Will the City of El Paso Destroy Cement Lake?

Cement Lake

The City of El Paso's apparent failure to address a critical drainage issue at the Top Golf construction site might very well destroy one of El Paso's rare gems, Cement Lake. Moreover, according to TxDOT Regional Engineer, Bob Bielek, the failure of the City to address the matter with the developer of Top Golf, EPT Land Communities, might also "overload the structure and compromise the stability of the embankment upon which I-10 sits.  This could have additional effects on the lake such as excess siltation."

Bielek also says that "it does appear that the developer is underestimating the contribution of the development to the overall runoff, and there appears to be insufficient retention on the developer’s site to adequately meter the flows in a way that will protect the embankment and the drainage structure."

The City of El Paso has apparently provided the developer with a permit to construct Top Golf but has failed to consult with TxDOT regarding drainage requirements including not just the embankment of the freeway but Cement Lake. The developer has furnished no credible plan to TxDOT.

Bielek told City Council about this problem last March. Elpasonaturally has asked him three times since then whether they have recived a credible plan. Mr. Bielek's last reply came nine days ago on July 24th in an email: "Still waiting on an acceptable design."

Bielek did contact the City Manager, Tommy Gonzalez, months ago and yet there is still no "acceptable plan". It would seem that the City has permitted the developer to undermine the integrity of I-10 and destroy Cement Lake. Bielek says, "that we [TxDOT] will consider the City equally responsible for any damage to the I-10 embankment or our drainage structure because of this oversight."

El Paso Water, city environmental and open space activists have sought for many years to preserve El Paso's natural Cement Lake.

Arroyos Safe Near Cement Lake

Cement Lake

Recently on social media there has been some concern expressed about what TxDOT might be doing to some arroyos. Is TxDOT filling in the arroyos as it continues its massive freeway building project, Go 10 El Paso? The answer is "NO".

TxDOT Regional Engineer, Bob Bielek, says that he is unaware of any arroyos being filled in. Doing so, he said, "would violate the environmental finding for either project."

I asked the Dean of Open Space, Charlie Wakeem, why are natural arroyos so important. Charlie cited an essay by Rex Funk: "Albuquerque's Environmental Story, Educating for a Sustainable Community, Environmental Topic: Arroyos" He paraphrased Funk in order to make the topic relevant to El Paso. Charlie used these words as an argument to preserve Resler Canyon, a natural arroyo. He says that they are the "best reason I've used for arguing for the importance of natural arroyos."

"El Paso is a unique place in many ways.  One contributing element is the natural drainage system of arroyos.  Most of these arroyos carry runoff from the Franklin Mountains and escarpments to the Rio Grande and are dry most of the year.  They flow most heavily from mid-summer to early fall, during a period we call our monsoon season.

"Originally these arroyos meandered freely across the land responding to the volume and velocity of storm water runoff, thereby creating large flood plains and alluvial fans.


"Natural arroyos are rich in plant life due to the soil moisture that remains after runoff events.  The abundant vegetation attracts a concentration of native wildlife in search of food and shelter."

Are Sprawlers Behind TxDOT-Boy Scout Deal on Cement Lake?

The Boy Scouts are green all right - green as cash. In spite of their unquestioned reputation as conservationists, they really manage land for its resources. Their record as deforesting clearcutters (its a resource that pays big bucks) is abominable. 

In a previous post I mentioned instances of environmental destruction by boy scouts. Sadly there is much more to this beast. Read about their environmental hypocrisy. When BSA clearcut land that provided habitat "for a host of protected species, including salmon, timber wolves, bald eagles and spotted owls . . .", they defended their reprehensible deed. And, although the BSA has backed down on other clearcutting projects, Planetsave documents more cases where they haven't. They leave no trace all right - no trace of natural land.

On the other hand, one could argue that such acts of deforestation and habitat destruction happened years ago and faraway. But what about the local Yucca Council of the Boy Scouts of America. Here though we encounter the footprints of El Paso sprawlers.

