Stephen F. Austin State University

NACOGDOCHES — The Lake Naconiche project is becoming a reality, but the Nacogdoches County Board of Park Commissioners said the area is still off limits for public use.

The board voted during Thursday's parks board meeting to prohibit hunting and fishing at the Lake Naconiche site until the park is open, and the board also voted to approve issuing citations to anyone who is caught breaking that mandate. Contractors, SFA students, and other parks and wildlife representative are currently performing studies in the area, which the board agreed could pose a safety risk to those not authorized to be there.

"Remember, you've got people all over that lake doing studies," County Land Agent George Campbell said. "These people are out there in the woods, and, with respect to hunting, an accident can happen."

Further, the board voted to prohibit all public use of the site for any reason. Campbell said only authorized personnel with specific county business should be able to enter the site.

"We're filling the lake, doing ongoing studies, and we're measuring and creating wetlands. We don't need any type of activity that would destroy or impact what we're trying to create," Campbell said.

The board also moved forward with a plan to use an underground electrical system as opposed to an overhead system. Campbell said an overhead electrical system would be "a continual maintenance problem," and the county would also have to clear more trees if it chose that route.

"There's a tremendous number of trees in that park. We've got 60-foot trees, and there are some fine hardwoods that are very unique that we'd like to leave," Campbell said.

The county should be ready to start stocking the first round of fish in the lake as soon as next week, according to Parks Board Chairman Jimmy Mize, though he said fishing will not be permitted for about two years. Mize estimated that the park should be open some time in 2010.