RRC helps mitigate boating hazards at national preserve

AUSTIN The Railroad Commission of Texas recently completed a project to help the National Park Service (NPS) ensure boater safety at the Big Thicket National Preserve in East Texas, a press release announced.

The project involved removing surface casings on four wells that had been plugged in the Neches River by operators in the 1970’s and early 80’s. The tall surface casings were starting to get exposed over the decades as river depths changed, posing a risk in recent years to boaters passing through the national preserve.

The NPS contacted the RRC to oversee the project which took about two and a half months to complete. Contractors, including divers, worked in the water removing river debris and cutting the casings at the riverbed to get them removed.