NOTE: Today most people only know that Caney Creek Reservoir and Caney Lake State Park is considered one of the jewels of Sportsman’s Paradise, as the state is called. Few remember the countless trials, tribulations, pitfalls and roadblocks that had to be overcome or the role that Woody McDonald played in changing the woods into water. This week – In the beginning!
(Ben Ledbetter, Jackson Parish Journal) The year was 1966 and the more Woody McDonald thought about it the more he knew that having a lake in Jackson Parish was a great idea. His confidence grew even greater when after mentioning the idea to the local movers and shakers, virtually everyone seemed to be on board with having a local lake.
The timing was right also as McDonald knew the political climate down in Baton Rouge was probably as favorable to such a project as it would ever get. North Louisiana had a lot of clout in those days as the state’s governor, John McKeithen, hailed from neighboring Caldwell Parish and was coming right behind Jackson Parish native, Jimmie Davis. There was also a young and coming new political dynamo making his presence felt as a state Representative in Jonesboro resident Bubba Henry.
“Bubba played a key role in the beginning,” said McDonald. “In those days he worked closely with the Public Works Department.”
In 1967, the Jackson / Bienville Lake Commission agreed on two sites for the proposed lake. One was in the western part of Jackson Parish, north of Hodge and west of Quitman with the other being in the bottomlands of Caney Creek and several other smaller tributaries, located south and west of Chatham.
Thorough research proved western site was not the best location due to possibile flooding problems a lake would cause in and around Quitman and the fact that two cemeteries would have to be relocated. After many more meetings both locally and in Baton Rouge it was finally settled that the Caney Creek area would be the best location leading to several years of surveys being done and watershed plans being drawn up.
At some point of virtually every week, McDonald went to Baton Rouge where he met with Henry and members of the Department of Public Works (DPW) going over plans for the lake and lobbying for funding of the project.
Something else that McDonald wanted was to have a Lake Commission of only Jackson Parish residents formed. This came to fruition in August of 1971 when Governor McKeithen appointed seven men to a newly created Jackson Parish Watershed Commission.
McDonald was named Chairman with Dub Horton being Vice Chairman, James Anderson the Secretary and W.L. Browder, Tracy Rushing, Harry Mims and W.W. Dark rounding out the panel. After several years where it seemed that progress was crawling forward positive events suddenly started to move rapidly.
Soon after the creation of the Commission excitement was abound among the members as news that that finally appropriation for an initial survey was granted by the DPW to be done by the firm of Gilbert and Fincher. The DPW also sent notification that within a matter of weeks Lake Commissioners would be receiving final copies of the map of the lake.
This meant soon negotiations for the flood rights could begin, easements could be sought and the necessary paperwork could be done. Additional good news was that plans for a proposed state park to be constructed at the lake were in the works.
“Everything was falling into place,” recalled McDonald. “Then we started running into difficulty.”
Next week – Negotiatons hit a snag!