Hard Labor Creek Reservoir

Going Fishing

Wed, 09 Aug 2017 13:02:00 +0000

Brittney Fitzpatrick | The Tribune
Multiple species of fish have been stocked in the Hard Labor Creek Regional Reservoir to include bass, bluegill, redear and black crappie and are growing to sizes between 12 and 14-inches as they continue to expand throughout the entire lake.
The reservoir is set to open for public fishing this November.
According to officials with the Department of Natural Resources, the bass fingerlings originally stocked back in the spring of 2016 are growing well.
The DNR stocked adult black crappie between 12 and 14 inches this previous spring and some have been found a bit smaller, leading DNR officials to believe they must have already been present in the system.
According to Kevin Little, Walton County Board of Commissioners chairman, “The Hard Labor Creek Project has been a success for both counties (Oconee and Walton).
“We will now have sustainable water supply for many years to come,” he said. “The recreation portion is going to be a major asset to the county as well as Social Circle.”
According to Jimmy Parker with Precision Planning, the public access and recreation area is currently under construction and will tentatively open in early 2018.
The public access area will include a boat ramp, parking lot and restroom facilities.
Parker did mention gas-powered engines will be prohibited but electric-powered boats, canoes and kayaks will be allowed.
The reservoir, which has been in the works for over seven years, is getting closer to being a finished project, a place for families to enjoy a little fishing and recreation, as well as, a sustainable water source for the community.
During the drought back in 2016, Morris Jordan, director of the Walton County Water Department told The Tribune Walton County was in better shape than other places because the reservoir provided an area with “considerable reserve” should the drought have worsened.
As some may agree to disagree on just how well the reservoir is doing for the county and its citizens, at least now families can look forward to another place, close to home, to enjoy some outdoor activities.

Reservoir hitting final stretch

Mon, 05 Jan 2015 19:42:00 +0000

Posted: Sunday, January 4, 2015 12:00 am

By Robbie Schwartz

http://waltontribune.com

While many benchmarks were reached in last year, 2015 will be when residents of Walton County will see the tangible results of progress made on the Hard Labor Creek Reservoir.

“As water starts to fill up, I think people will come to see this as more of a reality,” Walton County Chairman Kevin Little said. “And economically our abundance of water will start to be a driving force in the county.”

As 2014 came to a close, clearing of the pool area is near completion and the reservoir dam was about 70 percent complete. The raw water intake structure was about 95 percent complete and all of the work was estimated to be about 80 percent complete for Social Circle-Fairplay Road, with traffic having been diverted to the new alignment and 750-foot bridge that will span the completed reservoir. Work on Mount Paron Church Road was also completed.

A goal has been set of April for completion of the dam and the filling of the reservoir will begin, which will take an estimated two years before reaching full pool depending on rainfall. Completion of the raw water intake structure is scheduled for February and the last remaining bridge will be complete for Social Circle-Fairplay Road spanning Reedy Creek. Design and construction of the first phase of the planned recreation and public access area will also be done this year, which will include a public boat ramp and parking area. This area will be closed until the reservoir fills.

And while the project is nearing a homestretch as far as much of the construction is concerned for the initial phase of the project, it has done so under budget.

“The project is trending under budget by about $5.8 million,” said Jimmy Parker, project manager and vice president of Precision Planning Inc. “The road relocations and water intake structure are anticipated to be finished under original budget projections. The reservoir dam has experienced some minor overages due to weather delays, latent soil conditions and other factors. Costs for the reservoir dam are currently trending 3 percent above original budget projections, but well under the designated 10 percent contingency funds that were set aside by the Reservoir Management Board to address any issues during construction.”

The first phase of the project has been funded in part through expenditures of county money as well as bonds issued by both Walton and Oconee counties, who are partners in the project. In 2012 the project, which had been at a standstill for months as a result of the downturn in the economy, received a boost in the form of being named a recipient of two low interest state loans, the second of which was activated in 2014. The initial price tag has been projected at $91 million, which includes about $11.3 million in local funding, $47.7 million in bonds issued by both counties in 2008 and $32 million in loans from the Governor’s Water Supply Program. Once complete, the reservoir will provide 37 million gallons a day for Walton County and 15 million gallons a day for Oconee, a split based on the financial share each had in the endeavor.

NOTICE OF ROAD CLOSURE: SOCIAL CIRCLE–FAIRPLAY ROAD

Fri, 20 Jun 2014 12:05:00 +0000

July 7, 2014 thru July 21, 2014: Please be advised that Social Circle–Fairplay Road will be closed to thru traffic from Mount Paron Church Road to Conner Spur, beginning on Monday July 7th and ending on or around Monday July 21st. Please be advised that the intersection of Social Circle–Fairplay Road and Sandy Ford Road will also be temporarily closed during this time.

A detour route will be established along Mount Paron Church Road, Browns Hill Church Road and Pannell Road during the two week period. Due to the nature of the construction activities, access will only be granted to local residents in the affected area. It is anticipated that traffic will be shifted to the new alignment of Social Circle-Fairplay Road on or around July 21, 2014.

July 21, 2014 thru April 2015: Social Circle-Fairplay Road will be closed at Reedy Creek beginning Monday, July 21, 2014. This road closure is required for the construction of a new bridge and the vertical realignment of Social Circle–Fairplay Road. The location of this closure is 0.5 miles west of Mount Paron Church Road, and 1.4 miles east of Hawkins Academy Road. A detour route will be established along Mount Paron Church Road, Lipscomb Road and Grady Lemonds Road during construction activities. The anticipated duration of the road closure will be approximately 9 months, beginning on July 21, 2014 and ending April 2015.

Both road closures will be completed by E.R. Snell Contractors, Inc. as part of the Hard Labor Creek Regional Reservoir Project.

More Funding for Reservoir

Tue, 10 Jun 2014 19:28:00 +0000

Commissioners green light acceptance of second state loan

Posted: Friday, June 6, 2014 6:00 pm | Updated: 1:06 pm, Tue Jun 10, 2014

By Robbie Schwartz

http://waltontribune.com

MONROE — Commissioners on Tuesday voted to approve additional funding through the Governor’s Water Supply Program for completion of the Hard Labor Creek Reservoir, though it will not require as much as originally thought.

The reservoir is trending about $6 million under budget, according to a presentation to the Walton County Board of Commissioners by project manager Jimmy Parker, senior vice president of Precision Planning Inc. The lone bad note was a wet winter has resulted in a delay of a few months of the final completion date for the dam — from January 2015 to March or April of the same year. Otherwise news was good from Parker, who noted stream and wetland mitigation for the project is 100 percent complete while work on the dam varies from 20 to 95 percent complete depending on the component. Social Circle-Fairplay Road relocation work is expected to wrap up for the most part this summer while most of the work on Mount Paron Church Road has finished and the road is now open to traffic. Officials are even starting to work on a plan for the recreation options that will be offered at the 1,370-acre lake.

But money was the focal point of last week’s discussions. The projected cost at completion for the Hard Labor Creek Reservoir is $85 million, which includes about $11.3 million from local funding and then a combined $47.7 million in bonds issued by both Walton and Oconee counties, who are working together on the project. The budget also includes a $20 million loan from the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority, awarded to the project in 2012 as part of the Governor’s Water Supply Program. Now the project has reached a point where local officials are ready to accept the second loan from the Governor’s Program, though Parker said the project will likely only require $10.3 million of the $12 million allocated. Like the first loan, the duration is for 40 years with no interest and no payments during construction. There are also no closing costs or prepayment penalties but unlike the first loan, where there was a single balloon payment due at 40 years with 1 percent simple interest per year, the second loan sets the interest rate at 2 percent once construction is complete, with the first five years paying only interest while the remainder of the payments will be for principal and interest.

“We want to make sure people know that we have set aside money and are working on designing a payment plan so that when this money comes due, whomever is on the board then will not be stuck with this,” Chairman Kevin Little said. “We are working on the details right now, but we will be putting our money into interest bearing accounts or find some way to invest it and be prepared for the future.”

The second loan is needed to essentially wrap up work and get the reservoir up and running, with funds to be used to finish the dam and remaining road work as well as the raw water intake structure.

While the project is trending under budget, with the possibility of the savings increasing as a 10 percent contingency was built into each line item, Parker said it was time for leaders to turn their eye toward the longer range financial goals. While the second loan would wrap up the project, it would also afford the county to set aside about $4.3 million not only as a operations and maintenance reserve fund but also to go ahead and design about 60 percent of the water treatment facility that will be needed in the future. As the project stands now, Walton County will get about 37 million gallons a day from the reservoir and Oconee County 15 MGD, but the water output could easily be expedited if there was a catalyst - if either county were to lure a large industry that would demand a lot of water.

Commissioners voted unanimously to accept the second loan amount of $10.3 million, of which Walton County will be responsible for $7.33 million based on its 71.2 percent ownership in the regional project.

Reservoir project then ... and now

Wed, 09 Apr 2014 21:11:00 +0000

Significant work taken place on water project recently

Posted: Wednesday, November 27, 2013

By Robbie Schwartz

WALTON COUNTY — Work on the Hard Labor Creek Reservoir has reached a feverish pace since Gov. Nathan Deal visited the site for a formal groundbreaking in early October.

And the goal is to get as much work done before winter weather slows down work.
“Cold weather can prevent the pouring of concrete, if we get toward freezing temperatures,” said Jimmy Parker, vice president of Precision Planning Inc. and project manager for the reservoir. “Most of the critical issues like the many unknown conditions that can pop up on a construction project have been favorable to us at this point. We encountered some rock, but we knew about that and we haven’t had any big surprises yet — which is always a good thing.”

About 99 percent of the land has been acquired for the 2,469-acre project, which includes not only the pool of the reservoir but work on relocating roads and bridges. With work in full swing, there are as many as 50-80 workers total on the 1,450-acre construction site, though the residual impact of the project reaches more than 140 employees when considering truck drivers bringing gas to the site, workers who cast the 25 concrete beams for the new bridge for Social Circle Fairplay Road and other aspects of where the water intake structure is being constructed.

To date about $77.6 million has been spent or already approved for allocation for the project, representing about 56 percent of the total budget. The reservoir is on schedule and trending under budget. Between money spent in years leading up to project in addition to the bonds issued in 2008 — $59 million by Walton County, $21 million by Oconee — coupled with the $32 million given in low-interest loans by the state last year, officials do not expect to have to return to the bond market to get the first phase of the Hard Labor Creek Reservoir completed and pumping water.

The project has even reached a point where last week the Hard Labor Creek Reservoir Management Board established a committee last week to begin evaluating sites for possible boat access, though since the reservoir is for drinking water there will be limitations as to the types of recreation vehicles will be allowed inside the water. The committee will be working with officials from Bear Creek Reservoir and Lake Varner to help establish guidelines.

