Illegal dam demolished in Mason County, another pops up

Demolition is happening on an illegal dam in Mason County following a series of reports from KXAN. However, another dam has been discovered in the same county. Read more: www.kxan.com/texas-water/ille...
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[@scottprather5645]

No one was criminally charged for illegally building the first damn?? Welcome to Texas.

[@rickyscot]

dam

[@kevinrice7635]

The long way State

[@scottprather5645]

@@kevinrice7635 The long way State I don't know what that means

[@ExceptionalLibra]

Right!

[@KILLKING110]

they have to track the person that did it to collect evidence

[@sootvilleaustin2995]

The property owner absolutely knew this was illegal and not only should have to pay to remove it but should be heavily fined.

[@flavorsour9244]

I don't blame the property owner. No one is fighting for the water shortage due to an increase in climate temp which is undeniable dry are planet out. Don't look up you fools keep telling your self climate change is a hoax. Fools

[@Snatch698]

Who owns the property a beaver

[@thatguyinelnorte]

The video states they did need to pay...

[@LionAndALamb]

The speed with which they built it, the large amount of heavy equipment used, and the fact that they had to build a road to get the equipment to the dam location, all point to an EXTREMELY wealthy landowner who is, without a doubt, very cozy with local and state politicians.

[@karidennis6154]

He did have to pay to remove it 3:45

[@carportchronicles1943]

It seems like the landowner's name is known but nobody is willing to state who it actually is.

[@squibbard]

On previous articles the landowner has been named as Bill Neusch.

[@redbarchetta8782]

tRump rich business supporter who thinks being King is great.

[@ripvanrevs]

@@squibbard I heard his name was Ima Beaver.

[@calanon534]

@@ripvanrevs That got a chuckle outta me. ^_^ Thanks for the smile!

[@richardwarnock2789]

Dam Troubles for landOwner!

[@timothyross7822]

The trend is corruption, not just the story. Hold these clowns accountable and spread that news.

[@gabrielaguilar1391]

This is Texas and he's probably a major republican donor, so nothings gonna happen. Corruption is ok here if you are a member of the right party. Just look at our AG.

[@pablozee6359]

Dams don’t just “pop up.”

[@variousmedia1]

Definitely not a “Journalist”…just a “Reporter”

[@MrSki-mv2kr]

They do if your a entitled Rich Democrat

[@husler1999]

Beaverdam’s pop up pretty quickly lol

[@joeyl.rowland4153]

​@@husler1999them thar beavers thems some remarkable critters. Smelling of fish And considered a tasty dish😊😊😊

[@MintV2]

​@MrSki-mv2kr wrong! the property owner is Bill Neusch, an avid Trump supporter and long-time registered Republican. His company Gibraltar manufacturers border wall barriers.

[@michaeljohnson4947]

Back in the 80's I reported illegal dumping made by truck drivers working for The LCRA, in eastern Travis County. Instead of stopping it, the LCRA gave my name and phone number to the offending dump truck drivers. They called us at night making death threats, if I continued to report them. It amazes me that anyone calls about these sorts of crime. Be careful reporting these people. There's a lot of money involved, and you'd be surprised who really knows about it. If making a report about illegal dumping will get you death threats, imagine what they will do for water.

[@Look_What_You_Did]

Sounds like a you problem.

[@Jmjmjmjmjmjmjmjmjmjmjm1]

Hopefully people keep making a stand and bringing attention to it. People can’t just keep getting away with doing whatever they want.

[@veramae4098]

I'm so sorry. Awful people.

[@nightlightabcd]

Death threats! Sure indication that they are Republican gun nuts! That's what they do! Were they arrested for their death threats? NO, that's why they do it rather freely, because they get away with it!!!

[@veramae4098]

@@Look_What_You_Did Do I understand you? You think the guy who reported the illegal dumping is the problem? What part of "illegal" don't you understand.

[@mrvwbug4423]

You can't just dam a river even if it's on your property. That heavily impacts water rights of other land owners downstream

[@TheDrrbc]

If your land is under a Spanish Land Grant, yes you can. Dam little they can’t do (see what I did there?).

[@danielweston9188]

@@TheDrrbc courts have ruled that water grants from Spanish and Mexican land grants are only fully enforceable if you have the original papers (or certified copies) . . .

[@TheDrrbc]

@@danielweston9188 and I know quite a few that have them.

