Published: August 19, 2009 10:25 am      

TDEC finds no significant impact from water harvesting plan

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation has found no significant impact from the city of Crossville plan to harvest water from Lake Tansi.

According to the report, "The environmental benefits of this project will be an expansion of the raw water availability to the Crossville/Cumberland County area with a minimum increase in energy usage and capital expenditure for the increase. This will provide a more stable raw water supply and reduce the likelihood of necessary water use restrictions during future drought conditions similar to the recent 2007-2008 drought."

In July, the Crossville City Council approved moving forward with an eminent domain action to harvest water from Lake Tansi over the objections of land owners concerned with property values, use of the lake and possible new regulations for using a recreational lake as a water supply source.

The city proposes to harvest water from Lake Tansi to fill Meadow Park Lake following expansion of the dam; to supply drinking water during construction of the expanded Meadow Park Lake; and to act as an emergency water supply in the event of a federally designated emergency drought. According to the resolution passed by the Crossville City Council July 30, the city seeks all water that flows over the spillway, or that could flow over the spillway; all water siphoned at any time by the Lake Tansi Property Owners Association; and all water located between the invert elevation of the spillway and the point 12 inches below the spillway. The city proposes placing a 36-inch pipe in Lake Tansi that would act as a wet well. Pumps capable of pumping 5,000 gallons a minute would then pump that water through lines to the Meadow Park Lake water filtration plant.

The city has offered a one-time payment of $500,000 to the Lake Tansi POA for the water rights.

The project is expected to cost $5.6 million, with the city receiving $5 million from the state revolving loan fund. Of that, $2 million would be eligible for principal forgiveness and not have to be repaid.

The project is expected to aid the city in a goal of doubling its raw water capacity from 7.5 million gallons per day to 14 million gallons per day, and supply the water needs of the area for 40 years. According to the report, the city of Crossville not only supplies all the drinking water for residents inside the city limits, but is contracted to sell water to the South Cumberland Utility District, Grandview Utility District, West Cumberland Utility District and the Fall Creek Falls Utility District. It has also agreed to enter into a mutual aid agreement with the Crab Orchard Utility District.

Currently, the city is operating at 75 to 80 percent of its raw water supply capability. It is projected the city needs to plan for a population of approximately 94,000 in the year 2029.

Other options considered in the report include no action or harvesting from Watts Bar Reservoir or the Caney Fork River.

The report states, "Doing nothing will perpetuate the inevitability of future water use restrictions when yields from Lake Holiday and Meadow Park Lake become insufficient to supply the safe drinking water needs of Crossville and its neighboring customers."

Harvesting from both Watts Bar Reservoir and the Caney Fork River were said to be not cost effective. A study has estimated harvesting from the Caney Fork River, 4.5 miles away, would have an initial cost of $15 million, while harvesting from Watts Bar would cost about $61 million.

The report stated the proposed project will not disturb or alter any groundwater recharge area, and the Obed Wild and Scenic River, which is designated an outstanding national water source, will not be affected, either.

However, during the construction phase, there could be some short-term environmental impacts from noise, dust, mud, disruption of traffic, runoff of silt with rainfall, etc. The report recommends several actions to minimize these effects, including temporary and permanent measures to control erosion and sediment, soil and landscaping maintenance procedures and the development of an erosion control plan.

"These measures, along with requiring the contractor to return the construction site to as-good-as or better-than its original condition, will prevent any adverse impacts due to erosion," the report said.

The city may still need permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Tennessee Department of Enviornment and Conservation, Division of Water Pollution Control, as well as any applicable Inter-basin Water Transfer Permits.

Those supporting or disagreeing with the Finding of No Significant Impact have 30 days from the date of the report, August 12, to comment before a final decision is made. Comments or challenges may be sent to Sam R. Gaddipati, environmental manager; State Revolving Fund Loan Program; L&C Tower, 8th Floor; 401 Church Street; Nashville, TN 37243.