Council Halts Work on Lake Dam, Could Delay Water Plan by A Year

The Olney City Council on Tuesday, Feb. 24, formally approved a dam remediation and fish habitat project at Lake Olney — a step that likely comes too late to keep the city on Texas Parks & Wildlife’s schedule this year.

The vote followed an awkward realization that the Council had already discussed and effectively green-lighted the work last October when it approved the Olney Economic Development Corporation budget. The OEDC’s 2026 budget contemplated spending money to clear trees from Lake Cooper as part of a strategy to convince TPW to help the City build a fishing and boating dock and stock the lake with fish. The OEDC also discussed dredging the City’s reservoir to deepen it and to establish Lake Olney as a state-maintained recreation area.

OEDC Executive Director Tom Parker reminded the Council that he outlined the plan previously during budget discussions and believed the project had already received Council support.

“This was all discussed,” he said. “Back when you approved my budget, … I described all this then.”

The Council and Mayor Rue Rogers failed to recall that approval when the TPW team arrived at Lake Olney two weeks ago, ready to work and at no cost to the City. Mayor Rogers ordered the work to stop – a lapse that sent the TPW team on to their next project, and creating a delay in improvements designed to enhance recreation and increase Olney’s water retention capacity.

Mayor Rue Rogers explained his decision by saying he wanted the Council “fully in the loop” after Public Works Director Michael Jacoba raised concerns about safety and potential regulatory issues and asked for clarification.

“I want Council to be fully in the loop and not get caught on the street and asked what’s going on and be oblivious to it,” he said.

The Council voted, again, to approve coordination with the OEDC and authorize the dam remediation and fish habitat project as needed. Unfortunately, the TPW team has moved on and likely will not return in time to recommence the project, Mr. Parker told them.

The project must be completed during the winter months, before trees leaf out, Mr. Parker said. Submerging leafy trees can create biological oxygen demand and water quality problems, according to the TPW biologists. An ice storm had delayed the January start date, and once the work was stopped, the city lost its narrow window.

The specialized barge used to place habitat structures operates on a six-month scheduling cycle and probably will not be available again this year. “Because of the storm pushing everybody off, there’s just no room in there to be able to slide in and make that happen.”

As a result, Olney likely will wait another year to start improving the lake.

Mr. Parker said he first met with TPW biologist Wes Dutter in November 2024 to discuss adding a fishing dock and safer lake access for children launching kayaks and small boats.

After surveying the lake, TPW determined that Lake Olney has little vegetation or structure on the bottom.

“It’s basically just a slick spot and cold water,” Mr. Parker said.

The agency proposed removing small trees — four inches in diameter and under — from the water side of the dam, bundling them and sinking them in deeper water to create fish habitat. Rock and concrete could also be used to form spawning beds.

TPW planned to bring a four-man crew, including biologists and an arborist, along with chainsaws, a work boat, and a barge to place the habitat structures.

The city’s contribution would be minimal inkind assistance — “two guys and a chainsaw,” Mr. Parker said — to meet federal participation requirements.

When Mr. Jacoba questioned whether Texas Commission on Environmental Quality issues might arise and expressed concern about City workers operating chainsaws on the rocky dam slope, the work was halted until the Council could revisit the matter.

“I’m not opposed to the whole project itself,” Mr. Jacoba told the Council. “I just wanted to get clarification from you guys. … On a slope with the rocks and stone and the chainsaw, I was worried about that and that’s my job — to make sure their safety comes first.”

Clearing smaller growth from the dam will allow officials to better assess larger structural issues and complements longer-term plans to dredge the lake and divert stormwater runoff from flood-prone city streets into the reservoir — steps aimed at improving Olney’s water supply without additional cost to local taxpayers.