[@lilphilosophy481]

Natives had water rights too, remember what they did to them

[@scottmccloud9029]

​@@lilphilosophy481 Yes, disarmed them and did what they wanted. Never give up your right to defend yourself.

[@patrickunderhill2901]

Sure sounds like a rich person almost getting away with whatever he wanted to do! No fines, No charges, $$$$$$

[@EdwardM919]

How dumb must the land owner be to think it was ok to damn the river? Especially if you could build it another way with permission. I wish I had that much money to waste.

[@ripvanrevs]

Yet they let beavers do this with no punishment!

[@graememckay9972]

Not dumb just very arrogant.

[@geraldstone8396]

Either money wasn't an issue or it was built with someone else's money.

[@EdwardM919]

@@geraldstone8396 lol, now they have to pay even more to remedy the damage. What gains are these people making when you have to spend all that money?

[@justalurker5412]

⁠@@ripvanrevsdamn those dam beavers!

[@lakesnake2005]

Everywhere else they use low water crossings to go from one side to the other with culverts to allow water flow. Not dam the river entirely.

[@xheralt]

Its not about making the river crossable. The property (livestock or other farm type) owners are trying to monopolize the water (which is getting scarcer due to changes in rainfall patterns -- aka "climate") for their own benefit, downstream folks be damned.

[@frankmacleod2565]

You don't expect Texans to listen to the government telling them what to do with their land, do you?

[@Pbav8tor]

What makes people think this is okay? And why haven't they been charged? Whiskey's fer drinkin', water's fer fightin'.

[@frankmacleod2565]

It's Texas. They don't like government regulations

[@TexasScout]

Why would they have to build a road to get the dump trucks out there when they obviously had to have a road to get the cement trucks in the steel to build it out there

[@Mr19thcenturyman]

Water theft or diversion is a serious concern and should be prosecuted accordingly.

[@frankmacleod2565]

You must not live in Texas

[@kennardjohnson7875]

Not only should these dams be removed, there needs to be consequences, massive fines or land forfature.

[@mond000]

Rich landowners write the laws and the news.

[@claytond6898]

Communist?

[@kennardjohnson7875]

@@claytond6898 call it asset forfature for theft of public property,water!

[@cleattle]

Forfeiture

[@herodotusofhalicarnasis2394]

Sounds like one

[@joeanderson8839]

People need to do prison time, and face the kind of fines that will discourage this behavior.

[@edhill8568]

And the property owner's name is? And his/her punishment for an illegal dam will be?

[@pepperjackshack2439]

Bill Neusch, an ex oil exec, must be where the money came from

[@wolfblaide]

I can't believe the US authorities let the water supply be treated like this. No fine? Wow. I'm an Aussie and our water catchments are taken very seriously. Depending on area/state, it's usually untouched pristine wilderness areas, no farm or agricultural runoff allowed, all properly monitored and maintained, no tampering with the source or you'd be fined to oblivion.

[@opossom1968]

lol Australia is the absolute nanny country. You cant even fart without a fine for methane releasing.

[@frankmacleod2565]

It's Texas, they don't like the government telling them what to do. I'm surprised they have any regulations at all

[@davidbudka1298]

Don’t the land owners have to have water rights and appropriations to build a dam? Also don’t the owners have to file environmental impact statements, and build safe spillways?

[@Look_What_You_Did]

You don't like ketchup.

[@davidbudka1298]

@@Look_What_You_Did I actually do. I also like low-head dams. However, dams need to be properly appropriated, engineered, constructed, and maintained. Yeah, nature can always take one out. However, the owner needs to make a dam as safe as possible. There are also issues of water rights. 😁

[@firemedic5100]

All surface water belongs to the state of Texas. Some landowners may have water rights for underground water, but not creeks, rivers, or streams.

[@bower31]

​@@Look_What_You_DidWhy are you commenting so much exactly

[@frankmacleod2565]

​@@firemedic5100 So Texas is a communist state

[@IonOtter]

WOW! That is NOT a piddly little pile of dirt, that is a MASSIVE structure! That must have cost at least $250,000 in concrete alone! And concrete companies do NOT do jobs that big on credit or handshakes. This "land owner" has money. BIG money.

[@justinbooth5056]

Ccp and feds, electric rain

[@user-sm7oz4ly7v]

All they need to do is find out what concrete company supplied the concrete for these dams and who paid for it. Follow the money.

