ANDERSON — The Phase II study for the proposed Mounds Lake Reservoir produced no red flags that would prevent the project from moving forward, but challenges remain and a multi-government commission needs to be formed.
The Phase II feasibility study was recently released after one year of being developed by several engineering companies. The next step is creation of a commission to begin the permitting process, expected to be led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The Phase II study looked at more details relating to the broader scope of the project including environmental impacts, some design work and cost analysis, said Rob Sparks, executive director of the Madison County Corporation for Economic Development that conducted the study.
Sparks said the next step is the initiation of the Mounds Lake Commission to determine if communities in Madison and Delaware counties want to pursue creation of the reservoir. The Mounds Lake Commission would be created by the Madison County and Delaware County commissioners and county councils, the Anderson City Council and the town councils of Chesterfield, Daleville and Yorktown — all directly affected by the proposed reservoir.
“If the communities want to go forward with the project we need community leadership,” Sparks said. “To move the project forward we have to find funding and be able to negotiate. No private group can do that.”
There is no timetable for the Mounds Lake Commission but Sparks said an ordinance will be presented to local units of government in March.
“Politics will play a role,” he said of creating the commission. “We are trying to keep it nonpolitical. I think it’s a great project, but not without challenges.”
Sparks said the $600,000 in grant funds from the state was depleted in December and CED doesn’t have money to continue development of the reservoir project.
“We’re still early in the process and still have to clear hurdles,” Sparks said. “The project can fail in the permitting phase. Before we do that we have the customer requirement needs and the funding to advance the project to completion.”
The Heart of the River remains opposed to the reservoir project. The group continues to raise concerns about the need for the reservoir, impact on Mounds State Park and the environmental impact.
“We believe that the reservoir plan is not socially equitable,” Sheryl Myers, Heart of the River spokeswoman, said. “The people who are being asked to give up the most are the ones who will benefit the least if the dam is built.
“We also question the authority that a Mounds Lake Commission would have,” she said. “If the commission is created, it will have virtually no oversight or accountability. No protocol has been set for appointments to the commission, no funding has been designated for its operation, and no transparency is mandated during its decision-making process. This process could leave the public at the mercy of a small group of appointed individuals who may or may not have the public’s best interest at heart.”
Part of the Phase II feasibility study was an engineering report prepared by DLZ Engineering that stated there are questions remaining related to permitting and design, but no unforeseen challenges.
Sparks said the plan is to construct an earthen dam with up to five flood control gates in the Irondale neighborhood of Anderson with concrete spillways.
The subsurface study done by SESCO Group said 120 acres of the 2,100-acre project area were identified as potential environmental risks. It did note that several historic environmental sites were not addressed in the study.
Chad Pigg, project specialist for CED, said the estimated cost to mitigate any contamination in the proposed reservoir area has been estimated at $35 million to $40 million.
“There are no red flags,” he said. “Any leachate getting into the White River or area wells would have already been known.
“There has been a lot of testing and studies done of the White River in terms of water quality and sedimentation,” Pigg said. “Any contamination would have shown up in these studies of the river.”
A concern of many environmental groups is the effect on Mounds State Park and the historic mounds. Pigg said the historic mounds will be protected.
“At all costs, we have to figure out a way to protect the mounds structures,” Pigg said. “All of the agencies have asked how we propose protecting the mounds.
“That has to happen,” he said. “An engineered wall along the river is an option.”
Pigg said a part of the mitigation strategy is for the future expansion of Mounds State Park.
“The nature and how the park is used changes,” he said. “The park is in an ideal position to maximize the attendance and a different trail system around the lake.”
Pigg said the popular trail along the edge of the White River would be flooded by the reservoir.