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    #16
    Homeowners along Dunlap are working to create their own water district. The only ones being taxed will be those that own property on the water. Essentially, the landowners will be paying for a new dam and then everyone is able to enjoy it since it’s a public lake.

    I live close to the dam and we’ve still got water.

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      #17
      Reckon if I owned a place along one of those lakes and been paying high dollar property taxes, I would be raising cane too. I can see both sides and really do not have an opinion one way or the other. Guess its a risk of owning lakefront property.

      I have fished Gonzales and Wood for many years, even tried to buy waterfront property among them but it has always been high dollar and not a real sound investment.

      If they do drain the lakes, my understanding is the river must maintain a certain flow. I would think that in real dry times or a drought this could be a drain on Canyon Lake, there is a lot of cattle ranches along the Guadalupe all the way to Tivoli and there is a constant use on the river from livestock.

      I believe that Canyon Lake is in a partnership between GBRA and the Army Corps of Engineers.

      Comment


        #18
        Originally posted by hgiles View Post
        Homeowners along Dunlap are working to create their own water district. The only ones being taxed will be those that own property on the water. Essentially, the landowners will be paying for a new dam and then everyone is able to enjoy it since it’s a public lake.

        I live close to the dam and we’ve still got water.

        I cant understand why GBRA wont let the residents fix the dam, if there would be an incident(dam failure or flooding) after the repair would GBRA be liable or the property owners of the lake?

        Comment


          #19
          Originally posted by Radar View Post
          I cant understand why GBRA wont let the residents fix the dam, if there would be an incident(dam failure or flooding) after the repair would GBRA be liable or the property owners of the lake?


          Not sure of all the details but I do know PLDA is working with outside council to work out everything. If all goes well, they anticipated they could have the dam replaced by year end 2021.


          Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

          Comment


            #20
            Originally posted by hgiles View Post
            Not sure of all the details but I do know PLDA is working with outside council to work out everything. If all goes well, they anticipated they could have the dam replaced by year end 2021.


            Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
            That would be a win-win for the Dunlap folks.

            Comment


              #21
              Why in the world would the state or whoever decommission all those hydroelectric plants? It seems like going backwards in development and progress....the dams went from being assets to liabilities...as currently demonstrated.
              Last edited by Briar Friar; 09-13-2019, 08:22 AM.

              Comment


                #22
                Originally posted by Radar View Post
                Its a mud hole now with high dollar homes built around it. Was built by Guadalupe Blanco River Authority back in the 30's for hydroelectric. They quit using the power plant years ago and the dam busted out back in the summer. Lake was not built for flood control. The folks that live around it want GBRA or the state to fix it to maintain their property values and recreational use. GBRA has no plans to repair the dams because there is no use for them anymore, they were supposed to drain all the lakes down by 13 ft this month but a judge stopped it yesterday. GBRA wanted to drain the lakes down for liability reasons.

                GBRA had a series of small lakes built on the Guadalupe for hydro electric but they have quit using all the power plants years ago. The dams are old and need replaced or tore down. Lakes Dunlap, Mcqueeny, Placid, Meadow, Gonzales and Wood. Lake Wood dam broke in 2016 and Dunlap in 2019. Just a matter of time before the rest fail.

                Mcqueeny lake has been closed to the public for a few years now, the residents there do not want any public access, its considered their private lake, they even have a Yacht Club. There is a lot of mixed feelings about fixing or draining among the local folks. The price tag to repair all the dams is in the tens of millions per dam.
                Thanks. This is the sort of perspective I was looking for.

                Comment


                  #23
                  Originally posted by Radar View Post
                  there is a lot of cattle ranches along the Guadalupe all the way to Tivoli and there is a constant use on the river from livestock.
                  Livestock sipping water is not even half a drop in a warm spit bucket compared to the water demands of the rice farmers and industrial water users at the bottom of the river.

