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  • AMANDA SHAVERS-DAVIS/THE CULLMAN TIMES From left: Steve Newton, Roy Williams and Mandell Tillman look over plans for Duck River.

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November 25, 2011

One-third of Duck River property purchased

By Trent Moore The Cullman Times

CULLMAN — The Cullman Utilities Board has purchased more than one-third of the property needed to construct a dam in the Duck River watershed, with about 410 acres worth $3.5 million either closed or signed. The total acreage needed for the project is more than 1,121 acres.

The city has $2.2 million in offers pending for 455 acres, and is preparing to make offers on the remaining 250 acres.

Property acquisition coordinator Mandell Tillman said parcel appraisals are virtually complete, and he expects all purchase offers to be made by the end of the year.

“All  but two appraisals are complete, and those were just held up by some engineering delays, but then we’ll be done with all appraisals and review appraisals,” he said. “By January we should know exactly where we are, and where we stand, as far as purchases. As far as projects this size go, this has really gone fast.”

The city is building a 640-acre lake with a 32-million-gallon-per-day capacity in northeast Cullman County, to complement the area’s sole water source at Lake Catoma. The project is estimated to cost $68 million.

Steve Newton, with project engineer of record CH2M Hill, said planning work continues for phase I of the design, which encompasses dam preparation.

“We are proceeding on the actual design report, and the basis for what we’re doing will be delivered around next week,” he said.

* Read more in the Friday, Nov. 25, 2011, print of e-edition of The Cullman Times.

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