But for residents, perhaps the most noticeable impact can be seen along the 60 acres along Browning Shoals Road where the dam is starting to take shape. Acres of trees have been cut and removed from the site, the greenery replaced with a scene of red clay where last week workers prepped the creekbed for the 72-inch wide pipe that will carry water through the dam — which will be 630 feet at its base. Currently the creek flows through three pipes — two 48 inches in diameter and another 54 inches — to allow the site to drain and construction of the dam to begin. The dam will use no concrete, instead utilizing about 650,000 cubic yards of dirt, all of which will be acquired onsite from within the reservoir’s pool. The 1,900-foot long dam is scheduled to be complete by January 2015.

As the dam is being built, so is a labyrinth of measures to deal with heavy water flow.

“It will be designed to handle 35 inches of rain in a six-hour time period,” Parker said, comparing it to a tropical storm or hurricane stalling out over the area.

The relocation of Social Circle Fairplay Road is expected to take the longest to complete, with a finish date of March 2015. Many saw the concrete beams make their way through downtown Monroe recently and 20 of the 25 beams were resting in place last week. A total of 1,494 cubic yards of concrete will be used on the bridge, totaling 2,295 tons in total weight.

The Mount Paron Church Road culvert project — which included raising the road 17 feet — is nearing completion and the base slab and the first walls of the intake structure have been poured.

Reservoir groundbreaking tentatively set for August

Wed, 09 Apr 2014 21:10:00 +0000

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

By Robbie Schwartz

http://waltontribune.com

WALTON COUNTY — Blue ribbons tied to trees scattered throughout wooded areas show where the water will pool.

Construction vehicles are busy churning up red clay on either side of what is now a small creek, resting about 110 feet below the two embankments. The first of three cranes rests surrounded by raw materials awaiting help as well as the three 150-foot spans of concrete that will serve as the most time consuming of the construction projects in realigning Social Circle-Fairplay Road.

A pine tree rests about where the water intake structure will be.

And where a bridge on Browning Shoals Road crosses Hard Labor Creek, on one side rests shoals and about a half-mile upstream, where water steadily flows over rocks and meanders through woods, construction is set to begin on a reservoir.

To date, portions of 147 different parcels have been acquired by the Hard Labor Creek Management Board, which oversee the joint venture of Walton and Oconee counties. The 2,237 acres represents 91 percent of the total land needed for the Hard Labor Creek Reservoir, with officials deeming all “critical parcels” for the reservoir and dam construction scheduled to be in their possession by June 1. The projected cost for land acquisition is estimated to close around $22.7 million, representing 83 percent of the funds allocated.

“Remaining acquisitions are primarily upland stream buffers, which are not critical to the overall project schedule and will be finalized during construction,” said project manager Jimmy Parker, who serves as the vice president of Precision Planning Inc. “Dam and reservoir construction will begin in August, with a formal groundbreaking ceremony held at that time.

It is a reality that many believed would not come, especially after groundbreaking for the dam was set for 2010 and instead the project was made “shovel ready” as the economy — and the need for the water source — tanked. Initially the dam was slated to be built and the reservoir nearing full pool later this year. The reality is the project would still be “shovel ready” were it not for state funding in the form of two low-interest loans. Now a project more than two decades in the making will finally become a reality three years after its scheduled start.

State officials have finalized the paperwork for the first loan, in the amount of $20 million, which will be drawn from as construction progresses for the dam and water intake structures. The intake structure is currently a clearing with mounds of mulch littered throughout the red clay. Clemson University students are doing a hydraulic study to make sure the size of pipes and pump stations will function accordingly and are developing a smaller-scale model to make sure the reservoir will function amid a myriad of scenarios.

Construction on Social Circle-Fairplay and Mount Paron Church roads is perhaps the most visible aspect of the project for residents — and it will take the longest to complete. Construction crews are about 12 percent complete with the work on Social Circle-Fairplay Road, with work scheduled to take as long as 30 months — well after the completion of the dam. Localized road closures will be experienced on both Social Circle-Fairplay and Mount Paron Church roads over the next six to eight months, with Whitney Road serving as the primary detour for access to Highway 11.

For now, the greatest hindrances for the reservoir project are acts of vandalism and thefts at the construction sites and beavers at one of the mitigation sites. But officials are ready to take those things in stride as they work toward building a regional water source that many were quick to dismiss.

Hard Labor Creek Reservoir receives state aid

Wed, 09 Apr 2014 21:10:00 +0000

by Blake Giles

Published: Thursday, August 2, 2012 4:37 PM EDT

The state approved two 40-year loans for the construction of the Hard Labor Creek Reservoir.

The loans to Oconee and Walton counties total $32 million and are part of $90.5 million in loans awarded Wednesday by the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority and Georgia Department of Community Affairs.

Another $9.1 million was awarded in direct state investment.

The funds were funneled to eight water supply projects through the Governor’s Water Supply Program.

Oconee and Walton counties will use the money to construct a 1,400-acre reservoir in Walton County. The Walton County Water & Sewerage Authority owns title to the project and an intergovernmental agreement specifies the cost share as 28.8 percent Oconee and 71.2 percent Walton County WSA. The total cost is $90.9 million, with the counties contributing $58.9 million.

On the $20 million loan, Oconee and Walton counties will pay zero percent interest during construction and a single balloon payment (principal and 1 percent interest) at year 40. There will be no closing fee associated with this loan.

On the $12 million loan, Oconee and Walton counties will pay zero percent interest for the first three years of construction; 1 percent for the remainder of construction, accrued and capitalized; and 2 percent during the repayment period once construction is complete. Additionally, the counties will make interest-only payments the first five years of the loan and will pay principal and interest thereafter. There will be no closing fee associated with this loan.

Hard Labor Creek one of four Reservoir Projects requesting State Funds

Wed, 09 Apr 2014 21:09:00 +0000

Posted: Sunday, May 13, 2012 12:00 am

By Robbie Schwartz | 0 comments

http://waltontribune.com/news/article

The Hard Labor Creek Reservoir was among a dozen water projects that met a deadline for a piece of $120 million in state funding to be doled out this summer but is the only one of four proposed reservoir projects with permit in hand.

A total of $189,249,158 in projects were accepted by the state for consideration.

At the Walton County Board of Commissioners meeting Tuesday, project manager and Precision Planning Vice President Jimmy Parker went over the application process, why the direct investment funding option was selected, and after the meeting, discussed how the project compares to some of the others proposed.

"There is not another water project in the state of Georgia that has achieved what has been achieved here," Parker said, noting the reservoir sits "shovel ready" with a coveted U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 404 permit already approved.

Parker said the permit demonstrates there is already a need and with the two county's water systems, the project could have an impact on as many as 35 water systems in the region. He also indicated the project "should score very high" in the 100-point criteria state officials have indicate the decision will be based on - which includes need for project and location, project finances, readiness and timeliness as well as project approach and impact.

As Gov. Nathan Deal announced last year, the state would offer $300 million over the next three years, the Hard Labor Creek Management Board formed a task force of its members to follow the application process through to the end. In looking at the various funding methods offered by state officials, it was determined the initial preferred course of action - to seek a low-interest loan from the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority - was not desirable due to the slow pace of economic recovery and additional debt service requirement. Utilizing a direct state investment in the form of a equity ownership was not desirable because there was a potential for loss of control and capacity for the reservoir.

So reservoir management officials formally requested $32 million in direct investment that, if granted, would result in a 40-year lease between the Department of Community Affairs and the project management board - comprised of officials from Walton and Oconee counties.

In exchange for the state providing funding, project officials are offering the rights to the dam (estimated to be $20 million), the water intake structure ($3.3 million), 150-foot buffer around the pool of the reservoir ($6.2 million) as well as two mitigation sites ($3 million) and stream buffers ($1.9 million). The state would have rights to this property but would not be responsible for any of the operating or maintenance costs. At any point, though, project officials can buy back the state’s assets for fair market value less depreciation at the time the option is exercised.

"Things look pretty good going forward," Parker said at the meeting.

While several projects requested loans for permitting and planning, as well as development of groundwater wells and expansions of existing reservoirs, the 52-million-gallons-a-day capacity Hard Labor Creek Reservoir’s most likely competition will come from requests made for unpermitted new reservoir projects. This includes $32.6 million in a loan request as well as $11.7 million in direct state investment for the Bear Creek Reservoir in Newton County, which would have a yield of 28 million gallons a day. Paulding County officials requested $29.1 million in loans and $17.3 million in direct state investment for its Richland Creek Reservoir, which would have a capacity of 35 million gallons a day. The South Fulton Municipal Regional Water and Sewer Authority, comprised of Fairburn, Palmetto and Union City, requested $12 million in loans and $22.4 million in direct state investment for its Bear Creek Reservoir, which unofficially is projected to produce 16.4 million gallons of drinking water a day.

While a final decision of how the state's funding will be doled out is not expected until June, the Hard Labor Creek Reservoir Management Board will discuss the outlook for funding more during its regular monthly meeting, scheduled for 1 p.m. Tuesday at the board of commissioners meeting room at the Walton County Government Building on Hammond Drive in Monroe.

Deal urges progress on water projects

Wed, 09 Apr 2014 21:09:00 +0000

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Gov.Nathan Deal said Monday it is time for the state to push ahead on the long road toward developing new sources of drinking water. But he said it must be local governments, not the state, taking the lead.

Phil Skinner pskinner@ajc.com

Gov. Nathan Deal said water projects should spring from the needs of local communities, but he said there is plenty of room for the state to help them along.

“I do not want us to get into the business of being the water czars of the state,” he said.

Georgia, which has been locked in a legal dispute with its neighbors over the rights to water sources decades, must find a solution to provide drinking water for a steadily growing population.

Deal spoke at a meeting of the Water Supply Task Force, a panel of bureaucrats the governor convened to jump-start new water developments with $300 million in state bonds. The task force will spend the next six months devising a plan to prioritize and to help fund water supply projects around the state.

Deal said water projects should spring from the needs of local communities, but he said there is plenty of room for the state to help them along.

"As you know [local government] sometimes lacks the ability to do the planning that is necessary to do the projects and sometimes they lack the up-front resources to get these projects moving," he said.

While new reservoir development has gotten the most attention, task force Chairman Kevin Clark, executive director of the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority [GEFA], said all options are on the table, including water reuse and desalinization projects.

“We are going to look at everything we can,” he said. “We want the $300 million to have a clear impact.”

Deal has put $46 million in this year’s budget proposal to get the program started.

About $21 million will go to GEFA, which will hand out the money as low-interest loans for planning water projects. The Department of Community Affairs has $25 million, which can be used for the state to purchase an ownership share in local water projects.

The remainder of the cash will come in future budgets over the next four years.

