Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, July 15, 1993                   TAG: 9307150325
SECTION: NEIGHBORS                    PAGE: W-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: CHARLES STEBBINS Staff Writer
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

RESERVOIR WON'T EASE FLOODING IN COUNTY

Most flooding in that area begins downstream from where the reservoir will be located, said Cliff Craig, director of utilities for the county.

Craig, along with several other government officials, spoke to the West Roanoke County Civic League. One reason for the meeting was to discuss neighborhood problems and how the new reservoir might affect the neighborhood.

One concern is flooding that plagues parts of the west county area in nearly every heavy or prolonged rain. Some residents had hoped the new reservoir might ease that.

But Craig could not give them much hope.

Since most flooding begins downstream from where the reservoir is to be constructed, he said, the only way it could ease flooding would be by taking water out of the river.

"But full pumping at the reservoir would lower the river level only a half an inch," Craig said.

The reservoir is not being created by damming the river. Instead, it will be built beside the river and filled with water pumped from the river.

The flooding question will be explored more fully when the civic league sponsors another informational meeting Sept. 9 with representatives of the Army Corps of Engineers. That session will begin at 7 p.m. at the Fort Lewis Fire Department.

Craig predicted the reservoir would have little impact on property values and the neighborhood's general quietness.

"This is no Smith Mountain Lake," Craig said of Spring Hollow. "It's not even a Carvins Cove."

But the reservoir will provide many benefits for the area, he said.

One will be to help ensure a good water supply for the county. This, according to officials, also could lead to new development throughout the western half of the county.

Brian Duncan, the county's assistant director for economic development, said the the west county area "is the most opportune area for industrial development" because of the new reservoir.

Duncan outlined details of Valley Techpark, an industrial park planned for that area.

The reservoir also will lead to a new county park and a more extensive recreation program in the west county area.

Two officials from the county department of parks and recreation - Debbie Pitts and Jim Jones - outlined plans for development of a park on reservoir property.

This was the first informational meeting for citizens the civic league has held since its organization in the spring. Traci Crigger, its president, praised it as "a very beneficial session."

"We need more interaction between the citizens and government officials," she said.

"We covered a lot of territory," she said after the two-hour session. About 50 west county residents and a half-dozen county officials attended.

The meeting was conducted by Ed Kohinke, the west county representative on the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors.

Also at the meeting were Supervisor Lee Eddy, and County Administrator Elmer Hodge.

At the beginning of the session two opposing candidates for the Virginia House of Delegates - Howard Packett, a Democrat, and Morgan Griffith, a Republican - made short pitches for votes.