(cont.)
Current plans place the park on the west shore of what is now Lake Shepherd Springs. Access to the park is tentatively planned from a point on Highway 71 about 2 miles south of Artist Point.
The new, larger lake will provide recreation opportunities such as boating and swimming that are not currently possible at Lake Fort Smith. Because the lake will be a drinking water supply, some restrictions of the location and types of boating and swimming
activities will be necessary. For example, to protect water quality, boating and swimming will not be allowed within three-quarters of a mile of the treatment plant intake.
Preliminary designs for the new park will be available for comment at public meetings
scheduled for March in Mountainburg and Fort Smith. Comments received at these meetings will help determine the design of the park and the construction schedule. The Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism has not yet decided if some of the existing park facilities will be replaced before construction of the new dam causes the park to close in 2002.
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Rock and Soil Testing
Shannon and Wilson, Inc., a geotechnical subconsultant to Burns & McDonnell, continues to take soil and rock core samples from the project site. Recent efforts have focused on investigating the geology of the east dam abutment and the area where the outlet tunnel will be located.
Cultural Resource Survey
Archeologists from Burns & McDonnell will soon begin surveying areas around the lake that may be disturbed by construction or inundation. They will be looking for sites containing unrecorded historic artifacts greater than 50 years old, and evaluating known historic sites for eligibility for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. The purpose of the survey is to prevent the loss of historically or scientifically significant cultural resources.
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Progress on Permitting
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Little Rock District, has approved the Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for publication. This document is available for public review and comment at local public libraries and the Mountainburg City Hall. A public hearing on the city of Fort Smith's application for a Section 404 Dredge and Fill permit from the Corps of Engineers will probably take place in April.
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For more information,please contact:
Utility Department
3900 Kelley Hwy
Fort Smith, AR 72904
(501) 785-2801
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