The task force anticipates funding around a dozen "promising" water projects around the state. Documents supplied by the task force say the state may take a "time-limited" ownership stake in some of these projects, but "the state does not seek to own and operate water supply projects."

Environmental groups generally opposed to reservoirs are watching the effort intensely, and some expressed disappointment that water conservation projects were left off the agenda.

“We’ve maintained that the most cost-efficient projects to do in this area are water conservation and water efficiency,” said Gil Rogers, senior attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center. “That has to be an option on the table due to the limited funds that are available.”

While the environmental groups focus on conservation, much more attention is being placed on new reservoir development.

Senate Bill 122 would allow local governments to build new reservoirs and water plants in partnership with private companies. The bill is sponsored by Senate Natural Resources Committee Chairman Ross Tolleson, R-Perry, who has pitched the bill as giving local governments added flexibility in funding water projects while maintaining ultimate control of them. The bill is before the House Government Affairs Committee today.

All of this comes as state officials are waiting to hear whether their appeal of a 2009 decision by U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson limiting the use of Lake Lanier for drinking water will be granted. It also comes amid high-level talks between Georgia, Alabama and Florida to end the two-decade water war between the states.

Deal said negotiating teams have been meeting and he expressed relative optimism on their progress, especially on the dispute between Georgia and Alabama regarding the management of the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint river system.

The governor said Georgia must move ahead to develop new sources of drinking water to support future growth.

“I don't think we can simply wait for those issues to resolve themselves in any format, either in the courts or through negotiations,” he said.

Final hurdle cleared for dam approval

Wed, 09 Apr 2014 21:08:00 +0000

Posted: Walton Tribune, Sunday, March 6, 2011 12:00 am

By Robbie Schwartz WaltonTribune.com

Permit for reservoir expected within 30 days, officials said

MONROE — County officials indicated last week they expect to have final approval for the dam site for the Hard Labor Creek Reservoir in the coming weeks.

At the center in the delay in permitting was the amount of water that will be retained or absorbed by the soil and how much water will run off for a given storm event. Project officials utilized state standards but the Georgia Environmental Protection Division recommended its own set of standards for such measurements respective to the dam’s classification.

On Feb. 28, project officials met with Dallon Woosley, program manager for the EPD’s Safe Dams Program, to discuss the status of the project. Officials talked about comments from the state on the project proposals submitted Nov. 20, 2009, and July 9, 2010, noting most had been addressed from the first proposal. The discrepancy in the measuring of moisture was one of the last remaining issues from the 2010 proposal.

“Based on this meeting, the Georgia Safe Dams Program has agreed that the use of (Antecedent Moisture Condition II) would be appropriate if the emergency spillway elevation is lowered approximately 3 feet,” said Jimmy Parker, vice president of Precision Planning, who are serving as the project managers for the reservoir. “It was agreed that the design revisions would be completed and plans would be re-submitted to the state by Friday. Georgia Safe Dams has now committed to issuing the permit for construction of the Hard Labor Creek dam within 60 days. The revised emergency spillway elevation does not affect the top of the dam elevation, water pool or reservoir storage capacity.

“In a nutshell, all issues related to the design and approval of the reservoir dam have now been resolved and we anticipate issuance of the permit for dam construction in April.”

The proposed earthen dam will be approximately 1,670 feet long and 98 feet high. The width at the top of the dam is 30 feet, with a base width of 570 feet. The normal pool level will be 700 feet mean sea level, providing 50,000 acre feet of water storage.

The preliminary work for the dam has been ongoing since 2008, when the project contracted with Schnabel Engineering for dam design services, whose bid came in $280,000 under the proposed budget. Following detailed geotechnical analyses, hydraulic and hydrology studies, initial dam design drawings were submitted to the EPD Safe Dams Program in May 2009. Review comments were received from Safe Dams in November 2009, and drawings were revised and resubmitted to address those comments in January 2010. Secondary plan review comments were received from Safe Dams in July 2010, and all items were addressed and resubmitted with the exception of the AMC issue.

“Based on the recent meeting on Monday, Feb. 28, all design issues have now been resolved and the Reservoir Management Board anticipates issuance of the permit for dam construction in April 2011,” Parker said.

To date, approximately $653,000 of the budgeted $1.44 million has been expended on dam design services. Should Gov. Nathan Deal make funding available to the Hard Labor Creek Reservoir, county officials have indicated one of the leading possible uses for this money would be for building the dam.

The Hard Labor Creek Reservoir is a project funded by both Walton and Oconee counties. Completely built out, the 12 billion gallon Hard Labor Creek Reservoir will have a capacity of producing 62 million gallons per day of drinking water and will encompass 1,416 acres. The regional water supply is a joint venture of Oconee and Walton counties and has its own management board. Both counties have bonded out about half of the approved $150 million in first-phase funding, the bulk of which has been spent on land acquisition.

Reservoir land costs coming in under budget

Wed, 09 Apr 2014 21:08:00 +0000

Posted: Wednesday,January 27, 2010

By Robbie Schwartz (WaltonTribune.com)

With the construction season quicklyapproaching, January's meeting of the Hard Labor Creek Management Board focusedon getting final pieces in place to start moving dirt on various projectsassociated with the more than $350 million project.

The meeting started by highlightingthe fact 48 percent of the total land required for the project has beenacquired using only 31 percent of the budget set aside for land acquisition. Anadditional 11 percent of land needed is under negotiation.

Much of the meeting was spentconsidering final bridge recommendations for the relocation of SocialCircle-Fairplay Road. Three bridge proposals were developed in September 2009but at the time it was determined a comprehensive geotechnical study was neededto determine the subsurface conditions at the proposed bridge site. Concernsraised at the initial meeting included slope stability, settlement and waitingperiods.

