While the ELCR project team is proud of the progress that has been made in many areas, some events stand out as signs that the project is absolutely necessary and justified and going to happen. These events are the reasons why the project receives all the support that it does and they assure us that the project will become reality.
2002 – Drought Study Indicating that the North Central Missouri region is in dire need of additional water.
DNR 2004 – MDNR Water Use Study of North Central Missouri Regional Water Commission projected that the region would have need of somewhere between 4.5 and 8.5 MGD of additional water.
November 10, 2005 – 109 th congress passes Public Law 109-108, H.R.2744, Section 726, which states: “Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Natural Resources Conservation Service shall provide financial and technical assistance through the Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations program to carry out the East Locust Creek Watershed Plan Revision in Missouri, including up to 100 percent of the engineering assistance and 75 percent cost share for construction cost of site RW1”.
2006 Environmental Impact Statement – Fixed a design yield of 7 MGD from within DNRs range of acceptable yields.
- EPA Federal Register Notice – September 22, 2006 – “EPA’s previous concerns have been resolved; therefore EPA does not object to the proposed action”
- NRCS Record of Decision – “No alternative or combination of alternatives will afford greater protection of the environmental values while accomplishing the other project goals and objectives.” And “I propose to implement the East Locust Creek Watershed project”.
September 3, 2006 – NRCS/NCMRWC Agreement Provides Federal Funding for land acquisition of East Locust Creek Reservoir.
2010 – NCMRWC re-commits to a locally owned, locally funded (sales tax (4/6/2010) and water rate increase), locally managed reservoir.
2013 PER – DNR (permitting authority) approved the Preliminary Engineering Report with the statements “Proceed toward the construction of the surface water source capable of 7 MGD average daily design flow demand“ and “Continue to procure funding sources based on documentation provided in the report that shows the proposed service community fits the definition of a disadvantaged community by stated MDNR-SRF criteria:”
December NRCS 2014 Notice of intent to create a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement– “The purpose of this supplement is to address changes which have occurred since the NRCS prepared the East Locust Creek Watershed Revised Plan and Environmental Impact Statement in 2006. The SEIS will update the original EIS with more recent relevant environmental information and expand the alternatives analysis beyond those previously considered. The SEIS will evaluate reasonable and practicable alternatives and their expected environmental impacts.” Doesn’t include re-evaluation of purpose and/or need.
February 2016 MDNR Director Sara Parker Pauley Letter – “The Department supports the need for additional water supplies in the region, and has provided assistance in establishing the Locust Creek Stream diversions to supplement Elmwood Reservoir, and the emergency water line from Trenton. These measures were never considered permanent solutions. Engineering reports have verified that a centrally located reservoir in North Central Missouri is the most cost effective solution to solve long term water deficits that are expected during drought conditions.”
July 26, 2017 MDNR Director Carol Comer letter – “In closing, the Department looks forward to the full completion of the permit process and remains committed to supporting the East Locust Creek Reservoir Project”.
January 23, 2017 MDNR Extension of Preliminary Engineering Report Approval
August 17, 2017 – All lands acquired for ELCR by mutual agreement with landowners (without condemnation).
Over 45 Million in Local, State and Federal funding applied to the project as of August 2017.