as of February 2008

WRDA

Water Resource Development Act

Red River Valley Association Requests

1. Navigation into SW Arkansas, Feasibility Study: Language in having the Arkansas Navigation Project considered under the same guidelines as the Louisiana Navigation Project, as we consider this project a ‘continuation’ of the J. Bennett Johnston Waterway.

2. Red River Waterway, Index to Denison Reach: Currently this reach is separable from the rest of the navigation project. We want it to become ‘non-separable’.

3. (NEW) Red River Below Denison Dam, AR: This is an active project to rehabilitate the ‘Federal Levees’ in Arkansas. Only the main levees in Miller County have been rehabilitated to federal standards. The levees in Lafayette County and some in Miller County have not been rehabilitated. The issue is that these substandard levees can not meet inspection standards and will receive an ‘unacceptable’ rating each year. This will prevent these Levee Districts from receiving PL 84-99 repair assistance should their levees be damaged in a flood. We propose language to allow them to receive PL 84-99 assistance, regardless of their inspection rating, until they have been rehabilitated.

4. (NEW) Waurika Lake, OK: The Waurika Lake Master Conservancy District (WLMCD) has a current debt of approximately $30,000,000 and has an agreement with the Corps of Engineers to pay it over 19 years at rate of 3.463%. The Corps is carrying the debt at an interest rate of 4.875%. At this rate differential the Corps will pay $4,700,000 more than it receives from WLMCD. The WLMCD would pay its debt early, if they receive a discount for the difference the Corps would save, which would be a lump sum of $25,300,000 in 2008. We request language that allows a lump sum payment that would be discounted by the amount saved by the Corps, so both parties can take advantage of a portion of the non-reimbursable interest fee.

5. (NEW) Waurika Lake, OK: The Waurika Lake Master Conservancy District (WLMCD) has owned the ‘water rights’ since the 1950s. When Waurika Lake was completed in August 1977, the WLMCD purchased 27% of the ‘water storage’. In 1991 the WLMCD wanted to purchase the remaining 73%, which amounts to the capital to construct the lake, but there were disputes with the Corps of Engineers over construction cost overruns. WLMCD was prevented from purchasing additional water storage until the disputes were resolved. The original construction cost dispute was resolved in WRDA 2000 and WRDA 2007 resolved the ‘additional’ construction debt dispute in favor of WLMCD. The Corps of Engineers has now requested that WLMCD pay for the water rights at the current rate, which has increased 3.463% per year since 1991. The payment in 1991 would have been approximately $13,000,000 and the Corps is now requesting approximately $23,000,000 for the same 73%. Due to the inability of WLMCD to purchase the water in 1991 and considering the outcome of the disputes were in favor of WLMCD – it would be appropriate for the WLMCD to purchase the water storage at the 1991 rate, since they would have if there were no disputes preventing the purchase.

6. (NEW) Red River, Atchafalaya Bayou Boeuf (RRABB) Levee District, LA: RRABB has a number of state built levees that are an integral part of their overall system. These levees protect a large population base and infrastructure. It is important to incorporate them into the Federal system.

NOTE: Contact the RRVA office if you have WRDA issues for consideration.

Richard Brontoli, Executive Director

(318) 221-5233, redriverva@hotmail.com