Hundreds Meet to Help Shape the Future of Table Rock Lake Master Plan
By: KOLR10 News
Updated: December 6, 2012
SPRINGFIELD, Mo -- Hundreds attended a meeting today to discuss Table Rock Lake's future.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers held its third and final public information meeting in Branson to get input from residents about how to update Table Rock's out-of-date master plan.
Table Rock's current master plan, which guides the management of the government lands around the edge of the lake and natural resources, was last updated in 1976.
The Corp hosted a series of meetings this week to get public input on how they want the new plan to be revised, so many people attended the previous meetings that comment sheets ran out and today hundreds attended the final meeting to continue to voice concerns for Table Rock Lake's future.
Locals have been enjoying this shoreline for more than 50 years
But the plan to protect Table Rock Lake's 700 miles of beaches is out of date so a new initiative is now exploring plans to ensure the sustainability of the man made lake protecting its waters and wildlife.
Locals say it's about time.
"I would say the main concern is the quality of the water," said Robert Reynolds.
Reynolds is one of the more than 400 people that attended the final master plan meeting today.
The plan is designed to help provide a vision for how the lake should look in the future but Reynolds says the 30 year old vision of Table Rock Lake is murky and thinks twice before stepping in.
"The quality is getting to the point to where I don't really want to be comfortable doing that," said Reynolds.
But it's not the only part of the old plan that's being revised.
The current plan estimates that the lake would see 20 million visitors annually by the year 2020, but current visitation to Table Rock Lake is already between 40 to 50 million visitors every year.
"It's time," said Dana Coburn.
Coburn is with the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers and the project manager for the Table Rock Lake master plan revision. She says the planning process for a new master plan includes studying the potential effects on the natural and social environment of the lake including wildlife, land use, recreation and public health and safety and public meetings are the first step.
"This is our initial outreach to the folks we want to get their input on how they feel the lake should look in the next 20 years," said Coburn.
And hundreds of locals want to get involved in the planning process.
"We have to maintain our shorelines. Secondly water quality and than bring more commercial interests in," said Chuck Barnhart.
So hopefully 20 years from now the new master plan will be clearer.
http://www.swl.usace.army.mil/Missions/Planning/TableRockMasterPlanUpdate.aspx
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers held its third and final public information meeting in Branson to get input from residents about how to update Table Rock's out-of-date master plan.
Table Rock's current master plan, which guides the management of the government lands around the edge of the lake and natural resources, was last updated in 1976.
The Corp hosted a series of meetings this week to get public input on how they want the new plan to be revised, so many people attended the previous meetings that comment sheets ran out and today hundreds attended the final meeting to continue to voice concerns for Table Rock Lake's future.
Locals have been enjoying this shoreline for more than 50 years
But the plan to protect Table Rock Lake's 700 miles of beaches is out of date so a new initiative is now exploring plans to ensure the sustainability of the man made lake protecting its waters and wildlife.
Locals say it's about time.
"I would say the main concern is the quality of the water," said Robert Reynolds.
Reynolds is one of the more than 400 people that attended the final master plan meeting today.
The plan is designed to help provide a vision for how the lake should look in the future but Reynolds says the 30 year old vision of Table Rock Lake is murky and thinks twice before stepping in.
"The quality is getting to the point to where I don't really want to be comfortable doing that," said Reynolds.
But it's not the only part of the old plan that's being revised.
The current plan estimates that the lake would see 20 million visitors annually by the year 2020, but current visitation to Table Rock Lake is already between 40 to 50 million visitors every year.
"It's time," said Dana Coburn.
Coburn is with the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers and the project manager for the Table Rock Lake master plan revision. She says the planning process for a new master plan includes studying the potential effects on the natural and social environment of the lake including wildlife, land use, recreation and public health and safety and public meetings are the first step.
"This is our initial outreach to the folks we want to get their input on how they feel the lake should look in the next 20 years," said Coburn.
And hundreds of locals want to get involved in the planning process.
"We have to maintain our shorelines. Secondly water quality and than bring more commercial interests in," said Chuck Barnhart.
So hopefully 20 years from now the new master plan will be clearer.
http://www.swl.usace.army.mil/Missions/Planning/TableRockMasterPlanUpdate.aspx
