Brazos river conservation coalition

e-newsletter

Issue # 22

February 1, 2009

In This Issue

Kevin Taylor from Somervell Co. Water District will Address March 10^th BRCC Meeting

Granbury Water Officials Update Members and Guests at January Meeting

BRCC meets Comanche Peak Power Plant Reps and Tour Facility

Upcoming Events of Interest to BRCC Members

Important websites and e-mail addresses

Officers

President:

Josh Rosenfeld

Vice President:

Billy Teels

Corp. Secretary:

Phyllis Webster

Treasurer:

Dominique Inge

Board

Directors

Charles Baskett

Jack D’Amario

Phil Delucchi

Barbara Goodwin-Lantz

Charles Inge

Dominique Inge

Arnold King

Joe Langdon

Clark Lantz

Josh Rosenfeld

Billy Teels

Phyllis Webster

Eddie Lane

Dan Loomis

Doug Richards

Lee Overstreet

Newsletter Publisher:

Jack D’Amario, Chairman

Programs and Publicity Committee

jndamario@windstream.net

To unsubscribe do a respond and type cancel in the subject line

Kevin Taylor From the Somervell Co. Water District will Address the March 10^th BRCC Meeting

The use of water resources from the Paluxy River in Somervell will be reviewed by Somervell County Water District representative Kevin Taylor at the March 10^th public meeting of the BRCC. Mr. Taylor will report on the development of the Wheeler Branch Dam and the Paluxy River Channel Dam. He will also discuss how tapping the Paluxy affects water use from the Brazos River. This will be an opportunity to get a perspective on regional water resource issues that may influence decisions regarding use of Brazos River resources.

The meeting will be at 7:00 PM in the Langdon Center Concert Hall, Bridge and Brazos streets, Granbury.

Granbury Water Officials Update BRCC

Members and Guests at January Meeting

Those attending the January public meeting of the BRCC were given a review of Granbury waste water treatment capacity and plant operation by Granbury Director of Public Works, Alva Cox, and Plant Manager, Billy Massey. It was reported that the waste water treatment facility is presently operating at about fifty percent of capacity. Mr. Cox said that the plant is manned 24/7 and consistently meets State mandated requirements. As testimony to its efficiency, members of the audience seemed to have little awareness of the plants operation or location. Even the several lift stations placed around town apparently run unobserved by the public.

In anticipation of increased demand, due to continued development, preliminary plans are under consideration for the expansion of waste water treatment facilities. One option being considered is locating a second plant north of Lake Granbury.

In response to audience inquiries Mr. Cox said the plant currently has enough capacity to process the waste from the planned development that proposes to build a private plant near Rucker Creek. He also indicated that the 24/7 monitoring and manning of the municipal plant significantly reduces the likelihood of an environmental accident.

He said that there are constant advancements in the science of waste water treatment that are aimed at reducing the impact on available water resources. Research is ongoing into producing treated waste water that is suitable for recycling into drinking water systems. Alva said that while the technology is progressing, the major obstacle is public perception.

BRCC Meets Comanche Peak

Power Plant Reps and Tours Facility

On January 21^st BRCC President, Josh Rosenfeld, and six members of the BRCC met with seven representatives of Luminant and two BRA officials at the Comanche Peak power plant. In addition to a description of the general operation of the facility, Luminant officials involved in the construction of the proposed new reactors discussed the impact they would have on Lake Granbury. Both the Luminant representative and Kent Rindy from the BRA indicated that the there would be minimal environmental degradation from the recycling of cooling tower water back into the lake.

Mr. Bruce Turner, Luminant environmental specialist, has agreed to speak to the May public meeting of the BRCC and provide details on the impact to Lake Granbury of the new reactors water use.

After the meeting the BRCC members were taken on a tour of the reactor area that included the spent fuel storage pool and the outside of the steam turbine facility. The most impressive aspect of the visit was the elaborate security measures imposed on entry to the plant. Measures that apply to employees and visitors alike.

Upcoming Events of Interest

to BRCC Members

The Rio Brazos Master Naturalist Chapter is planning an initial training class this spring.

Interested persons should contact Training Coordinator, Robert Theimer at:

817-641-2457

rinatheimer@sbcglobal.net

The fee for the training class is $ 100.00 and this covers the cost of the training manual, class materials, and the instructor’s fees.

2009 Training Class Dates and Locations Summary

3-19 Thursday 4-9 PM Church of the Holy Comforter, Cleburne

Registration, course overview, logistics, and introduction to the requirements.

History of the Naturalists in Texas

3-26 Thursday 4-9 PM STC, Glen Rose

Taxonomy, Microbiology, and Botany

4-4 Saturday 9 AM – 5 PM ANC, Acton

Entomology, Herpetology, Ornithology, Mammalogy, and field work

4-9 Thursday 4-8 PM STC, Glen Rose

Ichthyology, Archeology, and Paleontology

4-16 Thursday 3-9 PM ANC, Acton

Geology, Soils and field work, and Ecology and Ecological regions of Texas

4-23 Thursday 4-9 PM STC, Glen Rose

Weather and Climate, Forrest Ecology and Management, and Urban Systems

5-2 Saturday 9 AM to 4 PM Fort Worth Nature Center, North Fort Worth

Aquatic Systems and Wetland Ecology class and Field study

NOTE: This is tentative and may have to be adjusted for date.

5-9 Saturday 10 AM to 4 PM Clymer Meadows, Celeste (North of Greenville)

Prairie Ecology and Management, with a lot of plant identification.

5-14 Thursday 4-9 PM Ranch West of Glen Rose

Rangeland Ecology and Management.

5-16 Saturday 9 AM to 3 PM Fossil Rim

Volunteers as trainers and tour of Fossil Rim, behind the scenes .

6-4 Thursday 6P M to 8 PM STC, Glen Rose

Reception at the RBMN Monthly Meeting to honor the students completing the class.

NOTE: Some of the classes and instructors are still in negotiations about the date or place and may require adjustments.

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A preliminary hearing for the sewer plant discharge permit into Rucker Creek will be held at 10:00 AM, February 10, 2009, in the Hood County Justice Center, JP Courtroom, 1200 West Pearl Street, Granbury, Texas.

Please make a space in your schedule to be there. The number of people at the Certificate of Convenience Notification preliminary hearing several months ago made a difference with TCEQ.

Lake Granbury is our lake and we need to take responsibility for keeping it a lake we can be proud of and a lake we can enjoy.

See you there or contact me.

Dan Loomis
817 223 7868
bassschoolin@charter.net

_________________________________________________________________________________

President Josh Rosenfeld is scheduled to speak to the Hood County Women’s Democratic Club on March 9^th, discussing the history, purpose and activities of the BRCC

___________________________________________________________________

Hood County Day in Austin is February 25. Josh Rosenfeld and others representing the BRCC will travel to Austin to meet with members of the Texas Legislature to promote the passage of the John Graves Scenic Riverway legislation

Important Websites and E-mail Addresses

Brazos River Conservation Coalition

www.brazosriverconservation.org

U. S. CONGRESS

Senator Kay Bailey-Hutchison Senator John Cornyn

http//Hutchison.senate.gov http//cornyn.senate.gov

(e-mail both via website)

Representative Chet Edwards

chris.kelly@mail.house.gov

TEXAS LEGISLATURE

State Senator Kip Averitt State Representative Jim Keffer

becky.dixon@senate.state.tx.us trent.thomas@house.state.tx.us