Reservoir project has become economic development Frankenstein
Dear Editor,
I agree with Ron Wheeler that the time has come to make the new water reservoir happen. It’s a shame the Reservoir Commission bull headedly continues to steer the bus towards a 900 acre recreational lake because otherwise that new reservoir could be filling with water, possibly overflowing! Oh there would still have been some opposition, but it would have been marginal considering what is now occurring and the gathering storm to come.
I respect Counselor Wheeler’s opinion I just wish he would be a little more accurate with the facts. Of course pro-lakers playing fast and loose with the facts has been a lot of the problem all along. Unfortunately this has led to a multitude of mistakes, misstatements, and mistrust. There are those that believe if you were to shave the heads of the Reservoir Commission members that triple 6’s would be revealed. I have opposed this notion and believe it or not I have been a staunch defender of the Commission’s purported objective of a new drinking water source. I have always considered myself to be a pretty good judge of character, but day by day my faith is being eroded and I confess I am seriously leaning towards the 666 theory. Reason and logic are of no use, I know because I’ve tried that on numerous occasions. Sometimes people are just like the old Missouri mule, you have to come up behind them and smack them with a two by four to first get their attention.
Counselor Wheeler states that the 1993 Comprehensive Plan calls for a 650-acre lake at the currently proposed location, not true. The Future Land Use Map included in the Plan designates a lake dam site under discussion which is roughly 2 miles as the crow flies west of the current site on the west side of 195th Avenue. This site would have generated around a 400-acre lake that would have taken one family home, which at that time had a more than willing seller. Of course an additional advantage of that site is that Clarke County already owns 300 acres in that area known as Coyote Canyon.
Counselor Wheeler contends when the next drought happens that without the new 900-acre lake farmers will be selling off livestock and might even be forced to sell their farms and put their kids up for adoption. No wait he never said anything about kids, sorry. I suppose the doomed livestock and farm scenario is plausible although highly unlikely.
Usually, at least in this area, when you find yourself in the position of selling livestock due to lack of feed or water it is because you overstocked in the first place in relation to your resources. In any event I would suspect situations like that where farm acres are forfeited would pale in comparison to the 3600 farm acres which will be permanently lost with the creation of the 900 acre lake project.
Counselor Wheeler talks about being a strong advocate for the new reservoir. Seems I recall when he was running for the office of Clarke County Attorney that one of his goals was to be a strong advocate for the rights of all Clarke County citizens. My how times and perspectives have changed. He speaks of sacrifice, that a few must suffer in service to the many. What a noble notion, especially when you are not the sacrificial lamb. Rural people have always sacrificed, we practically invented it. Land has been freely given for schools, cemeteries, churches and roads. Access has been freely given for the routing of electrical, phone and water utilities. Oh yes and let us not forget those who have served and in some cases given their lives in defense of this country. I think some of those being asked to sacrifice for the lake have children who have served in this capacity. No Counselor Wheeler rural people don’t need additional lessons in the art of sacrifice for the greater good we have been well educated in that regard.
Perhaps Reservoir Commission members should step up and sacrifice. If these citizens have to give up their land, businesses and at least seven family homes then maybe there is a compromise that can be struck. The Commissioners all own land and homes, some large tracts of land, some very nice homes, some second homes in Arizona and Florida.
How about we tabulate and account for values and then they can just swap properties with those losing property due to the lake. If those people are being called to sacrifice then why not all sacrifice together as a community and truly feel each other’s pain. Seems only just and fair don’t you think?
What are the two biggest negatives of an open surface water supply? The answer is contamination and evaporation. Here’s a proposition to consider. Suppose we build the reservoir that is actually required, say around 400 acres, which would more than double our current capacity and which could quite possibly be positioned so it endangered not even one family home. We complete it, fill it, and bring it on line temporarily for all of our water needs. Then we commence a reclamation project on the existing West Lake. We drain it, clean it out, certainly deepen it and then refill it with water. Presto! Now we have two separate sources for water with significant distance between them which will limit chances of total contamination while greatly increasing the chances of catching a replenishing rainfall. The smaller lakes with a greater depth will significantly reduce water losses from evaporation. Of course officials are rather vague about the future of West Lake if the 900-acre recreational lake is constructed. One can easily imagine that it will be sold for development purposes. There has already been talk of turning over the new reservoir site to the State or some other entity to manage and develop.
I believe the real truth is that the new reservoir project started out as a sincere endeavor to secure an additional water source for Osceola. Somewhere along the way it has become twisted and perverted into an economic development Frankenstein. Want the new reservoir to “happen”? Then build the size that is necessary. Even with all the damage that has been done I suspect that if the Commission was sincere and conciliatory they would find the needed support and compliance for the project.
You know I’m not a very religious individual, at least not what could be considered in the organized fashion and I certainly don’t know the religious preferences of Counselor Wheeler and the other pro-lakers, but even a clod kicking back slider like me remembers and tries to live up to some basic principles that were instilled in me as a child. Let’s see there was something about doing unto others as you would have them do unto you, and let’s see what was that other little ditty, oh yes, do not covet anything that is thy neighbors, yeah, that’s it.
I’d recommend Counselor Wheeler take a moment and review some world history. He will find numerous examples that illustrate when a society begins to cannibalize its own citizens it generally signals the beginning of the end. By the way Counselor when the next drought hits and you run out of water, bring your jug over and I’ll gladly fill it up, no charge.
Sincerely, Michael Patterson, 2091 Page St., Osceola, IA 50213