At the meeting last week, boardmembers - including officials from Walton and Oconee counties, who are partnersin the reservoir - were presented the findings of the study by Clough Harbourand Associates as well as their recommendation.

The three proposals focused on bridges of 450, 600 and 750 feet and the embankments required. CHA's study determined the longest spanning bridge was the most cost effective at a conservative estimate of $2.9 million. The study cited it as the lowest estimated construction cost with no stream channel realignment needed, no waiting period for embankment construction, small disturbed area and minimal temporary erosion control needed as well as fewer uncontrollable variables during construction.

"Basically, when we looked at this, when you get to embankments of that height, there are technical complexities," said CHA's Tom Karis at the meeting. "At the end of the day, you wouldn't think a bridge would be cheaper than an embankment. It is ... and from our point of view, a much better option."

The overall estimate of $5.9 million for every aspect of the bridge construction would be $1.3 million less that budgeted, Precision Planning Inc.'s Jimmy Parker said at the meeting. PPI serves as the project management firm for the project. The board approved use of the third design for the roadway.

Also at the meeting:

The board was told to expect approval for the dam design within the next month or two. There have been delays at the state level because of the impact heavy rains have had on bridges across the state.

The board approved a contract to CH2M-Hill for engineering design services for the reservoir intake structure, where raw water is collected and pumped from the reservoir to the treatment facility. The contract was awarded for $260,300 and excluded construction services. A total of about $440,000 was budgeted for the services.

The board talked about the recommendations and findings of Gov. Sonny Perdue's Water Contingency Planning Task Force. The report dashed most of the hopes of receiving state monies to aid in the project as the task force determined Lake Lanier was still the best option, followed by stricter conservation measures, re-use of potable water and expanding current reservoirs. No mention was made of new reservoirs like Hard Labor Creek Reservoir.

"Specific to new reservoir projects, it will be interesting to see what money will be out there," Parker said. "This doesn't mean there's not still funding options out there."

Reservoir management board looks to Deal for project funding

Wed, 09 Apr 2014 21:07:00 +0000

Posted: Sunday, February 20, 2011

By Brian Arrington WaltonTribune.com

The Hard Labor Creek Management Board will look to use a portion of Gov. Nathan Deal’s $300 million reservoir project cache to move the HLC Reservoir project forward.

Precision Planning Vice President Jimmy Parker, the project’s engineer, said the announcement of Deal’s plan to secure water for the state could benefit the HLC Reservoir project and recommended the board pursue funding.

“The local leadership in Walton and Oconee (counties) are preparing a formal request to the state, to solicit grant funding in the amount of $32 million over three years to facilitate the completion of the reservoir,” Parker said in an e-mail. “Both Walton and Oconee remain firm in their position that the award or acceptance of any such grant funding must be closely evaluated to ensure that the two counties retain full control and ownership of the Hard Labor Creek Project.”

“I think we are in a good position to ask for money,” said Jim Luke, Oconee County commissioner and vice chairman of the board.

If secured, the funds ensure Walton and Oconee would provide an answer to the state’s water woes, taking pressure off the state which is currently embroiled in a water war with Alabama and Florida.

“With a projected yield of 52 million gallons per day and all required permits in hand, the Hard Labor Creek project could have most significant and immediate impact on water supply capacity for the northeast Georgia region,” Parker said. “Furthermore, the progress achieved to date through local leadership and investment could accelerate project completion by 2014, years ahead of projects that are presently in the permitting phase.”

The total amount of initial bond proceeds for the HLC Reservoir project was about $59 million, Parker said. To date, about $30 million has been spent on land acquisition, relocation of the Georgia Transmission power lines, environmental mitigation, dam design, road relocation design and design of reservoir intake structure. The current balance in the project construction account is about $29 million, Parker said.

Since the State is still developing the water supply funding program, the type and allocation method for potential funding is still unknown at this point, he said.

“With the state still in the midst of water negotiations with Florida and Alabama, the fate of metro Atlanta’s water supply remains in jeopardy due to the 2012 Federal court deadline for withdrawals from the Chattahoochee River and Lake Lanier,” Parker said. “The location of the Hard Labor Creek project, proximity to Gwinnett County and the metro region, and the project’s 52 million gallons per day projected yield should make the HLC project a leading contender for potential state funds.

“Without additional state funding, the schedule for completion of the Hard Labor Creek Regional Reservoir project will remain largely dependent on future growth, economic recovery and local water demands.”

The project was first proposed in 1992 and is located in south Walton County. Once completed, the entire project could cost $370 million.

Deal backs reservoir plans

Wed, 09 Apr 2014 21:07:00 +0000

Posted: Sunday, December 26, 2010 .

By Robbie Schwartz WaltonTribune.com

In a year when the Hard Labor Creek Reservoir went from breaking ground to becoming a “shovel ready” project, any glimmer of hope is welcome.

That small glimmer came recently when, in his first major speech to state lawmakers, Gov.-elect Nathan Deal called for legislative action to help build reservoirs in the state when the new session begins Jan. 10.

Despite a potential $2 billion budget shortfall, Deal said he will ask for the budget to include borrowing for new reservoirs and the state should not wait for a water sharing agreement with Florida and Alabama related to the tri-state water wars.

