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HomeMy WebLinkAbout82581 2 3 RESOLUTION NO. 8,258 4 5 A RESOLUTION ENDORSING THE PROPOSED 6 CONSTRUCTION PLANS FOR THE 7 MONTGOMERY POINT LOCK & DAM; AND 8 URGING.THE MEMBERS OF THE ARKANSAS CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION AND'THE 9 GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS 10 TO SUPPORT THE PROJECT. 11 12 13 AREAS, the low water level of the Mississippi River at the entrance to the McClellan -Kerr Arkansas River Navigation 14 System has dropped drastically during the past twenty years and 15 is now projected to stabilize at an elevation of only 95 feet, 16 15 feet lower than the original design confluence elevation; 17 and 18 WHEREAS, the Mississippi River elevation determines the level of the first ten miles of the McClellan -Kerr Arkansas 19 River Navigation System and already requires extensive periodic 20 dredging to maintain a navigable channel between the confluence 21 of the rivers and the Norrell Lock and Dam on the Arkansas; and 22 WHEREAS, the Congress of the United States authorized construction of the McClellan -Kerr System in 1946 for the 23 purposes of navigation, flood control and hydro - electric power 24 generation purposes; and 25 WHEREAS, the continued operation of the McClellan -Kerr 26 System is of national importance and an essential part of the 27 nation's inland waterways system; and WHEREAS, the investment of over $1 billion by the 28 government of the United States in the construction and 29 development of the navigation system, and subsequent private 30 investments of an equal or greater magnitude in water 31 transportation and related projects, and the resulting thousands 32 of-jobs which have been created, all of which are now directly threatened by the functional obsolescence; and 33 AREAS, the Congress has recognized that the present 34 project is incomplete and accordingly has kept the construction 35 general account open; and 36 WHEEAAS, the proposed construction of the Montgomery 5'7 2- �9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 • • sd Point Lock and Dam near the confluence of the McClellan -Kerr System and the Mississippi River presents a viable solution which is sound from engineering, economic and ecological points of view by eliminating the expensive dredging now necessary, while minimizing environmental degradation and by sustaining wetlands; and, WHEREAS, the City of Little Rock and its citizens have materially benefited from the construction and operation of the McClellan -Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System through increased job creation, plant expenditures, recreational opportunities and resulting benefits from increased services and businesses, and WHEREAS, the shut -down of the Arkansas River Navigation Project for continous periods due to low water in the lower White River would have a harmful and depressing effect on the economy of the region and prospects for continous economic growth. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE CITY OF LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS: SECTION 1: The Board of Directors of the City of Little Rock does hereby endorse the proposed construction plans for the Montgomery Point Lock & Dam; and urges the members of the Arkansas Congressional Delegation and the Governor or the State of Arkansas to support the project. ADOPTED: February 6, 1990 ATTEST: AMU140H STODOLA, CITY ATTORNEY APPROVED: o&" MAYOR FLO D G. VILLINES, III DIRECTOR C.ARLES BU EY