WHEREAS, the purposes of Toledo Bend Reservoir are hydroelectric generation, water conservation and improvement to navigation and recreation as stated in the feasibility study of the development of Toledo Bend Dam and Reservoir conducted by Forrest and Cotton Engineers in 1958, and
WHEREAS, soon after the dam was built and the reservoir filled, Toledo Bend became a renown freshwater fishery and recreation lake, attracting anglers and retirees from throughout the state, region and nation, to fish its waters and build homes and recreational retreats on its shores, and
WHEREAS, Toledo Bend Reservoir has hosted thousands of fishing tournaments including, for the past 30 years, the Louisiana Top-Six Bass Tournament, the largest bass fishing tournament of its kind held annually in the United States, and
WHEREAS, the recreational fishing, tourist and retirement community economies that support the schools and government services of Sabine and other parishes and counties bordering the reservoir are dependent on its continued productivity and the quality of its shore environment to sustain them, and
WHEREAS, the reservoir’s water level fluctuations and their timing can have a profound effect on the fish production of the reservoir as well as access to its waters and can adversely impact the shoreowners and recreation/tourism economy, and
WHEREAS, in order to provide part of the financing for the dam and reservoir, the Texas and Louisiana Sabine River Authorities entered into a Power Sales Agreement with GSU, LP&L and CLECO (Power Companies) to provide them the entire output of the reservoir’s hydroelectric plant through the year 2018 with requirements to generate, based on availability of water, at least 65,700,000 KWHs during the May-Sept. period each year, and
WHEREAS, since the reservoir was built in the late 1960s, much has changed in regard to the economies, industries and uses dependent on it, and
WHEREAS, recently, as many as 9,000 individuals signed petitions requesting that a minimum lake level of 168 1 mean sea level (msl) be established, below which power can be produced only (l) to maintain the minimum required downriver flow, (2) to prevent an imminent brownout and
WHEREAS, the Toledo Bend Joint Operations Board, in response to growing local concern over low water levels, commissioned Brown and Root Corporation to evaluate the feasibility of changes to the Operating Guide to achieve reservoir water levels that would be beneficial to fish production and lake access, and
WHEREAS, the Brown and Root study identified a reservoir operation option that would better accommodate recreation, fish spawn, hunting, navigation and routine power generation that could better meet the overall purposes of Toledo Bend Reservoir, and
WHEREAS, the Louisiana Attorney General issued an opinion indicating that the reservoir operating guide can be changed to better accommodate purposes of the reservoir in addition to power generation, even during the peak demand summer period.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that, to enhance and sustain the outstanding natural resources and related recreational opportunities provided by Toledo Bend Reservoir, the the Louisiana Wildlife Federation supports and urges establishment of a minimum reservoir level of 1 68 1 msl below which lake waters will not be allowed to pass through the power station at the dam except (l) to prevent a brownout/blackout, (2) to maintain the required minimum flow in the Sabine River below the dam, (3) to comply with an order from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to lower the reservoir water level for dam inspection or repair.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the LWF urges the stakeholder power companies to work with the Toledo Bend Lake community in addressing its concerns and act in the long term best interest of the Toledo Bend region by adopting a new power agreement with affordable terms.
Adopted by the Louisiana Wildlife Federation in convention assembled, March 12, 2000 in Alexandria, Louisiana.