Loading...
Vista Ridge 1st P-CS 880408AN' ORDER approving T[XAI W ATEI COMMISSION APR 8 1988 . CITY MANAGER an Engineering Report as the Plan of Reclamation and Approving Preliminary Plans for a Reclamation Project of Denton County Levee Improvement District No. 1 (RE-0239) On the 23rd day of October, 1985, the Texas Water Co~is- sion considered the application of Denton County Levee Im- provement District No. 1 for approval of an.engineering report as its Plan of Reclamation and for approval of preliminary plans for a reclamation project on and adjacent to Denton Creek in Denton and Dallas Counties, Texas. A public hearing was held on August 28, 1985, before a Commission Hearings Examiner. Parties designated at the hearing were= Denton County Levee Improvement District No. 1 (District), as applicant; the Executive Director and Public Interest Advocate of the Texas Department of Water Resources; the City of Coppe11~ Univest Development Company~ and Ms. Elsie Edwards, Ms. Nettie Long, Mr. Orlan Parish, and Mr. Leonard Wiley, as protestants. After considering the ExaminerSs Proposal for Decision and pleadings and evidence submitted relative to this matter, the Commission makes the following Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law= FINDINGS OF FACT 1. The applicant has submitted to the Texas Water Commission through its predecessor agency, the Texas Depart- ment of Water Resources, both an April, 1985 engineering report prepared by Dannenbaum Engineering Corporation to be approved as the D~strictSs Plan of Reclamation, and prelimi- nary plans for a project to provide for reclamation of approx- imately 560 acres within the District on and adjacent to Denton Creek in Denton and Dallas Counties, Texas. 2. Notice of the application and hearing was published in the Dallas Morning News once a week for two consecutive weeks, on July 30 and August 7, 1985, with the publication being at least 20 days prior to the hearing. The Dallas Morning News is a newspaper of general circulation in Denton and Dallas Counties, Texas, the counties wherein the construction is located and in which the project would have potential impact. 3. Notice was sent by first-class mail on July 29, 1985, to known property owners within the area to be affected by the project, and to concerned federal, state and local officials. Notice was sent by first-class mail on July 30, 1985 to remaining known interested parties. 4. The proposed project is located within the bound- aries of the 938.337-acre District, which is located within the corporate limits of and approximately four miles from downtown Lewisville, Texas. The District is bounded on the south by Denton Creek, on the west by Denton Tap Road, and on the northeast by Interstate Highway 35E. The north and east boundaries follow existing property lines. 5... The proposed project includes construction of a flood control channel along Denton Creek from near Denton Tap Road to the eastern end of the project~ a levee about 9,000 feet long consisting of about 170,000 cubic yards of dirt and varying in height from five to eleven feet~ placement of earth fill from the channel and~interior drainage lake to a level at least two feet above the 100-year flood level~ an interior drainage lake to capture water behind the levee~ a 300,000 gpm capacity pump station to move water from the interior lake into Denton Creek~ and modification of a bridge on Denton Tap Road to enlarge the opening. 6. Plans for the proposed project are adequate and in conformity with sound engineering principles. 7. There is no discernible incompatibility with exist- lng hydraulic and hydrologic conditions. 8. The proposed project will cause no additional flooding or adversely affect life and property or the rights of third parties. 9. The proposed project will reclaim land within an area presently designated as 'floodway' by the Federal Emer- gency ~anagement Agency (FENA). The proposed channel improve- ments will compensate for encroachment into the floodway, and readjustment of the floodway limits according to FENA regu- lations will be justified. 10. The proposed project will allow reclaamtion of approximately 560 acres within the District, will benefit landowners south of Denton Creek and outside o£ the District in the upstream portion of the project area, and will not be detrimental to any landowners outside of the District. 