In its efforts to provide enough fresh water for the next 50 years of area growth, the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority (RWSA) is inching closer to working out the details for expanding the Ragged Mountain Reservoir. At a November 2 meeting, RWSA unveiled and explained the so-called mitigation plan, required to offset the loss of 14,435 linear feet of streams and 3.46 acres of wetlands when the reservoir is expanded.
To meet these needs, RWSA has proposed enhancing, preserving and restoring 75,500 linear feet of Buck Mountain Creek, on property owned by RWSA (originally purchased with the idea of creating a new reservoir). As for wetland mitigation, RWSA proposed restoring as wetlands four acres between Franklin Street and Moores Creek. They value the plan at $7.7 million.
“Most people who know anything about environmental protection recognize that is a very significant mitigation project,” says Thomas Frederick, executive director for RWSA.
But City Councilor Kevin Lynch has concerns beyond the mitigation plan. The City owns 130 acres that will be flooded at the Ragged Mountain Reservoir; Lynch would like that replaced with 130 acres along Moores Creek, from the reservoir to the sewage treatment plant, giving the opportunity for walking trails to replace those lost at Ragged Mountain and a parkland buffer between city and county neighborhoods.
He also wants the project to be phased, so that the dam is initially rebuilt only 15′ to 20′ higher rather than the full 45′ proposed in the 50-year plan. “We don’t want existing rate payers to pay for a facility that’s not going to really be needed until 50 years from now—that’s just crazy, nobody in the private sector does that level of investment,” says Lynch. “When we build more infrastructure than we really need, what we’re essentially doing is subsidizing growth.”
Frederick says RWSA will work with City officials on the remaining issues and that they plan for a meeting in early 2007 to discuss financing and phasing for the project.
