Test wells at proposed Franklin County prison fall short
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Two test wells drilled at the site of the proposed 3,000-bed prison in Franklin County produced only about 1% as much as wells that support the 2,000-bed Tucker Unit, the Arkansas Advocate reported.
Why it matters: A recent report commissioned for Fort Smith said the city doesn't have the capacity to meet the expected needs of its growing population and the prison, and nearby Ozark's City Council passed a resolution in February saying it couldn't, either.
State of play: The two test wells drilled at the site earlier this month yielded 2 gallons of water per minute (gpm) and 10 gallons of water per hour (gph). That adds up to about 130 gallons per hour.
- By comparison, the four wells at the Tucker Unit in Jefferson County meet an average demand of 12,400 gallons every hour.
The big picture: The controversial prison, estimated to cost at least $825 million, would be one of the largest development projects in recent state history.
- Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders and other backers say the prison is needed due to overcrowding in county jails.
- Opponents cite construction costs, lack of adequate workforce or infrastructure and fears of declining land values.
The intrigue: The published water findings contradict a presentation construction management company Vanir gave the Board of Corrections earlier this month, saying preliminary findings were that the two wells produced about a combined 20 gpm, or 1,200 gph.
What they're saying: "At this time, all the reports and numbers we have are preliminary," Department of Corrections spokesperson Rand Champion told Arkansas Advocate.
- "Once those reports are finalized, it will give the board and the department a better idea of what we're dealing with and next steps."