In spite of a successful camp in Cloudcroft, Camp Dale Resler, the Yucca Council Scouts have looked for other campsites most recently near Kingston, New Mexico. When scout leader, Bill Hagan sought to obtain land, he ran into stiff opposition from locals who did not want their land disturbed. You can read about this affair HERE. What should pop out about this story is Bill Hagan's involvement. Let's connect the dots. 

Mr. Hagan is the Vice-Chairman of the Rocky Mountain Mortgage Company of which Harold Hahn is the Chairman and CEO. Harold Hahn's buddy is none other than Ted "TxDOT" Houghton. Rocky Mountain is associated with sprawler Doug Schwartz. (BTW, you can see Rocky Mountain loan officer Adam Hagan's Boy Scout affiliation on the company web site.)

It's obvious how the deal between the Boy Scouts and TxDOT went down. Does anyone seriously believe that this group will preserve Cement Lake? Shall we let the fox guard the henhouse. Please!

No matter what, the deal is just wrong. The land around and including Cement Lake should be an El Paso Commons - a wilderness and a wildlife preserve for all El Pasoans to enjoy and not just an exclusivist, homophobic organization. Of course the argument is made that it is TxDOT land and they can do with it whatever they like. But I say that any land owned and managed by TxDOT belongs in trust to the people of Texas - us. Any decision about that land should involve us. In this case it was a deal done behind the closed doors of an elite oligarchy: Houghton, Hahn and Hagan - and let's not forget Schwartz.

No matter how above reproach and question the Boy Scouts are held, any lease agreement involving Cement Lake between them and TxDOT should be opposed. This El Paso Commons should be preserved.

Boy Scouts Land Conservation Far from Good

In my post about the Boy Scouts possibly taking over Cement Lake, I wrote: "BSA has an excellent reputation for land conservation." But do they? In fact, are they not better land developers and tree farmers than conservationists or preservationists?  Read the NBC/Bay Area Report: Dispute Between Boy Scouts, Whistle Blower Rooted in Rare Plant's Destruction.  That report states: 

"While the Boy Scouts have drawn national attention for their intolerance toward gays, the organization also has compiled a poor record on environmental protection. In 2009, Hearst Newspapers reported that the Scouts clear-cut tens of thousands of acres of forestland across the country and operated a dam at Camp Pico Blanco that killed at least 30 federally protected steelhead trout. The camp installed a fish ladder as part of a no-fault settlement."

The NBC Report discusses not only the destruction of the endangered lousewart by the Boy Scouts, but their clear-cutting old growth trees including redwoods.

The Parks and Recreation Management Program of Northern Arizona University revealed how some scouts tossed a 190 million-year-old set of dinosaur tracks into a reservoir, leaving deep scars in the fossil beds.

Now take a look at this video of scout leaders destroying a 200 million year-old rock formation. Let's call this elpasonaturally's Friday video: 



Read and view a commentary about this Boy Scout vandalism HERE and further story HERE.

After I published the blog post about Cement Lake mentioned above, a friend emailed to say: "Activities with lots of young people wandering around, as children are wont to do even when they are supervised, would do a lot of damage.  Campsites for overnight stays, activity areas, trails, restroom facilities, kitchen and dining halls, etc, all adds up to a lot of impact which goes beyond the definition of open space. I imagine this and possibly more would be in the plan."

And what about the issue that BSA bans gay scoutmasters and what does that have to do with conservation? I find that there is a direct correlation between people who discriminate against other people and those who oppose conservation. Those who disrespect human rights will invariably disrespect the environment also. Hate people. Hate Mother Earth. Or love people and love the planet. Simple as that. The question must be raised as a good reason to oppose a lease agreement between the Texas Transportation Commission and the Boy Scouts of America for Cement Lake and the surrounding area - 222 acres in all. There should first be a conservation easement along with a statement by the Yucca Council of El Paso that it is okay to be a scout leader and to be gay.

The Boy Scouts may have an excellent reputation for land conservation - at least if never examined. No one dares speak badly about this American shibboleth. But who was it who said that sacred cows make great hamburger?

Boy Scouts to Take Over Cement Lake?