11. The proposed project will allow sufficient ordinary flows to remain in the old channel of Denton Creek to sustain local fish and other population in the stream. Streamside vegetation will not be harmed and only a small amount of such vegetation within the District will be removed during con- struction. The proposed project will not promote the growth of mosquito population in the area. 12. Ordinary flows within Denton Creek are primarily affected by controlled releases from Lake Grapevine and contributions from the watershed between Lake Grapevine and the project area. The proposed project will not affect either of these conditions. 13. The depth of water within Denton Creek in low-flow conditions is primarily a factor of backwater effects from Carrollton Dam, which is located downstream of the project area. The proposed project is designed so as not to affect the depth of water in the existing channel. 14. A series of small diversion dams ~ould assure that ordinary flows continue in the existing, channe!/%. proposes, but has not included in its engineering report or preliminary plans, the installation of such wears if necessary to protect low flows. Sound engineering principles allow for observation of actual conditions and const~uctiOn, if. neces- sary, in response to such conditions. ;~Applicant monitor flow conditions for approximately one year after completion of the project to determine if installation of weirs is necessary. 15. The proposed project will not significantly increase the 100-year water surface levels within or upstream from the project area. 16. The Executive Director recommends approval of the engineering report as the Districtgs Plan of Reclamation. 17. Construction of the project will commence within six months from the date of issuance of this Order.' 18. Completion of the project will occur within two years from the date of issuance of this Order. CONCLUSIONS OF LAW 1. Applicant seeks approval of its engineering report as its Plan of Reclamation under S57.156 of the Texas Water Code and 31 T.A.C.S315.36. 2. Applicant seeks approval of preliminary plans under S16.236 of the Texas Water Code and 31 T.A.C. S~315.37, 315.38, and 315.51-315.63. 3. The Commission has jurisdiction under Texas Water Code ~57.156 and 16.236 to consider the application and the Proposal for Decision and to approve both the engineering report as a Plan of Reclamation and the project plans of the applicant. 4. -The applicantgs engineering report and preliminary plans are in compliance with the Texas Water Code and the Rules of the Texas Water Commission and of its predecessor agency, the Texas Departme_nt of Water Resources, and should be approved. NO~, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDERED BY THE TBNASWATER C09~IIS- SION THAT= 1. The engineering report submitted by Denton County Levee Improvement District No. 1, prepared by Dennenbau~ Engineering Corporation and dated April, 1985,..be approved subject to all requirements of law and the Rules of the Texas Water Commission. 2. The preliminary plans submitted by Denton County Levee Improvement District No. I for a reclamation project be approved subject to all requirements of law and the Rules of the Texas Water Commission plans and specifications to Texas Water Commission). (including submission of final the Executive Director of the 3. Applicant commence construction within six months of the date'of issuance of this Order. 4. Applicant complete construction within two years of the date of issuance of this Order. 5. In conjunction with Finding of.Fact No. 14, one year after completion of construction', the District shall submit a written report to the Texas Water Commission evaluating the performance (including flows) of structures during low flows. This report will analyze the effect, if any, of the diversion of water between the two channels and will propose remedial action, if any, necessary .to correct observed problems. This report shall be furnished to the parties to this hearing. 6. The exceptions of Univest Corporation filed October 7, 1985, are hereby overruled. The Chief Clerk of the Commission is directed to forward a certified copy of this Order to all parties. Signed this 28th day of October , 1985. TEXAS WATER COMMISSION ATTEST= /s/ Paul Hopkins Paul Hopkins, Chai~lnan /s! Ralph Roming ~talph Rom~g, Comm~Ssioner /s/ John O. Houchins John O. Houchins, Commissione~ /s/ Mary Ann Hefner Mary A~n Hefner, Chief Clerk TIlE STATE OF TEXAS COUNTY OF TRAVIS I. MARY ANN llEI:NI:-R. Chie£ Clerk of the Texas #ater Commission, do hereby certify that the ;,ttached nnd foregoing ts a true nnd correct copy o£ nn Order of the Cosunission, the original of which is filed in the pernanent records of the Coanission, · i;IVEN UNDER MY HAND AND THE SEAL OF TIlE TEXAS YATER COM~IISSION, this the 28th day of October 1985. Texas #'ater Commission SEAL