Kenneth Reneau told a group of city managers and water supply corporation representatives that he needs their involvement in order to accurately tailor plans for accessing water from Lake Columbia.

Reneau, general manager of the Angelina Neches River Authority (ANRA), made a presentation to officials at a meeting Friday (Jan. 20) at the Norman Activity Center in Jacksonville.

And even though predictions put the lake’s completion at about 2010. Reneau knows the time to begin this planning is now.

“Now is the time to discuss how to get water from the lake to you,” he said. “We are planning for the long term.”

Reneau said the state commissioned a study on water needs, but he believes that the water consumption projections are misleading.

“They based their projections on current use,” he said. “They didn’t factor in growth.

History

Planning for what was then called Lake Eastex began in 1978. And for a long time, it was only an idea.

Things stepped up in 1984 when engineering studies were done. A water permit was issued in 1985, and a planning any state designated ecologically unique stream segments, nor will it inundate any priority 1 bottomland hardwood areas identified by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,” Reneau said.

Lake Columbia is a recommended water supply strategy in the 2002 Texas Water Plan, which also recognizes the proposed site as a “unique reservoir site” suitable for legislative confirmation.

The lake is designed to serve a five-county area, including Rusk, Cherokee, Angelina, Smith and Nacogdoches counties.

Ancillary effects

While the proposed lake’s primary function is water supply, the building of a lake creates other opportunities.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife has its eye on stocking the lake with fish and trying to recreate the renowned popularity of Lake Forks and making it a haven for fishermen.

“Lake Fork is widely considered the best fishing in the area,” Reneau said. “So TP&W wants to see if it can create fishing conditions similar to the lake.”

There is also property to consider, and Reneau said steps are being taken to make sure the area is developed properly.

ANRA is working on shoreline development rules, regulations

to keep shoreline and

water clean, providing three study was done in 1991.

In 2000, ANRA made application to the Army Corps of Engineers, and a state permit was issued in 2001.

Lots of attention came in 2003, when State Sen. Todd Staples initiated a name change. The proposed lake was renamed Lake Columbia not long after the space shuttle exploded over East Texas.

“We thought it was a fitting tribute – both to those who died in the explosion and the legions of East Texans who participated in the recovery effort,” Reneau said.

Still, with red tape, Reneau knows a realistic date of completion is still years away.

General Project

Information

The primar y purpose of Lake Columbia is water supply.

The lake will be located in the Mud Creek floodplain, approximately 10 miles northeast of Jacksonville, primarily in Cherokee County, with the northern limits of the lake extending into Smith County. It will be 14 miles in length, 1.5 miles wide; cover 10,000 acres; contain 187,839 acre feet of water; and provide 85,507 acre feet of water per year to water supply customers.

Environmental studies indicate that the Lake Columbia site contains no endangered species as listed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “The project will not impact public access areas and creating subdivision regulations.

“All of these issues have to be addressed before long,” Reneau said.

What Each City Must Do

Reneau stressed to city leaders and water supply representatives the need to begin now deciding how they want the water delivered.

There are two options: build pipelines and pump raw water to an entity where it’s then treated, or purchase the water already treated.

Geography plays a big role in the decision. So does each entity’s infrastructure.

Those with existing treatment plants would find it less expensive to buy the water raw and expand plants to handle a larger capacity.

In turn, others could buy from these cities already treated water.

But whatever the decision, Reneau stress that it is worth the investment.

“It might cost money to invest in pipeline, but it will pay off in the end,” he said. “It’s certainly a better option than the uncertainty of drilling a well that could very well not make.

“At any rate, I’ve learned you always plan for the worstcase scenario where need is concerned – especially in terms of electricity, water and highways. “