In case you missed the story in last week's EP Times, the Texas Transportation Commission okayed leasing 222 acres of public land to the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) for what might be the largest urban BSA camp in the country. The land between Executive Blvd. and Sunland Park and I-10 and Paisano includes Cement Lake, one of the priorities for preservation by El Paso's Open Space Advisory Board.

Marty Schladen, who wrote the Times article, included the angle that the International AIDS Empowerment of El Paso and Las Cruces opposes the lease because the BSA discriminates against gay men. Openly gay youth may join the scouts but a ban on gay scoutmasters persists. (If you are a gay Eagle Scout and want to continue in the organization as a volunteer leader, you are suddenly unworthy.) The BSA policy may be based on the irrational fear that gay men are sexual predators - a notion that is easily dismissed by the facts and statistics. There may also be something akin to "don't ask/don't tell" at work here.

Skip Rosenthal, the Executive Director of International AIDS Empowerment of EP and Las Cruces, points out that El Paso has a policy of non-discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation. The municipal code reads:

"The City shall afford equal employment and benefit opportunities to all qualified individuals in compliance with all applicable laws, without regard to their race, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, color, religion, ethnic background or national origin, age, disability, or any other characteristic or status that is protected by federal, state, or local law."

Putting aside the issue of discrimination for a moment, there is the matter of preserving this spring-fed lake and the land around it.  The proposed lease is for 25 years with an option to go another 25 years after that. How well can we expect the Boy Scouts to preserve and conserve Cement Lake? 

BSA has an excellent reputation for land conservation. They even have an "idea sheet" about conservation planning for boy scout properties. The "sheet" mentions that land will not be abused but it also discusses resource management and it does suggest land development and the use of "heavy equipment". So can the local Yucca Council of BSA be trusted to be good stewards of Cement Lake and its pristine surroundings?

If the Texas Transportation Commission truly cares about the preservation of this land, one way to ensure it is to place the land under a conservation easement. That way there would be precise preservation language in the lease agreement and a third party overseeing the easement to make sure that neither TxDOT nor the Boy Scouts violates that language. A conservation manager can be a land management organization such as Frontera Land Alliance or even the City of El Paso.

Something tells me that the Transportation Commission will never enter into any kind of conservation agreement. So, no matter how good the reputation of Scouts may be, without solid assurances that the land will be carefully conserved and preserved, there is good reason to oppose any kind of lease especially if there are no non-discrimination assurances by BSA. 

elpasonaturally will keep an eye on this one.

Open Space Equals Millions of Eco-Tourist Dollars

Picture of Franklin Mountains courtesy of Scott M. Cutler

Read the following press release dated July 18, 2014 from Karl Pierce of Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Now imagine preserving more of our Franklin Mountains, saving Cement Lake, providing enough water for the Rio Bosque Wetlands Park and conserving Castner Range. Come on, El Paso! Good stewardship of open space means major eco-tourist dollars!

Tourism to Guadalupe Mountains National Park creates $8,500,500 in Economic Benefit

Report shows visitor spending supports 111 jobs in local economy

Pine Springs, TX – A new National Park Service (NPS) report shows that 145,670 visitors to Guadalupe Mountains National Park in 2013 spent more than $8.5 million in communities near the
park. That spending supported 111 jobs in the local area.

“Guadalupe Mountains National Park is proud to welcome visitors from across the country and around the world,” said Superintendent Dennis A. Vásquez. “We are delighted to share the story of this place and the experiences it provides and to use the park as a way to introduce our visitors to this part of the country and all that it offers. National park tourism is a significant driver in the national economy - returning $10 for every $1 invested in the National Park Service - and it’s a big factor in our local economy as well. We appreciate the partnership and support of our neighbors and are glad to be able to give back by helping to sustain local communities.”

