Flood repair projects at popular lakes benefit from stimulus funds
Posted On: Tuesday, Apr. 7 2009 05:10 AM
By Mason W. Canales
Killeen Daily HeraldU.S. Rep, John Carter, R-Round Rock, announced that Stillhouse Hollow Lake will receive another $2.14 million to help repair damages from the 2007 floods.
Carter stood alongside several Belton, Temple and Army Corps of Engineers officials Monday at Stillhouse Park on Stillhouse Hollow Lake as construction continued behind them.
He announced Stillhouse Hollow Lake would receive money from the U.S. Treasury's stimulus package to help repair parks that were mostly destroyed after heavy rains rose lake waters, inundating the recreation sites.
"A couple of years ago when this park was under water, I had these folks telling me this was the No. 1 recreation location in the area," Carter said, saying local representatives played a role in getting the money for the park repairs.
While Carter admitted that he was against most of the stimulus package, he was glad that it included projects such as the repairs at the lake.
"This project is one I wanted to spend money on," said Carter, who voted against the stimulus package.
With the additional funds, more than $11 million will have been spent to reconstruct and repair damages on Belton and Stillhouse Hollow lakes.
The parks around the lake have already been under repair with about $9 million the government allocated to the lakes in August.
In February, Dan Thomasson, Army Corps of Engineers lake manager for the lakes, said most of the parks should be ready to open by summer with Dana Peak opening toward the end of the summer.
"We are well on our way," Thomasson said.
The additional money should make the end of the summer a definite, he said.
"This will help us to finish what we started," Thomasson said.
The Army Corps of Engineers is taking precautions against future floods by constructing structures from more flood-resistant materials, Thomasson said.
Belton Mayor Jim Covington said the two lakes bring in about $46 million a year to the area which equals a lot of sales tax funds.
People who come to the lakes rent boats or boat storage, buy fishing equipment, eat food and more, he said.
"Every dollar that is spent is turned around here in the community about three times," Covington said.
If the lake didn't get this money, the cities would see less revenue, the mayor said.
Floodwaters also ruined the parks in 1992, Thomasson admitted. The difference in the reconstruction now and then is the money.
"It took about 12 to 15 years to do this after the 1992 flood," he said. "This is much faster."
Contact Mason W. Canales at
mcanales@kdhnews.com or (254) 501-7554.