U.S. Army Corps of Engineers seeks public comments on Hunter Lake proposal
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will host a forum to seek public comment and answer questions about Springfield's proposed Hunter Lake.
The forum will take place at Lincoln Library, 326 S. Seventh St., at 5 p.m. Wednesday.
The city would need a permit from the USACE and city council approval to go forward with a second lake.
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The man-made lake, which would be constructed east of Lake Springfield by damming Horse Creek, has been talked about as an alternative water supply since the aftermath of drought conditions in 1953-1955.
Following the drought, the city constructed a movable low-head dam across the south fork of the Sangamon River to supplement the water supply during low lake levels.
Although a final environmental impact statement published in 2000 identified the construction of the Hunter Lake Reservoir "as the preferred alternative," opponents have pointed to spiraling costs and degradation of wetlands, forests, and endangered species habitat, along with loss of farmland, as reasons against the proposal.
Public commentary on USACE's draft environmental impact statement released Aug. 11, and the public notice for the permit application will be open until Sept. 25.
Written comments should be directed to the Regulatory Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District, Clock Tower Building, Post Office Box 2004, Rock Island, IL 61204-2004. Email comments be submitted to cemvr-odpublicnotice@usace.army.mil.
Contact Steven Spearie: 217-622-1788; sspearie@sj-r.com; X, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie.
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Springfield's Hunter Lake proposal topic of public forum