Vásquez continued “as we begin to wind down summer and head into fall, which is traditionally the busiest time for park visitation, people come from around the region to enjoy the colorful fall foliage in McKittrick Canyon, Smith Spring, Dog Canyon and Devil’s’ Hall during Fall Colors. In the coming weeks, we will open the new Salt Basin Dunes Day Use Area, near Dell City, and are confident that visitors will enjoy that unique area of the park, which contains the third largest gypsum dune field in the world. The park contains the largest Congressionally-designated wilderness area in the state of Texas, and we hope everyone will join us as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act of 1964 this fall. We look forward to partnering with the Texas Mountain Trail, the Texas Master Naturalists and others on a variety of programs. We invite our neighbors, from throughout Far West Texas and Southern New Mexico, to actively participate in upcoming park planning efforts, such as a new wilderness stewardship plan,
through http://parkplanning.nps.gov, through participation in public meetings, or by contacting your park with questions, concerns or suggestions, in addition to enjoying the wonderful natural, cultural and recreational resources that this park offers.”

The 2013 economic benefit figures are somewhat lower than the 2012 results. The 16-day government shutdown in October 2013, along with closures of the park, which resulted from historic
flooding and storms damage in September 2013, accounted for most of the decline in park visitation. The authors also cited inflation adjustments for differences between visitation and visitor spending, jobs supported and overall effect on the U.S. economy.

The peer-reviewed visitor spending analysis was conducted by U.S. Geological Survey economists Catherine Cullinane Thomas and Christopher Huber and Lynne Koontz for the National Park
Service. The report shows $14.6 billion of direct spending by 273.6 million park visitors in communities within 60 miles of a national park. This spending supported more than 237,000 jobs nationally, with more than 197,000 jobs found in these gateway communities, and had a cumulative benefit to the U.S. economy of $26.5 billion.

According to the 2013 economic analysis, most visitor spending was for lodging (30.3 percent) followed by food and beverages (27.3 percent), gas and oil (12.1 percent), admissions and fees
(10.3 percent) and souvenirs and other expenses (10 percent). 

The largest jobs categories supported by visitor spending were restaurants and bars (50,000 jobs) and lodging (38,000 jobs).

To download the report visit http://www.nature.nps.gov/socialscience/economics.cfm. The report includes information for visitor spending at individual parks and by state. To learn more about national parks in Texas and New Mexico, and how the National Park Service works with Texas and New Mexico communities to help preserve local history, conserve the environment, and provide outdoor recreation, go to www.nps.gov/Texas or www.nps.gov/NewMexico.
-NPS-

How to Help Save Cement Lake

Last Thursday I posted that TxDOT recently purchased land that includes the natural lake and wildlife habitat known as (Portland) Cement Lake. The Lake was one of the top priorities for acquisition in the City's Open Space Master Plan. In the end, TxDOT's dollars were more attractive to Cemex.

The good news in all of this is that Bob Bielek, TxDOT's Regional Engineer, has let it be known that TxDOT would like to Master Plan the area which includes the lake and work with the City and PSB. He has made it clear that all he needs is an official letter from the City or PSB (or a Councilwoman perhaps?) in order to get the ball rolling on master planning.

Here's how youcan help now:

As a wildlife expert, open space advocate, conservationist, outdoor enthusiast or someone like me who just cares: please urge city officials to work with TxDOT and involve the conservation/wildlife/open space community at all stages of the discussion and in all phases of the planning. 

Cement Lake should not be destroyed and it should not become a public, recreational park. It should be preserved as an unusual ecosystem and habitat - a place to visit, view and study - and treasure.

Please urge the Mayor and others to work with TxDOT to preserve the lake as a wildlife habitat and a place for visiting and viewing.

I have discovered that the best way to contact Mayor Leeser is to email his Assistant, Taylor Moreno at MorenoTL@elpasotexas.gov. Mr. Balliew's email is better known: jeballiew@epwu.org. Rep. Niland's is nilandcc@elpasotexas.gov. (Cement Lake is in her district. I spoke to her briefly and she is interested.) 

Please keep your messages positive. There is no itch at this point to scratch. Please make your title or position known whether it is Urban Biologist, Curator, former Curator, Secretary of FMWC, President of Audubon, OSAB member, Outdoor Enthusiast, Birder, Concerned Citizen - whatever. 

Please share this post with others and forward to your groups, friends, colleagues, etc.. This is a wildlife issue not a political one.  Let's be heard now and get the ball rolling and make sure that those of us who know about development, wetlands, wildlife, open space, conservation or those who simply love our outdoors are very much involved. Cement Lake is an El Paso Regional treasure. 

