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Conservation, Historic Preservation Groups Express Concerns Over Proposed Reservoir
By CHRIS SHIPMAN
Hometown News
Plans have been underway for several years for the Woodruff-Roebuck Water District to build a reservoir and water treatment plant on Ferguson Creek. The proposed dam and water plant will both be adjacent to the Price House Property owned by the Spartanburg Historical Association. Area environmental and historic preservation groups have expressed some concern about the reservoir’s impact on the surrounding land and are requesting public hearings with DHEC to get more details of the project plans out to the public.
Water Needs
In 2000, the WRWD Board unanimously approved a study to evaluate how best to ensure the availability water of acceptable quantity, quality, and cost to meet long-term needs. The board commissioned the engineering firm of Black and Veatch to conduct a preliminary water supply feasibility study.
Black and Veatch’s first study concluded that WRWD should give further consideration to two options: the continued purchase of water from adjacent water districts or the construction of a water supply reservoir. The district decided that continuing to purchase water from Spartanburg Water System would not meet the future needs of the district and that ownership would give the water district the most control over quality, quantity, and allocation in the future.
The board looked at several ways of “owning” its water source before settling on building a reservoir. Two options were purchasing an interest in a neighboring water district or securing contracts granting ownership-like control over quantity, quality and costs. “Many efforts were made to find one or more partners to provide WRWD, by sale or by contract, an interest in a nearby water source, thus giving the district the future water security it requires. However, the neighboring water districts were either unwilling or unable to give WRWD even a partial interest in their water sources,” reads a statement on the water district’s website. “The most likely partner, Spartanburg Water System, will not allow WRWD to buy into its system and only agrees to sell WRWD a maximum of 8 million gallons per day - long term. Unfortunately, this will not meet Woodruff-Roebuck’s future needs,” the statement continues.
After failing to secure long-term contracts with other providers, the water district commissioned a second study in 2003. The study “thoroughly explored the relevant social, economic, geographical and environmental factors involved in securing a long-term source of water” and concluded that since Ferguson Creek, a small tributary of the South Tyger River, was “an optimal location for a reservoir,” building a dam and water plant was the best way to provide for the district’s future water needs. “Ferguson Creek has additional advantages based on its water quality and location near the center of the district,” reads the district’s statement on its website. “No other reservoir site completely within the district’s boundary is sufficient to meet the district’s long-term water supply needs. The Ferguson Creek site presents minimal environmental impacts, does not impact any businesses or family homes, and will enable WRWD to control its future water supplies to the benefit of present and future customers of the district,” the statement continues.
The water commission voted to accept Black & Veatch’s recommendations for building a reservoir and is in the midst of a “lengthy regulatory permitting process.”
“From an environmental perspective,” the district’s statement reads, “care must be taken to preserve existing natural resources and avoid unnecessary environmental impacts. From a political standpoint, all interested parties must be kept fully informed and up to date. Both efforts require sound and thoughtful planning and communication.”
Preservation Concerns
Julie Lonon, of SPACE (Spartanburg Area Conservancy), a private, not-for-profit land conservation organization, said that SPACE has been asking people interested in the project and its impact to request a public hearing with DHEC.
SPACE has recently worked with the Historical Association to put an easement on the Price House property, which is near the proposed site of the treatment plant and dam. “We wanted to protect that land because of the historic nature of it,” Lonon said. “It was once over 2,000 acres, now it’s down to 94. Ferguson Creek is the boundary on that property. The dam is going to go in right above it. The water treatment plan is going to be on Oakview Farms Road. We’re concerned about the view-shed and how it could take away from the historical character of the place. The Woodruff-Roebuck Water District has been very understanding of that. We’re very appreciative that they came to talk to us. Let’s work together and do this right to provide water to people and still be able to protect that property.”
If the project is definitely going to happen, she said SPACE also wanted to help ensure that it had as little impact on the natural area as possible. It’s going to flood 394 acres, she said. “With the potential impact,” she continued, “it needs to be discussed in a public setting.”
“We need to find a good balance between protecting land and providing for people that are here,” she said. “This is a special area we’re talking about, and we want to make sure it’s done right if it has to happen.”
Becky Slayton of the historical association said she realized the needs of the community but also wanted to protect the historical integrity of the Price House property.
“We’re not angry or in a panic,” Slayton said. “But it seems prudent to follow through. We’re doing our due diligence, so the public knows what will happen. And a public hearing may emphasize that if they do continue with the reservoir that this is something that needs to be kept in mind, that this is a significant property and that what affects the land around it can affect this property.”
The lake could affect wildlife and plant life around Little Ferguson Creek, she said. And “because it is a historic property, if you change the topography, it impacts the story that people can visualize. There was no reservoir there when the Prices built the house. It was a stagecoach stop, post office, and a general store. It was a central part of that small community. That’s our concern, and we would like to hear more of the details before we either fully support or fully oppose it.”
“We’re not trying to block something the community may really need,” she added. “But we do have to consider our own mission and our own needs as well. We’re part of the community, so we understand the needs of the community, but we’re also stewards of what we own.”
Preservation of the historical property has been a guiding element in planning for the project, said Curt Dillard, general manager of the Woodruff-Roebuck Water District.
“We’re taking strides to stay away from the Price house and their viewshed,” Dillard said. When the project first began, “we had people come out and look at the project site from a historical point-of-view. The house is down in the corner, and the plant would be over the hill and down in the other corner, and there would actually be some woods and so forth separating the two, so I think we’re okay there. We intentionally looked at the site from that standpoint.
“Obviously, we want to work with them and not do anything to harm the Price House and that historical property. That’s something that we discussed and dealt with very early. We had considered a dam location further downstream, but it would have affected the property, so it was relocated for that reason.”
The original goal was to have the dam and water plant completed by 2013. “If we started today, it would take about three to five years,” Dillard said.
The project is still in the public comment phase. A public information meeting will be scheduled late in May. The water district will have to answer all the public comments then begin negotiating with DHEC, DNR, the Corps of Engineers, and several federal agencies for permits.
“We may have the reservoir built by 2013,” Dillard said, “but I don’t think we’d have a water plant and everything else by that time.”
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