Baylor to Receive $200,000 for Lake Whitney Water Quality Project Under 2006 Interior Bill

August 3, 2005

by Judy Long
Congress passed its 2006 Interior Appropriations bill last week with $200,000 earmarked for a Baylor University study of Lake Whitney salinity levels. Rep. Chet Edwards, a senior member of the Energy and Water Appropriations subcommittee, also included $500,000 under the 2006 Energy and Water Appropriations bill for the Baylor program, which passed the House in May and is set for negotiations with the Senate.
Dr. Truell W. Hyde, vice-provost for research, was pleased that the money has been approved. "This is another example of how Baylor research can make a difference both locally and regionally while producing a 'win-win' situation for all concerned. We have a number of outstanding Baylor faculty conducting research in this area, and I'm sure this is just the start of what will become a long-term research project benefiting both Baylor and central Texas," he said.
Dr. Robert Doyle, director of the Center for Reservoir and Aquatic Systems Research, sees the federal support as a great opportunity for Baylor.
"We are delighted to have additional incremental funding that will take us towards our ultimate goal of providing a comprehensive evaluation of Lake Whitney, and we are excited now about getting the project launched," he said.
The Whitney assessment will analyze water quality at different levels of the lake at various times of the year to measure salinity levels and identify other potential challenges to water treatment. Phase I of the study involves a comprehensive physical, chemical and biological assessment of the reservoir. Baylor received $400,000 of the total Phase I cost of $987,446 in the 2005 VA/HUD Appropriations Bill. In addition to assessing the potential of Lake Whitney as a source of public water, data from the project also will help determine the design and construction of any future water treatment facility.
For more information on the Lake Whitney research project, contact Doyle at (254) 710-2911 or Robert_Doyle@baylor.edu