BREAKING NEWS: TX Historical Comm. Throws Major Roadblock Into Cape’s Dam Battle
Over the last several months a battle has ensued with San Marcos Residents, the San Marcos City Council, and The San Marcos River Foundation.
The San Marcos City Council has had one vote on their intention to tear out a beautiful part of the San Marcos River, Cape’s Dam and replace it with rock and gravel.
This battle has divided a lot residents of San Marcos, the San Marcos City Council, and The San Marcos River Foundation.
Below is a letter from the Texas Historical Commission sent to Mike Montagne, Project Leader, US Fish and Wildlife Service, dated July 11, 2016.
The Texas Historical Commission letter reports “the property retains sufficient historic integrity and remains eligible for listing in the National Register, with the dam, mill race, waste ways, and wheel pit each considered contributing features. Remnants of other features associated with the dam or mill, including, but not limited to, the foundations of head gates, are also contributing factors.”
The Texas Historical Commission also reviewed the architecture documentation, and concluded “the THC anticipates the proposed project will constitute an adverse effect on a NRHP listed or eligible resource.”
The Archeology Division staff also completed review of the proposed project and has determined “the level of archeological investigation that will be required in areas that will be affected by the proposed project. Additional information is necessary regarding the anticipated direct and indirect effects of dewatering the mill race channel including bank erosion and instability due to loss of vegetation, etc. We also need detailed information regarding the location of additional project impacts such as proposed points of ingress and egress, grading, plantings, vegetation/tree removal etc. At a minimum we anticipate the need for archeological survey along the mill race.”
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Can no one read? This report isn’t unexpected nor is it a major roadblock. It simply affirma that the millrace retains enough integrity to be listed, and requires that plans be vetted with the historical commision as work moves forward. Nowhere is there a prohibition on removing the badly damaged dam; and Mike Montagne of USFW outlined quite clearly at City Council the steps that would be taken to protect the millrace after the dam is removed. The historical commision doesn’t require that water remain jn the millrace.
Cori, of course we can read, as Corridor News is an online news source, has a full-time editor with a degree in journalism and several other journalists as well.
As for the Texas Historical Commission’s letter, (which was missing from the article and now has been re-inserted) the City of San Marcos is REQUIRED to have all plans review AND approved through the commission before the city can follow through on the locations listed in their letter.
So yes, the City of San Marcos has hit a roadblock in their plans until ALL plans are approved by the Texas Historical Commission, and Corridor News has been made aware that Hays County Historical Commission will also have their say as well.
We all just need to stay-tuned….no matter what side you are on.