HAMILTON, TX — The City of Hamilton needs help with a big project.
Texas inspectors say the dam on the city lake needs work. They want to clear it of brush and trees that have weakened it.
Cheyenne Holloway and her family love the peace and tranquility of Hamilton's City Lake.
"The fishing. Just the water in general. My dog likes it out here," Holloway said.
Landowners deeded this land to the city for a reservoir in the 1920s, but since then, it's developed a problem.
”Roots inside are burrowing down into the dam itself,” said Hamilton City Manager Pete Kampfer.
Texas inspectors say unless the town has the trees and brush cleared off this dam, it may send water into a nearby floodplain.
In order to meet Texas State standards, Hamilton needs to remove all the brush growing into and weakening the dam.
City leaders set aside money, and put out a request for proposals, but so far they have had no takers for a job that could last a while.
”Well it'll take probably anywhere from about four to six weeks of constant activity," said Kampfer.
The city council may vote Thursday night to take on the project on its own or to widen its search for a partner to clear the land.
Hamilton's mayor hopes to one day develop this land for community use.
”This is a great recreational site, and if we had the ability to develop it into a recreational site it would be another draw to improve, not only the image of this community but bring a lot of people here," said Mayor Jim McInnis
And Cheyenne Holloway agrees.
”I'd like easier access to the water, and trash picked up, more people to know about it, really," Holloway said.