[@LoriL010]

They said the property owner paid for it. You don't have to "follow the money" when it's already known.

[@8arrows]

The county tax accessor knows exactly whose property it is.

[@rdbchase]

"pops up", huh? Do dams construct themselves in Texas? I'm three minutes in to this ridiculous report and I still haven't heard a word about who is responsible for erecting the illegal dam. It would seem that whoever it is above the law -- bizarre!

[@nightlightabcd]

The thought that this man thought he could juts build a dam and block the river off is astounding!

[@pyronac1]

Builds a damn to cross the river? Did they ever hear of a thing called a bridge? Also, every land owner downstream should sue the damn builder.

[@dennisjones9044]

I have to pull permits just to build a large shed and there are county official driving around to check on property owners to see if they in compliance. with something as large as damming a river you'd think the county if not the state would have been all over that.

[@anthonyanthonymorones4226]

I just want to say that we do watch Will Dupree forecaster but my favorite forecaster. He saved a lot of lives in 1997 Jim Spencer and I’ve been watching Jim Spencer since 1993. I just wanna say thank you for everything you guys done. Give me a thumbs up if you like my comment.

[@vinniediesel1369]

Someone spent tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of dollars to try and monopolize the water in this river. The vast amount of cement including the heavy structural steel rebar is not cheap by any means.

[@william_mac]

Put a lien on the equipment. And the property. It all depends on when Texas gets serious. A landowner putting a dam on a river? Dumb.

[@keithussery3060]

Why hasn’t Governor Abbott checked this out?

[@TimeSurfer206]

A donor, perhaps?

[@Don.Challenger]

That palooka probably owns them through a numbered company or straw owner impounding water with no rights just like impounding political and other power with no right.

[@JamesAllmond]

I hope that was Satire....may be your AG is in on it is my guess...

[@darwinjina]

The far majority of the lakes in Texas are manmade.

[@dagnt8145]

Guvna Rabbit is disssspicable

[@sfmediaapps]

FFS. Really this dam was built to connect 2 pieces of prroperrty together?

[@ssaraccoii]

Hard to pour that much concrete without anyone knowing where it came from.

[@DV-ol7vt]

Guy on the left looks like AI

[@robertrettig7110]

This is just like many old western movies with bad guy ranchers stealing all the water! Really? lol

[@frankmacleod2565]

It's Texas, what did you expect

[@robertrettig7110]

@@frankmacleod2565 I'm from Texas partner! Smile when you say that! Lol

[@frankmacleod2565]

@@robertrettig7110 don't tell me you expected the government to protect you

[@robertrettig7110]

@@frankmacleod2565 I'm retired NAVY, so I was protecting you! Lol

[@frankmacleod2565]

@@robertrettig7110 Ah, well sir, thank you for your service.

[@allanc3655]

Sycamore Creek Near Segovia TX (Kimble County east of Junction TX ) that flows into Jones Creek that flows into the Llano is dammed all the way from its head waters starting with Sycamore Ranch It use to be spring fed and had moving water all year long. Not any more One land owner (up stream from I10) has 5 dams on his stretch (off of Dunk Rd) and has not one permit. He thinks he is the army corps of engineers. Flowing water must be stopped

[@JamesAllmond]

he thinks he is a beaver.

[@real1420]

He thinks hes Buc-ee🦫 😂

[@thomasjohnson3793]

I cannot believe the dam owner of the dam land didn't pay a dam fine.

[@ronwade2206]

Look up the term, Range War.

[@cj339]

Interesting that they had to build a road to take the dam down, how did they build it without the road?

[@sadlerbw9]

I can't say for sure, but if the State took it down, they are more likely to follow all the rules for construction equipment and sites. A private company hired by a private individual working without a permit to build the dam probably wasn't as concerned with following best practices for accessing and managing the site. I think this is the most likely reason by they had to build a road to remove the dam. When it was built, the construction crew didn't bother to follow the rules they were supposed to. If it was NOT the state paying to remove it, it may simply be that, with the increased attention the site was getting, that the landowner had to follow the rules this time.

[@cj339]

@@sadlerbw9 you kind of miss the whole point, building a road is considerably different from improving and upgrading to standards a road already in place.

[@28704joe]

Regulations ! ? we don't need no stinkin' regulations....Welcome to Texas.

