get funding, then you have another decision to make. Are you going to kick in the other $1.4 million in contributing funds? Don't expect reimbursement if you go down that road."
Board President Mike Sandefur has said this might be a good opportunity for Riverbend Water Resources District and the City of Texarkana, both stakeholders in Wright Patman, to become more involved in SRBA, which is funded by the Joint Commission for Program Development, comprised of entities in the Dallas Metroplex seeking water for future needs.
"This may be a great opportunity to put Riverbend and Texarkana in the mix. I don't know JCPD's thoughts on this," Sandefur said. "I like it because they are crucially important stakeholders with Wright Patman in their backyard."
Involving stakeholders is also included in SRBA's draft of their strategic plan, which addresses organizational changes directed the Sunset Advisory Commission.
Sunset was created to review state agencies to determine their effectiveness and necessity. The commission has the authority to abolish many state agencies, but House Bill 3123, passed in May 2015, excludes SRBA from being abolished. It does, however, have the ability to enforce change and regulations within each agency.
In August, Sunset called for several major changes, including a full sweep of the board, involving regional stake holders in decisions and finding additional funding.
SRBA is primarily funded by the Joint Commission for Program Development, which includes the city of Dallas, the city of Irving, North Texas Municipal Water District, Tarrant Regional Water District and the Upper Trinity Water District-all entities seeking water for their growing populations.
The board also took the next step in improving relations with the city of Texarkana during Tuesday's meeting. They unanimously voted to set a date in the near future for SRBA, the city and Riverbend board members to discuss sedimentation and other water issues.
The city most recently asked for the meeting in March, but coordination was delayed because of the Sunset hearings.
In other business, the board discussed funding a study with Riverbend to address sedimentation in Wright Patman. The last sedimentation study, conducted in 2010, was funded by the Texas Water Development Board. It recommended the volumetric study be revised in 10 years or after a major flood event. Since Wright Patman has had two recent floods, Sandefur said now would be a good time to get the study done and also to work with Riverbend.
Members also approved website improvements during Tuesday's meeting, agreeing to add a listserv feature, which sends emails to interested parties when the site is updated. This item is also a Sunset directive, added in August when the Commission made their final decisions on SRBA. Those decisions are not yet law, and will be voted on in the upcoming 85th session of the Texas Legislature.
The next regular board meeting is scheduled for Nov. 15.