This is good news for the Hard Labor Creek Reservoir, which has acquired more than 50 percent of the land needed for the project, has done most of its engineering studies with dam and water intake facility designs in hand and, more importantly, coveted permitting from the U.S. Corps of Engineers.

“I am excited that Gov.-elect Deal sees the critical need in Georgia for reservoirs,” said Walton County Board of Commissioners Chairman Kevin Little. “This should be good for the Hard Labor Creek project because there is no other reservoir as far along with the permitting, land purchases or just all aspects.

“We have not at this time been in contact with Gov.-elect Deal’s office or staff but will be doing so early in 2011.”

But this is a position the reservoir project has been in before. In 2008, the reservoir was touted as a potential solution for water shortages following a federal judge’s ruling restricting Atlanta’s use of Lake Lanier by 2012. Alabama and Florida have been at odds with Georgia over water flow from the Chattahoochee River for almost three decades.

At that time, Gov. Sonny Perdue wanted to set aside millions for water projects. Hard Labor Creek Reservoir officials met with the governor as well as representatives from Gwinnett County about perhaps building the project from the outset to its fullest capacity to meet regional needs. But the economy started its downward trend and state lawmakers have tightened purse strings since.

But state funds could be what the project needs to get started, as officials have adopted a wait-and-see approach, waiting to see a greater need arise for the project.

“If the state was interested in helping make Hard Labor Creek a reality sooner than Walton or Oconee can make that happen, the yes, we would definitely look into pursuing that option,” Little said. “Having water ready and available will be critical in the years to come for Georgia.”

But shortly after Deal made his statement, a team of researchers from colleges in the Southeast said building reservoirs is not the best way to quench north Georgia’s growing thirst for water.

John Kominoski, a researcher at the University of Georgia’s School of Ecology who participated in the study, said because of the topography of the area, reservoirs are too shallow and lose water quickly because of evaporation, reducing water availability downstream. The research team noted supply challenges of the Southeast as well as the extreme drought conditions which have surfaced over the past decade attack the efficiency of reservoirs and that conservation and other steps are more efficient.

Little said there will need to be a balance to meet future needs.

“I think reservoirs do lose water to evaporation, but that is the only way we currently have to maintain the water needs for the people,” he said. “I agree with better water strategies and the state is moving forward with these measures. Educating the people on water conservation and reclamation is going to take years, though.

“Water is the most critical need for survival, and I feel that the county as well as the state will do everything possible to supply this need using every measure of technology available.”

Completely built out, the 12-billion gallon Hard Labor Creek Reservoir will have a capacity of producing 62 million gallons per day of drinking water and will encompass 1,416 acres. The regional water supply is a joint venture of Oconee and Walton counties and has its own management board.

Both counties have bonded out about half of the approved $150 million in first-phase funding, the bulk of which has been spent on land acquisition. Work this year has centered on 47 acres of wetland preservation or enhancements, 28,900 linear feet of stream preservation, 10,000 linear feet of riparian restoration and 22,000 linear feet of channel stabilization being done among all the mitigation sites. With an overall price tag of $2.9 million, all of the sites are expected to be complete by mid-2011.

Reservoir has strong allies

Wed, 09 Apr 2014 21:06:00 +0000

Officials meet with local reps

Posted: Wednesday, January 26, 2011

By Robbie Schwartz WaltonTribune.com

Hard Labor Creek Reservoir officials began meeting with members of their local delegation last week to start hammering out a plan to try and secure funding Gov. Nathan Deal has promised for reservoirs.

The governor has set aside $46 million in bonds in his proposed budget to push for new regional reservoirs.

“This was the first time I sat down and got the overarching scope of this project,” said Walton County’s freshman state Rep. Bruce Williamson, R-Monroe, after last Friday’s meeting. “But as I continue to grasp the implications of this project, I will work toward positioning Walton County’s interests through the legislative process and appeal to the governor to give this project some of the monies promised for reservoirs.

“I share their enthusiasm for this project and hope I can be helpful in telling our story of how far along this project is and how it is as shovel ready as any other project.”

Also at last week’s meeting was state Rep. Hank Huckaby, R-Watkinsville, who, in addition to the unique position of being on the management board of the project, is also one of Deal’s floor leaders.

“The meeting really centered on evaluating where we are and discuss the project itself within the context of the governor’s announcement of funding for a statewide reservoir program,” Huckaby said. “As we go forward and get more details, we will see where the project qualifies best for state funding.”

Georgia officials are still in the midst of water negotiations with Florida and Alabama over use of the Chattahoochee River and Lake Lanier, with a 2012 deadline imposed by a federal judge looming on the horizon. At stake is the fate of metro Atlanta’s water supply.

While the tri-state water wars have been taking place, the Hard Labor Creek Reservoir has continued to develop from an idea a decade ago to becoming shovel-ready today. The project is a joint water effort of Walton and Oconee counties and is one of three reservoir projects already permitted by the U.S. Corps of Engineers. At a projected yield of 52 million gallons a day it is the largest and, with water withdrawal permits from the Georgia Environmental Protection Division in hand and being in close proximity to Gwinnett County and metro Atlanta, the project is positioned to be a regional water supply and contender for state funding.

But Hard Labor Creek Reservoir officials have felt the gleam of hope from talks of state funding before. In 2008, then-Gov. Sonny Perdue touted millions for water projects before the bottom fell out of the economy and the state tightened its purse strings. This time the end result may be different.

“I don’t think this funding is going to go away,” said Huckaby. “Gov. Deal talked about it all summer and my discussions with him gave me the impression he is very serious about this — it is an important part of his legislative agenda and budget agenda.”