                  Comment


                    #24
                    Originally posted by Radar View Post
                    Its a mud hole now with high dollar homes built around it. Was built by Guadalupe Blanco River Authority back in the 30's for hydroelectric. They quit using the power plant years ago and the dam busted out back in the summer. Lake was not built for flood control. The folks that live around it want GBRA or the state to fix it to maintain their property values and recreational use. GBRA has no plans to repair the dams because there is no use for them anymore, they were supposed to drain all the lakes down by 13 ft this month but a judge stopped it yesterday. GBRA wanted to drain the lakes down for liability reasons.

                    GBRA had a series of small lakes built on the Guadalupe for hydro electric but they have quit using all the power plants years ago. The dams are old and need replaced or tore down. Lakes Dunlap, Mcqueeny, Placid, Meadow, Gonzales and Wood. Lake Wood dam broke in 2016 and Dunlap in 2019. Just a matter of time before the rest fail.

                    Mcqueeny lake has been closed to the public for a few years now, the residents there do not want any public access, its considered their private lake, they even have a Yacht Club. There is a lot of mixed feelings about fixing or draining among the local folks. The price tag to repair all the dams is in the tens of millions per dam.

                    Whoa there Bernie!

                    First off, McQueeney is NOT a private lake. All of the lakes are part of the Guadalupe River and are public waterways. However, it is true that Lake McQueeney does not have a public boat ramp. Because an Interstate Highway does not cross the river, the government isn't required to provide a public boat ramp. However, it could. In the past, there have been several private boat ramps that charged $5 to $10 for access; similar to the fees several public boat ramps charge on other lakes. I'm not sure what they charge now.

                    Second, the dams have been neglected by GBRA for years. GBRA is a quasi-governmental entity. GRBA failed to perform maintenance and made the dams unprofitable by selling off water rights upstream. GBRA has also taken Federal funds from FEMA that it claims it used to repair the dams. It looks like those funds were misappropriated. The "CEO" of GBRA also sits on the board of a nearby quarry that is receiving water rights from the GBRA. This is a big no, no for the head of quasi governmental organization. If you ask me, the GRBA stinks of corruption.

                    Third, the "rich people" that make up the lake residence provide tax revenue that supports the schools in Navarro and Sequin. Once the river is drained, the school districts are expecting an 18% budget short fall. Also, a lot of the residence along the river have used their lake home as a way to save for retirement.

                    Fourthly, the lakes provide a boon to the economy. Several camps, restaurants, camping grounds, and hotels depend on the river's draw to attract tourists.

                    Fifthly, the "Yacht Club" you speak of is the Lake Breeze Ski Lodge. It's a motel with a restaurant and a pool. It has been around for more than 70 years and I assure you, a Motel 6 is nicer. People go there for the tradition, not because it is a swanky country club.

                    While it seems that the lakes are asking for a bail out, they are trying to create a taxing authority that would tax only those with homes on the lake. The revenue created by the tax authority would go to pay off a bond to repair the dams. The same dams that GBRA neglected. However, without the water rights, it is pointless to repair the dams.

                    GBRA is responsible for the draining of the lakes and they need to fix this.

                    Comment


                      #25
                      [QUOTE=Bort;14366581]Whoa there Bernie!

                      First off, McQueeney is NOT a private lake. All of the lakes are part of the Guadalupe River and are public waterways. However, it is true that Lake McQueeney does not have a public boat ramp. Because an Interstate Highway does not cross the river, the government isn't required to provide a public boat ramp. However, it could. In the past, there have been several private boat ramps that charged $5 to $10 for access; similar to the fees several public boat ramps charge on other lakes. I'm not sure what they charge now.

                      Second, the dams have been neglected by GBRA for years. GBRA is a quasi-governmental entity. GRBA failed to perform maintenance and made the dams unprofitable by selling off water rights upstream. GBRA has also taken Federal funds from FEMA that it claims it used to repair the dams. It looks like those funds were misappropriated. The "CEO" of GBRA also sits on the board of a nearby quarry that is receiving water rights from the GBRA. This is a big no, no for the head of quasi governmental organization. If you ask me, the GRBA stinks of corruption.

