# Liberty ramp update



## redexpress (Apr 5, 2010)

The recent posts about the ramp in the "cut-off" reminded me I wanted to post recent emails back and forth with TP&W. 
I have them cut & pasted in reverse chronological order....the most recent is at the bottom.

October 20, 2015:
I apologize for my delay in responding to your request for information. I have been in contact with our TPWD biologists and have found out that there are a variety of permits and a resource reviews that will have to be done on the area due to potential endangered species impact. This will have to be done for either the new or existing ramp sites prior to construction or removal of the silt. I am currently awaiting response from TPWD Inland fisheries division on this issue. When I receive that information and have a clear direction on how to proceed I assure you that I will inform you. Please understand that this may take some additional time if a presence/absence study for mussels has to be done, a plan for their removal if they are found and a Corps of Engineers permit for dredging has to be obtained. 

The long term plan for the existing ramp is for it to be closed all together as soon as the new boat ramp is constructed. I believe that this closure will have to be approved by TXDOT as they actually own the ramp site and right of way. I have also discovered that it may have been TXDOT that had the dumpster there as they are responsible for clean-up and litter removal based on the MOU signed more than 20 years ago. Mr. De Leon with TXDOT may be able to confirm that his agency removed the dumpster?

I appreciate your frustration with the length of time that this is taking and wish that I had an immediate solution, but I do not. I have been in this position for less than six months and cannot speak to anything prior to that. Please do not hesitate to contact me directly with any questions. Have a good day.

October 20,2015:
 Thanks for the update, I think. It is incredible what hoops have to jumped through to remove sand from the boat ramp. I did see TP&W trucks at the ramp a couple weeks ago. I am not aware of zebra mussels in the area, but maybe. 
Please do all you can to expedite the process. My confidence in building a new ramp anytime soon is low.

October 21, 2015:
Just to be sure we are on the same page....if the sand is just removed from the ramp, do you have to do all these studies? To be clear...no equipment goes in the water, no dredging is done in the river, just remove the dry sand off the ramp. Can that be done without the studies and permits?

October 21, 2015:
I just got off the phone with TPWD biologists and they plan to go to the site and do the mussel survey early next week. After that I will know better what the next steps will be. 

January 4, 2016:
It has been over 2 months since your last update. Have the TPWD biologists completed the mussel study? 
Timely updates are appreciated.

January 22, 2016:
Please reply with:

1) Your supervisors name.

2) Your supervisors email address.

3) Your supervisors physical address.

4) Your supervisors office telephone number.

January 22, 2016:
 I apologize if I have not been meeting your expectations for updates as I have been out of the office and on vacation. That said, I am certain that you are aware the Trinity River has been and continues to be in flood stage so no work on the existing ramp can be accomplished until that situation resolves itself. Likely if any work to clear the existing ramp had been done it would just be silted in again presently. 

The update is that I received back confirmation from our TPWD biologists that there are no mussels present and that TPWD will have to get a USACE permit to do the removal of material and potential dredging for the ramp. I am making contact with the USACE to obtain that permit. Please note, that even if we had a permit in hand and could do the work it would not be possible until the river is out of flood stage and added to that is the fact that I do not have the resources to continually remove silt from that ramp. 

TPWD has granted the City of Liberty a Boating Access grant to replace the existing ramp with a new one in a better location less likely to be silted in on a regular basis. The neighboring landowner to the ramp would like to see it completely closed and fenced off to deter trash being dumped at the site and ongoing issues with vagrants. I have considered approaching TXDOT with this idea as the ramp site itself is in the TXDOT ROW and is their property.

Again, I apologize for the length of time that this is taking but there is nothing that I can do until the river is out of flood stage and may only be able to provide a one-time removal of the silt. If you have any questions please contact me directly or you can contact my supervisor. I have provided the information you requested below. Have a good day. 

January 25, 2016:
Thank you for your reply.

Yes, I am aware of the flooding of the Trinity River. I can throw a rock in the flood waters from my back porch. My backyard is the levee that protects Liberty.

The river floods, it always has and always will. To say that the river will flood again and silt the ramp does not justify your lack of effort. I completely understand that you cannot do any work while the river is flooding.

As you know this boat ramp is the only public access to the river in Liberty County. In fact it is the only TP&W ramp in all of Liberty County. It is disappointing that TP&W is not proactive in maintaining this lone ramp.

We are all aware that the ramp is in a poor location. I did not choose that location. Most likely you did not either. But, TP&W "owns" that ramp. The bottom line is that you and TP&W are responsible to the citizens that fund TP&W. To say that TP&W will only clear the ramp one time will not be met favorably by the citizens of Liberty. To close this ramp before another is built is unacceptable.

Please advise when you have obtained the USACOE permit.


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## Rivercat1860 (Dec 10, 2014)

Thanks for the update. This boat ramp issue ia as slow and painful as pulling teeth.


Red


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## 2catsfishin (Jun 27, 2010)

Thanks for the update,


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## redexpress (Apr 5, 2010)

As bad as TP&W is, the US Fish & Wildlife Service is worse.
If these people didn't have their government jobs, they would be on welfare. Any other employer would have fired them for laziness or incompetence.


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## WGA1 (Mar 1, 2012)

Thanks for the update. When permits and governmental employees are involved that just means it will be an extremely, stupid long process. That is irritating that they only plan on a one time cleaning of the ramp and then plan on closing it down before the new one is ever built. It's also irritating that they say a permit is needed to scrape off the ramp. I understand the permitting involved with constructing a new ramp but not with just scraping off the old one. When TxDot maintained it they scraped it off all the time and I'm sure they weren't applying for a permit each time. Heck even the city would scrape it and take sand from the sandbar when they needed sand for projects...I'm sure they didn't get some stupid permit either.


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## SeaOx 230C (Aug 12, 2005)

What does Corp of Eng. have to with it? I would be thinking TRA if anybody.


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## ChuChu (Jan 23, 2010)

SeaOx 230C said:


> What does Corp of Eng. have to with it? I would be thinking TRA if anybody.


CoE has jurisdiction over rivers. Especially the banks. My hometown was fined and required to do a cleanup of concrete rubble used to shore up a bank that was washing out. They could have done the work, if they had obtained a CoE permit.


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## atcfisherman (Oct 5, 2006)

Thanks for keeping on them. If you need signatures, etc to help, count me in.


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## RAMROD1 (May 4, 2012)

Hey all, currently stuck at work been here a little over 9 weeks and will more than likely be here until next year some time, is there any update on the boat ramp? What does the ramp currently look like? If anyone stops by snap a couple and post em up for me!


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