[@karidennis6154]

Who on earth has the spare time to do something this massive without making sure it was allowed first, it’s crazy.

[@gregking7926]

So was the landowner charged with building an illegal dam and billed for the cost of removal?

[@squibbard]

Landowner is paying for the cost of removal

[@modelcitizen1977]

The owner is an oil executive with strong GOP ties. This should answer most of the obvious questions.

[@hamishadamson4628]

Name and shame time!

[@scottalan4655]

Prove it

[@8arrows]

I saw someone built a dam in the creek, on the old Krause/Turner Ranch. Along the Mormon Mills Road. North of Marble Falls Texas.

[@mr.peabody6670]

Do you know how much in material costs would be to build 400' of illegal dam out of steel grid and concrete at least 5' thick ?

[@noapologizes2018]

How does one build a dam that large without someone noticing and contacting Authorities.

[@besaidknight]

Other land owners named and shown. Landowners in question? Nameless... 💰🤑💸

[@tonyt8807]

You would think that one of the truck drivers would have known better unless all were paid off.

[@rosameryrojas-delcerro1059]

And how is the builder of two illegal dams being held accountable?? They're not? Of course not...

[@101stgrunt6]

I didn't know dams were illegal.

[@gomerhanger2285]

damn beavers!

[@davidcolwell614]

Now that they’ve learned to use concrete and steel we have no chance.

[@klardfarkus3891]

We used to prosecute crimes in this country. People have any idea why crime has become so rampant?

[@rajbeekie7124]

Wow. talk about next level arrogance.

[@robertfree3403]

That's a damn shame they tore it down, but at least they're fixing the damn problem.

[@paulvalentine1483]

It's Texas. Who's surprised?

[@robertheinkel6225]

Before we bought our farm, someone built a dam on a small spring, creating a small pond. It was stocked with fish. At some point, someone dynamited the dam to catch the fish, and it was never rebuilt.

[@dependablepaul]

Wow, that's a dam shame.

[@user-wt9it5zz2q]

People with money do as they damn well please and that will never stop. God Bless Texas.

[@TheMW2informer]

Come on, the neighborhood just wanted a lake instead of a creek!

[@RickyB418]

Bust out the hiking boots and get part two!

[@lechkenassh9008]

there trying to make water reservoirs and it is illegal to save extra fresh water !!!

[@kharris0465]

Giant Beavers, "Why wasn't the required paperwork filed dammit!?

[@jackamo427327]

It had to cost a lot of money to build , who and why ?

[@DeerRunner]

I find this hard to believe. The shear level of wildlife impact and farms. There were too many warning signs.

[@matt9c1]

Holy low budget TV station Batman! Do you use a Gateway laptop for video and audio broadcasting? The echo is awful. Nice touch on hanging the call sign on the wall then running the power cord under it like nobody would notice. Is there even an engineer there ?

[@Xonid1]

How does a dam just pop up?

[@davidhenderson3400]

One thing about the damn controversy that I don't understand. Okay a dam is built, yes water below the dam is going to slow down or until the area behind the dam fills up. What's the area behind the damn fills up the water flowing over the dam and downstream will be the same as it was before the dam was built.

[@michaelkhoo5846]

We're all curious, Eric. Thanks for the interesting report!

[@ericdelay5269]

Apparently the dam things are everywhere.

[@philliphall5198]

It’s about time they removed it and remove any more when they start

[@BobbyBushae-ow6gg]

Ain’t no way a beaver done that in that short of time.

[@Daniellegarrow]

This has lead to counties being flooded. About same time of opening dam, Livingston county homes and livestock lost.

[@bryanmitchell5728]

No charges? WTF !

[@babyseals4872]

If you stick the landowner with the cost, that will go a long way towards putting a stop to it

[@hughjass1835]

You didn't watch the story did you?

[@babyseals4872]

@@hughjass1835yes. I know this landowner is paying for this removal. I only said “if” because this isn’t the only dam and if they are in other counties they may not use the same enforcement methods Crazy that people think they can do this without getting caught though, right? You gotta either have a big brass set, or just be incredibly self cenetered

[@user-qp5uz1ul8z]

Keep the dams

[@chrischart2386]

You can see that there are two dams the property owner has built on the river. If you go look at the satellite images you can tell he's built to dams and the satellite images are old.

