JACKSONVILLE —

The Lake Columbia public comments phase is well underway and Project Manager Kelley Holcomb said there are several land owners with property which could be underwater should the lake project be approved. Quite a few of these property owners, such as area resident Cecil Petree, said they are all in favor of the lake even if it drowns what is currently their backyards.

“It’ll be fine with me,” Petree, who owns 18 acres of property on the Mud Creek floodplain near where the lake is set to be. “I don’t see where it’s going to hurt.”

Petree said he doesn’t think the lake will be spread far enough to encompass his home, but added if it does he will be fine with it so long as he is given fair market value for the property.

“This is the best suited spot, as far as I’m concerned, to put in another lake,” Petree said. “There’s not as much in here to destroy or tear up as far as habitat in my opinion. It can supply all the towns around here with water.”

He also said he could relate to any property owners who are not in favor of the lake because it may flood what is now their family homes.

Another land owner on the proposed lake site, Royce Fletcher, spoke March 2 during a public hearing in Jacksonville in favor of the lake.

If approved, the lake will flood the Mud Creek floodplain; and with it, Mud Creek Off-road Park. Calls to the park asking for comments were not returned Wednesday afternoon. The park occupies about 4,000 acres and is home to various events year-round.

The lake itself would take about 10,133 acres at 14 miles in length and 1.5 miles in width. It would contain 187,839 acre feet of water and provide 85,507 acre-feet per year to water supply customers.

Data in the Environmental Impact Statement, a large document detailing all the ways the lake would affect the environment, states some of the vegetation in the area includes bottomland hardwood, herbaceous wetlands, shrub-scrub wetlands, riverine, grassland and upland forest and upland shrub-scrub. Animals that call the proposed site home include white tail deer, ferrell hogs, the fox and gray squirrels, swamp rabbits, eastern cottontails, armadillos, beavers, hawks, owls and many other common animals.

Current water area hosts aquatic life including gars, 13 species of minors, three species of catfish, 10 species of sunfish and various perches.

Holcomb stated he does not have a specified timeline for a record of decision which would allow or deny the project to move forward.

“The next steps are to assemble public comments received during the public comment period, then incorporate relevant comments into the Environmental Impact Statement,” he added.

He also stated if the project is issued a permit, the Angelina and Neches River Authority will have to enter into construction contracts with participants before any activity can begin.

Holcomb added in a correspondence to Austin Bank the project would bring 675 construction jobs over a five year cycle with a total payroll of about $73 million, 361 permanent jobs related to recreational spending with an estimated payroll of $33.7 million and 372 permanent jobs for goods and services with an estimated income of $8.1 million.

Public comments about the lake may be sent to Brent Jasper, regulatory project manager, Regulatory Branch, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth District, P. O. Box 17300, Fort Worth, TX 76102 until March 30. Those wishing to comment may also contact the Angelina and Neches River Authority at 936-632-7795.