Top DRA leaders reflect

As new appointees to the Duck River Agency board are anticipated next month, two of the agency's long-time directors reflect on several old ideas that have been considered by agency leaders, although action on them may be closer with new leadership.

They're as close as the dam on the Duck River creating the reservoir for this city's drinking water, and as big as creating another lake, or raising the level of the Normandy Dam to raise the maximum pool level of that reservoir by five feet so growth won't out-pace water supplies here.

Such changes to local topography are long-range projects, but as such they require advance planning, consideration, paperwork and funding, all matters for river agency board decisions. More routine decisions have been delayed since directors have either moved, or have had terms expire, so last week directors' nominees were sent to Gov. Phil Bredesen. Twice this winter, the agency's board couldn't meet because not enough of its members went to attend the quarterly session.

"The governor is expected to make these appointments during the next few weeks," reports Rachel Lassiter, deputy press secretary for the Governor's Communications Office.

"The governor regularly takes into consideration suggestions made by the current boards and commissions with regard to the selection of their new members, along with any other recommendations or suggestions from the public directed to his attention," Lassiter said last week.

Duck River Agency leaders were given control over more than $10 million last summer with an act of the Tennessee General Assembly and signed by Bredesen. The money's being invested to generate an even larger pool of funds from which project funding might be drawn.

"The agency has not taken action or direction on what's to be done for the future, but you can't wait until you have low flows on the river," says Agency director Gene Crowell of Shelbyville, the retired executive director of the Shelbyville Power, Water and Sewerage System.

"It takes time to do these big projects," Crowell said as he approached his answer on what his two favorites are.

They are to consider: raising Normandy Dam five feet, and impounding Fountain Creek, a stream leading to the Duck River a short distance above Columbia in Maury County.

Creating a new reservoir would provide a supply of water for when there are low flows of water in the Duck River, he said.

"The primary supply would always be Normandy," Crowell said.

Costs for both projects are unknown and many permit applications would have to be filed, he said.

The advantage of raising the level of Normandy Lake is that TVA owns the land needed, he said. Much of the land needed for a lake created at Fountain Creek may be owned by the government, but more would have to be acquired.

Last summer, Doug Murphy and Jill Garrett were hired to succeed Larry Murdock and Margaret Lane as executive director and finance director, respectively, of the agency created in conjunction with the end of the much larger Columbia Dam project and the continuation of the Normandy Dam project by TVA.

"Or new staff members ... are going a god job," Crowell said. "They are talking to civic clubs and I think they're getting the word out, telling a new generation about Normandy Dam and lake. A lot of people are not aware of where their water comes from.

Meanwhile, the agency is funding nearly $500,000 for the restoration of the old dam in Columbia which creates the reservoir for that city's water supply. Agency leaders have said they anticipate having studies conducted to determine whether such work is needed for the dams that create reservoirs of raw water for Shelbyville and Lewisburg.

At the same time, Murphy points out that there are some two dozen dams on the Duck River.

Lewisburg businessman Freddie Stacey is the chairman of the agency's board and he too has noted the 17-member group hasn't been able to meet for lack of a quorum, although the lack of Lewisburg Mayor Bob Phillips and Bell Buckle Mayor Linda Key are only two of the total.

Another reason for the lack of attendance, noted by Murphy, is that the meetings have been at Henry Horton State Park. It's practically in the middle of the five-county watershed, but as such, it's an easier drive from Bedford, Marshall and Maury counties than from Coffee or Hickman counties. Meetings held in Hickman County, years ago, were not well-attended by members from Coffee County and when meetings were held in Coffee County, Hickman County members were hard-pressed to attend.

Murphy has said he's eager to get started with projects, although some may be conservation projects that are not on such a grand scale as the creation of a new lake, or raising another's level.

"He won't be held back," Stacey said.

As for the two big projects, Stacey says, "I don't think either one is that necessary right now, but we should get the paperwork together to do them."

That could also include steps toward acquisition of land.

Stacey acknowledges there could be opposition to either project. Some 800 acres may have to be acquired at Fountain Creek. But he says he believes land could be acquired and money would still be left over for the raising of Normandy Lake.

The majority of the Duck River Agency's funds come from the several water utilities participating in the agency throughout the watershed. Utilities pay to the agency a dollar amount that's calculated every month. It amounts to five cents per 1,000 gallons of water sold to the utilities customers. Technically, the customers don't pay a nickel more per 1,000 gallons. It's paid by the utility. It's not reflected on the water bills.

About five years ago, Stacey says, Murdock explained to him the idea of raising the level of Normandy Lake by five feet.

"But that would be the new capacity," Stacey said. "We wouldn't have to raise it that much."

Furthermore, he said, "It's my understanding that the lake is not raised to its maximum level now."

Hearings haven't been held on such ideas, Stacey said, "but that's one of the things I think we'd have to do. We'd have to do it with TVA and we've had them in on it."

Murphy was employed by TVA before he was hired by the agency's board.

As for the three dams that supply water to Shelbyville, Lewisburg and Columbia, Stacey says they were all built in the 1930s and would presumably need maintenance.

"If anything happened to one of them, then the city with that dam would be in a world of hurt for water," Stacey said.

The City of Columbia has selected an engineer for its dam project and steps toward renovation of that dam are underway. A study would be conducted by the agency before it would consider any request by the City of Shelbyville for financial assistance in renovation of the dam at Fisherman's Park, Stacey and Murphy have said.