While the proposed funding program for reservoirs is being developed at the state level, it is hard to determine where and what funding will be available for the Hard Labor Creek Reservoir. With 51 percent of the land obtained for the project, mitigation efforts nearing completion, design work complete for the dam as well as road relocations and water intake structure, work could begin within 180 days on the dam. If ground was broken this year, the project could offer potable water by 2014 or 2015.

For now though, project officials plan on continuing to get the word out, meeting with the remaining members of the local delegation as well as hopes of meeting with officials with the governor’s office and Georgia Environmental Finance Authority, the likely purveyor of the funding.

The message is simple.

“We could have the most immediate and beneficial impact on state water supplies, economic stimulus and job growth in northeast Georgia,” Walton County Board of Commissioners Chairman Kevin Little said.

HLC Reservoir project in line for funding

Wed, 09 Apr 2014 21:00:00 +0000

By Robbie Schwartz

The Walton Tribune

Published May 28, 2008

WALTON COUNTY - Recent talks with state officials and a look at the competitive grant process for state funding for the reservoir has Hard Labor Creek Regional Reservoir Management Board members feeling good about the chances of obtaining some state funding.

"Based on our discussion with (Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority) officials, the rating criteria established in the competitive grant program and GEFA's desire to fund three to four regional reservoir projects that will have a short term impact on water supply capacity, we are very optimistic that the Hard Labor Creek Project will receive at least some grant funding for dam construction," said Kevin Little, chairman of the Walton County Board of Commissioners and the reservoir management board.

In February the reservoir board submitted a formal request to the state requesting $18 million to fund the building of the dam.

In March, the Georgia legislature approved and Gov. Sonny Perdue signed an amended budget which included in it $40 million in grant funding to local governments and water and sewer authorities to develop water supply projects.

As a result, GEFA is preparing to release on June 2 the Georgia Water Supply Competitive Grant Program. Hard Labor Creek Regional Reservoir officials have taken a look at the draft proposal of the guidelines and feel they can score high enough to garner some state dollars.

Helping their cause is that the Hard Labor Creek project is one of very few that has received the required U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 404 permit. In addition, design work for the dam has already begun and the project is a partnership between Walton and Oconee counties, with officials from nearby counties expressing interest in buying water once the reservoir is online.

"Based on the proposed scoring criteria, the Hard Labor Creek project should receive 80 to 90 points," said Jimmy Parker, of Precision Planning, project manager for the reservoir. "The rating criteria yields significant points for the 404 permit, a regional project benefiting three or more utility systems, Oconee County's Water First Designation, Walton's Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District compliance and most importantly the high non-grant to grant funding ratio provided by the revenue bonds previously issued by both Walton and Oconee counties."

The millions of dollars, though, can also be dispersed to projects that include drilling new wells, re-opening inactive wells, lowering intake structure/pipes, expanding existing water supply or flood control reservoirs, converting flood control or recreational reservoirs to water supply reservoirs as well as alternative water supply projects on a case-by-case basis. Funding may also be allocated to "innovative" water supply projects as well.

Dam design is one of the 10 activities that can be funded.

GEFA will evaluate all of the proposals that meet specified criteria and submitted by Aug. 31, with the final monies awarded sometime in November.

Also at their monthly meeting last week:

Management board officials were briefed about the lone comment received during the Georgia Environmental Protection Division's recent public comment period, which ended in April. The comment was submitted on behalf of High Shoals Hydro. A letter was submitted by legal counsel that expressed concern regarding future plans to generate power at a hydro-electricity facility during drought periods or times of low river flows.

Similar concern was expressed by the owner in the past. In a letter written in 2003 by former GEPD Director Harold Reheis to Gaynor Bracewell of High Shoals Hydro, it states, "If a local government proposes to withdraw water upstream of your property, there is no EPD requirement that the local government guarantee passage of river flows to allow you to generate electricity. There is the requirement for low flow passage of water for aquatic life protection. EPD will not require your concurrence on an upstream water withdrawal."

The Hard Labor Creek Regional Reservoir project does call for a diversion to be constructed along the Apalachee River in 10 to 12 years, which would affect the river flow toward the existing hydroelectric facility. Local officials said they were aware of the facility and "fully intend" to work with the owners to minimize impacts related to the proposed water withdrawal.

A projected completion date for design of the reservoir dam is May 2009. Given the 12 to 18 month construction period, the current schedule for dam completion is early 2011.

After losing two mitigation sites when negotiations fell through with the City of Winder earlier this year, existing potential sites in Walton and Oconee counties were sent to the U.S. Corps of Engineers as possible replacements. According to Parker, the "idea and quality of the proposed mitigation was well received."

If accepted, the sites would allow the reservoir board to increase mitigation efforts on existing sites without the need to acquire additional properties.

A final determination is expected by mid-July.

The project has closed on 24 percent of the 166 parcels of land required for the project, with negotiations ongoing for an additional 1 percent, leaving 148 parcels outstanding totaling more than 1,670 acres.

Hard Labor Creek Reservoir

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** NOTICE OF ROAD CLOSURE: SOCIAL CIRCLE–FAIRPLAY ROAD **

More Funding for Reservoir

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Final hurdle cleared for dam approval

Reservoir land costs coming in under budget

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Deal backs reservoir plans

Reservoir has strong allies

HLC Reservoir project in line for funding

NOTICE OF ROAD CLOSURE: SOCIAL CIRCLE–FAIRPLAY ROAD