Council approves $360,000 contract to restart federal permitting for Cedar Ridge Reservoir

The Abilene City Council voted to approve a $360,000 contract to reengage the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and restart the federal permitting process for the Cedar Ridge Reservoir project.

Jeremiah Bill, assistant director of water, told the council the contract will fund work to coordinate with the Corps and a Corps‑selected third‑party contractor to complete a gap analysis and resume environmental review. "What we have before you is the approval of a contract with Improtect's Hib and Todd, EHT, for $360,000," Bill said. He said the city will provide data and negotiate with the contractor once the Corps selects it.

Bill said the Corps previously withdrew Abilene’s application during the COVID‑19 period and the city’s earlier studies from 2020 will be re‑examined rather than restarting entirely. He described the next steps: once a third‑party contractor is under contract, the Corps will complete a gap analysis in about three to six months, and Phase 2 — collecting any additional data identified in that analysis — could take 12 to 18 months. Bill said the Corps’ timetable to complete the NEPA (environmental) document and its review could be "3 to 5 years," and that subsequent design, land acquisition, procurement and construction would add more years.

Council members pressed staff on timing, costs and alternatives. Councilman Reagan summarized staff’s projections in questioning: from permitting to design and construction, "best case scenario, we're looking at a 15 to 20 year window for this from today for this to be usable by us," to which Bill replied the estimate assumes things "ran perfectly." When asked for cost estimates, Bill said only that the project was likely to be "multimillion" dollars but that a clear cost range will depend on what the Corps’ contractor finds during the gap analysis.

Bill described uncertainties the contractor may identify — updated population and water‑demand projections, additional archaeological studies, or more intensive ecological study (for example, freshwater mussels) — and said those needs will affect schedule and cost. He noted the build timeline could be five to seven years once design and procurement are complete, and that, after construction, filling the reservoir will depend on rainfall and could add substantial time in West Texas.

Bill also outlined other water‑supply options the city is pursuing in parallel: the PK water plant capacity, a proposed West Texas Partnership water‑rights swap with Midland to obtain immediate access to water, and shorter‑term alternatives such as brackish water projects that could deliver incremental capacity more quickly. He said the council will see the Cedar Ridge work included in the city’s capital improvement program fund projections and that staff will remain flexible as more cost information becomes available.

Councilman Beard moved approval of the contract; Councilman Price seconded. The mayor called for a vote and said the motion carries.

The council’s action authorizes staff to proceed with the contract and continue coordination with the Corps; it does not commit the city to construction, land acquisition or future appropriation beyond the contract authorized at this meeting. Bill warned that federal or state decisions could end the project at a later stage and that staff is pursuing other options to secure near‑term capacity if Cedar Ridge is delayed or denied.

The council’s approval restarts a multi‑year permitting process, but staff emphasized the timetable, cost and ultimate realizability remain uncertain until the Corps’ contractor completes its gap analysis and the city receives a clearer scope and cost estimate.