Let's save Cement Lake!

Save Cement Lake

El Paso's best kept secret - a natural lake just north of Executive Blvd. not far from Sunland Park

The best kept secret in El Paso is (Portland) Cement Lake. Probably the vast majority of El Pasoans don't know about this treasure as they speed along I-10 just north of Executive Blvd. It was one of the top priorities for acquisition in the City's Open Space Master Plan (p. 5-44). About the lake that Plan states, "the existing lake is fed by area springs, and maintains an unusual wetlands ecosystem that is physically separated from the Rio Grande. The pond and surrounding vegetation is visible from I-10 and is the one green area in an otherwise heavily industrialized area."

The Franklins in the background

Fed by area springs from the Franklins?! Amazing. Definitely should be preserved. 

from Land Arts of the American West

Unusual wetlands ecosystem?! Amazing. Definitely should be preserved. 

Did the City acquire it from its previous owner Cemex? Nope. Who did? You had better sit down. TxDOT did! 

TxDOT did so along with plenty more acreage in an area where yet more interchanges will go along with what land is leftover that they hope to develop. It is rumored that they purchased the land for $35,000 an acre. That makes the 50 acres of Cement Lake worth $1.75 Million.  Of course preserving the wetlands would require land for connectivity and a buffer zone. 

Is there money in the Open Space budget to procure the land? Maybe not for there may already be recommended commitments by the increasingly non-transparent and secretive OSAB to purchase three other properties - all of which together do not even approach the value of a natural, spring-fed lake with an unusual wetlands ecosystem.

Click to enlarge. Preserve the lake? Preserve the arroyos?

Reportedly, TxDOT would like to Master Plan the area. (Perhaps be advised by Plan El Paso pp. 1.21, 4.3, 4.60, 4.61?) District Engineer Robert Bielek has let it be known that, to get the ball rolling on a Master Plan, an official letter from the City or PSB (or even a Council member?) is all that it would take. elpasonaturally knows that the Mayor and EPWU's John Balliew are in discussion. But a letter?

One of the principal reasons for all the blood-letting at Lincoln Center was the failure to have a comprehensive discussion with all the stakeholders early on. (Too many plans that had to be kept behind a few closed doors.) In the case of Cement Lake, Bielek and TxDOT are letting it be known that they want to talk and plan ahead.

Noting that "green" is the bottom item of TxDOT's priorities (just below history and heritage and way below public art doodads on overpasses), the question is this: Will conservationists, wildlife officials, open space advocates and so forth be part of this discussion? Part of the team to preserve the natural lake as part of a Master Plan? As of right now, the doors are closed. The lips are sealed. The Open Records Requests are being drafted.

But consider, the Cement Lake Wetlands preserved would make a peaceful place to visit from the historic Barrio Buena Vista, Executive Blvd., Monticillo on the Ridge, anywhere in El Paso and the surrounding region - a green getaway for meditative peace and wildlife study not to mention ecotourism - much like Keystone Park. 

But will El Paso have the vision?

See also:

Basecamp El Paso's Wild swimming in the Portland Cement Reservoir

El Paso's Hidden Lake

Montecillo and Cement Lake

Cement Lake

Cement Lake spring

The planned Montecillo development along Mesa just north of Executive Boulevard is a model of walkability and sustainability. This urban village is certainly a radical shift for El Paso builders who prefer to use up every inch of desert land. City Council voted to provide Montecillo developers with some tax incentives.

One issue remains a concern: the developer does plan to build homes in an arroyo leading to Cement Lake.

Acting Open Space Advisory Board Chairman, Charlie Wakeem, said: "Our concern would be whether this development could contaminate and/or cut off water altogether to the lake, and whether it is in violation of the Clean Water Act (Section 404).

Mr. Wakeem had expressed the same concern to Mr. Conde, one of the developers. According to Wakeem, Mr. Condee said that he was planning to build homes in the arroyo.

The issue is on the agenda for the regular December 28th Open Space meeting at 12:30 p.m. in the 4th Floor Engineering Conference Room at City Hall.