[@koholohan3478]

This is insane and dangerous.

[@Joybuzzard]

Why is the person who did it not being named? Why is the government's response to accomodate the person who built the dam instead of prosecuting them?

[@grumpyg9350]

It wasn’t a damn ,but a road

[@craigsawicky1643]

Had to build a road to access for removal? How did the materials get there in the first place? There is/ was a better way to deal with the situation, while costing Taxpayers less at the same time. What is the Environmental impact of the Full Removal? The Majority of the dam could have remained, while the Full Flow was returned. Ever notice how, when the Gov't gets involved, EVERYTHING is All Or Nothing?

[@CaliTexNative]

DAMN! DAMN! DAMN! - Florida Evans

[@chapmje]

So the dam authorities made a dam plan to unblock the dam river and next thing you know further up the dam river they need another dam plan to get rid of another dam blockage resulting in the dam reporter doing this dam story.

[@geneard639]

how is it a 5 hour walk, when a dam requires a lot of materials, which requires HEAVY trucks????

[@youtubecrack]

The water wars are starting.

[@kelleys81]

lol come on, the same amount of water flowing would have been flowing without the dam once the pool filled up.

[@westondecker68]

And this is the last dam story of the day, or until another dam story gets our dam attention. Dam it.

[@jessejames7757]

That ruined my weekend I just bought some dam bait and was going to catch some dam fish.

[@slabsolutions1]

The dam looks about 3 ft tall. This recent rain would have filled the area to overflow, and at that point, the water will again become the river. When the water quits running again (which it will because of hot Texas summers) the water will quit flowing into the dammed area and the river.

[@maryjackson1194]

The landowners downstream discovered the dam when there was no water for their livestock.

[@rodneygilbertson2231]

They decided to build a bridge? Texas has all the new trends!

[@pepperjackshack2439]

so Bill Neusch was the first guy they talked about, the second dam is Gregory Garland's doing. - both ex oil execs

[@celebrityrog]

Have you gone dam to dam asking beavers if they seen anyone building illegal dams?

[@louiswhite805]

The water belongs to the state, and the state is all the people. People and 🙄 the land 🙄 producing food should take precedence for water use. 😮

[@michaelsorensen7567]

Not how any of it works. Mountain West States don't even own the majority of their own land. The feds (army Corp of engineers among others) own all the water. And you'll have hell if you make improvements like making beaver dam analogues to improve water infiltration to replenish groundwater.

[@brianvernon7754]

no fines at all guess deterrence is not an issue

[@bishopcorva]

From what I was gathering on the dams being placed, it was to be able to strip out sand and gravel from the river and creek bed. There's a huge amount of logistics involved with doing that. That much concrete alone is traceable for reasons that include it had to be purchased from somewhere. Even if it was just the Portland cement, that's still thousands of dollars worth. Rail cars worth that had to come from somewhere. Further if it wasn't purchased but stolen, where from can afford to lose that much yardage of ready mix and not say anything? Even still,vlab testing will show the particular mineral content to establish what area it came from. Just like how diamonds can be tested to verify they are not so called "blood diamonds". Concrete can be tested for additives, hardeners, actual cement binder aggregate involved. Basically all that leaves traces to follow to the source and the ultimately responsible party. Be it a land owner or an outside third party that funded it.

[@cdtheque]

Is this a real news agency? It looks and sounds like two college students made a communications project.

[@hughjass1835]

And only got a C

[@MrTenkara]

Some one who diverts a major waterway should go to jail

[@janesmith716]

Pretty arrogant that someone thinks they can just build a dam, welcome to Texas.

[@shakes7333]

Why does this look and sound like it was created in someones basement 🤔

[@cliffordtrosper6638]

if one land owner changes their land and the water now goes a different direction and on to another persons land the water company feels that they can now use that water that was granted back in the 50"s to this other person down the line. ssooo money talks and that is all the state cares!!!!!

[@markp5726]

I'm sure they looked at the miniscule fines and decided it was worth it, with absolutely no consideration of the impact on anyone else. We should base fines on the offender's income/wealth - that'd make violations a lot more painful for the people doing them.

[@leepaulison4928]

How does a damn just 'pop up'?

[@coffeegator6033]

What a dam shame

[@tshirtradical]

I love this obscure stuff that is a big deal to people in the area but gets lost in the sea of humanity we have become.