                      Third, the "rich people" that make up the lake residence provide tax revenue that supports the schools in Navarro and Sequin. Once the river is drained, the school districts are expecting an 18% budget short fall. Also, a lot of the residence along the river have used their lake home as a way to save for retirement.

                      Fourthly, the lakes provide a boon to the economy. Several camps, restaurants, camping grounds, and hotels depend on the river's draw to attract tourists.

                      Fifthly, the "Yacht Club" you speak of is the Lake Breeze Ski Lodge. It's a motel with a restaurant and a pool. It has been around for more than 70 years and I assure you, a Motel 6 is nicer. People go there for the tradition, not because it is a swanky country club.

                      While it seems that the lakes are asking for a bail out, they are trying to create a taxing authority that would tax only those with homes on the lake. The revenue created by the tax authority would go to pay off a bond to repair the dams. The same dams that GBRA neglected. However, without the water rights, it is pointless to repair the dams.

                      GBRA is responsible for the draining of the lakes and they need to fix this.[/QUOTE

                      I never said it was a private lake , re read please . I also know all about the public access drama and your country club, been in there several times, alcohol can make people talk. I used to fish there and there was a ramp at the yacht club the public could use. Another ramp was along the river behind the store too.
                      I do have friends that live on McQueeney, so I understand.

                      Hope you get to keep your lake and maintain the value of your property.

                      Comment


                        #26
                        Originally posted by Bort View Post
                        Whoa there Bernie!

                        First off, McQueeney is NOT a private lake. All of the lakes are part of the Guadalupe River and are public waterways. However, it is true that Lake McQueeney does not have a public boat ramp. Because an Interstate Highway does not cross the river, the government isn't required to provide a public boat ramp. However, it could. In the past, there have been several private boat ramps that charged $5 to $10 for access; similar to the fees several public boat ramps charge on other lakes. I'm not sure what they charge now.

                        Second, the dams have been neglected by GBRA for years. GBRA is a quasi-governmental entity. GRBA failed to perform maintenance and made the dams unprofitable by selling off water rights upstream. GBRA has also taken Federal funds from FEMA that it claims it used to repair the dams. It looks like those funds were misappropriated. The "CEO" of GBRA also sits on the board of a nearby quarry that is receiving water rights from the GBRA. This is a big no, no for the head of quasi governmental organization. If you ask me, the GRBA stinks of corruption.

                        Third, the "rich people" that make up the lake residence provide tax revenue that supports the schools in Navarro and Sequin. Once the river is drained, the school districts are expecting an 18% budget short fall. Also, a lot of the residence along the river have used their lake home as a way to save for retirement.

                        Fourthly, the lakes provide a boon to the economy. Several camps, restaurants, camping grounds, and hotels depend on the river's draw to attract tourists.

                        Fifthly, the "Yacht Club" you speak of is the Lake Breeze Ski Lodge. It's a motel with a restaurant and a pool. It has been around for more than 70 years and I assure you, a Motel 6 is nicer. People go there for the tradition, not because it is a swanky country club.

                        While it seems that the lakes are asking for a bail out, they are trying to create a taxing authority that would tax only those with homes on the lake. The revenue created by the tax authority would go to pay off a bond to repair the dams. The same dams that GBRA neglected. However, without the water rights, it is pointless to repair the dams.

                        GBRA is responsible for the draining of the lakes and they need to fix this.
                        How do they plan to assess, collect and get everyone to buy in to the "tax"? Who is going to manage the rebuilding and repairs of the dams? Not sure how you get all property owners to not only to pay the taxes much less agree on an "fair" rate. It's a nightmare situation with no real solution. GBRA will not be an entity soon so there is nothing to gain from them. I'm curious how this all plays out.

                        Comment


                          #27
                          Lake Dunlap is between Canyon Lake and Lake McQueeney. The public boat ramp under IH35 is at the headwaters of it.
                          It's not necessarily a mud hole especially when the hidrilla was growing good. The lake record is right at 15 pounds. Now it is reduced to the Guadalupe River.

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