By Morgan Montlavo
WOAI News
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Thursday evening offered Canyon Lake residents a chance to offer their input on a revised master plan for the popular Hill County recreation site.
Marcus Schimank, lake manager for the Corps, says the current plan dates back to the 1970s and was in need of updates to address population growth, construction, and protection of environmentally sensitive and culturally significant areas.
Schimank says 338 acres of land around the lake are reclassified under the revisions, but the public either won't notice, or be asked to avoid certain areas on a seasonal basis, such as during the nesting season of the golden cheeked warbler, also known as the gold finch, native bird listed as endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
He says the plan updates do not deal with flood control or routine land use.About 50 people attended the public forum at the lake's community center.
After a period reserved for public comment, Schimank says, if there are no legal challenges the revisions should take effect by late 2017.
PHOTO: ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS