WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING
In August, SAVE LAKE LBJ's support was requested by Llano County to help protest the establishment of a private dam on the Llano River by oil executive Greg Garland. SAVE LAKE LBJ members Karl Wolfe, Rick Schmidt, Fermin Ortiz, and Larry Black traveled to Rocksprings on August 10 to attend a TCEQ public meeting on the issue and voice opposition. A request to TCEQ for a second meeting closer to Llano is still pending. A positive working relationship has been established with Llano County representatives and SAVE LAKE LBJ as a result of this collaboration.
News broke on August 21 that a second and unpermitted dam on the James River, a tributary of the Llano River near Mason, Texas, had been discovered. SAVE LAKE LBJ members have been involved raising public awareness of this dam and the continuing issues and threats to our water supply downstream. On August 29, the Central Texas Water Coalition held a Town Hall meeting at Boat Town in Kingsland to address the many challenges we are facing due to drought, population growth and low water inflows into our lakes. SAVE LAKE LBJ member Fermin Ortiz presented a short discussion of the threats from upstream dams and answered questions about the proposed sand mining industrialization.
A historic photo from 1971 has surfaced showing the area of the confluence of the Llano and Colorado Rivers where LCRA dredge zone C is located. The photo provides evidence that the sand bar that arose from the 2018 flood is actually situated on a rock ledge and not in the bottom of the river channel. Any industrial dredging operations in that area likely face challenges that may not have been considered previously.
On September 14, LCRA granted Collier Materials another extension until October 20 to provide evidence of a valid and legal lease to both the Kingsland I and II sand processing sites. Copies of the extension approvals can be found using the links below. Highland Lakes Watershed Ordinance-Extensions Highland Lakes Dredge and Fill-Extensions
Save The Date Sunrise Beach Town Hall October 28th 5:30 PM Sunrise Beach Civic Center Yard signs are still available!