On Friday, the Army Corps said it would not issue a wetlands permit for the reservoir, which the state had hoped to build by damming the Bogue Lusa Creek.
Plans called for building a 3,400-acre reservoir capable of providing 51,000 gallons of water a day and flooding land occupied by about 30 homes, three cemeteries and a church.
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"This is not the end of the project at all," said Huey Long Pierce, the chairman of the Washington Parish Reservoir Commission. "We're not going away."
Pierce said the commission has resubmitted an application for a wetlands permit to the Army Corps.
Mike McNair, the corps' regulatory branch chief in Vicksburg, Miss., said the permit process was scrapped because the project had undergone major changes since the reservoir commission first applied for a permit in 2005.
Initially, the commission said the reservoir would be for Washington residents, McNair said, but "the scope changed to industrial water supply for future industry."
He said another change was the commission's intention to supply water to other parts of Louisiana.
Another issue is whether there is a need for the reservoir. Data from the U.S. Geological Survey shows that the area's aquifer is in good shape.
Pierce, the reservoir commission chairman, said the Army Corps misinterpreted the original application.
"Our purpose and need has been identical from the beginning," Pierce said, "to furnish potable water. Potable water includes irrigation, economic development, recreation, a lot of things."
He added: "We're losing 1 foot to 2 foot a year in our aquifer. That is our long-term drinking water source."
Also, he said Bogue Lusa Creek is "drying up more and more by the day."
The reservoir project has run into stiff opposition from residents who would be affected, most of them from the small community of Oak Grove.
"The water is so plentiful here that there is no need for it," said Bogue Lusa resident Jalon Beech, a 47-year-old medical claims analyst who was raised in Oak Grove.
The reservoir, she said, "would benefit only a few, like real estate developers ... They don't even consider what they may destroy — the homes, the wildlife, the timber."
Beech and her relatives have a lot to lose if the reservoir is built: Her family's roots in Oak Grove go back to the 1830s, and the family still owns about 70 acres.
"The log home that my great-great-grandfather built is still there," she said. "It would be about 60 feet underwater."
McNair said the Army Corps would take a look at the commission's second permit application.
"We're a neutral party, neither for it nor against it," McNair said about the proposed reservoir project.
Comments
greg wrote on Aug 13, 2009 12:16 AM:
Allen Resident wrote on Jul 16, 2009 5:34 PM:
The old and poor shouldn't suffer to build wealthy Lakefront retirement communities.
Taxpayers shouldn't spend $100 million to make developers wealthy.
Mr. Pierce and his commission will try to justify the wrong that they do, and have convinced themselves that what they are doing is right.
They need to look inside their heart, and stop coveting thy neighbor's house. "
James wrote on Jul 16, 2009 5:21 PM:
Reservoir Commission member, Bill Jenkins said, "We're not real sure how it might affect us
We're aware of the indictment based on the news article, but we need to figure out what we need to do".
Money continues to flow, and is wasted on unneeded reservoirs in a State drowning in water and political corruption.
It seems Mr. Pierce and his Reservoir Commission will remain steadfast in their unchristian effort to
desecrate Cemeteries, Churches, and take homes to "
former resident wrote on Jul 15, 2009 1:06 PM:
Water Quality wrote on Jul 15, 2009 10:41 AM:
Truth wrote on Jul 14, 2009 8:38 AM:
doody wrote on Jul 14, 2009 8:01 AM:
Jean Stewart wrote on Jul 14, 2009 6:36 AM:
an oak grove resident wrote on Jul 13, 2009 9:39 PM:
The money is baldy needed for road repair for which it was intended !
I believe 2 million has been wasted thus far in engineering and impact studies "
Just Me wrote on Jul 13, 2009 9:19 PM:
parish native wrote on Jul 13, 2009 3:33 PM:
Oops wrote on Jul 13, 2009 12:22 PM:
One thing Mr. Pierce never ever told anyone about was the plan to sell water to other parts of the state. I guess they misinterpreted that, is that correct Mr. Pierce?
I heard someone say that when you always tell the truth you never have trouble remembering what you said. Looks like Mr. Pierce has some memory problems. You got caught. "