The main purpose of the Wallisville Lake Project, which includes Lake Charlotte, is to control salinity levels in the lower Trinity River and adjacent wetlands. It wasn’t originally required to have a formal Water Management Plan, but now, due to congressional action, this will be required. The plan will specify operating conditions for the Project’s two actively-operated components: the saltwater barrier and navigation lock located on the main stem of the Trinity River south of I-10, and Structure A (known informally to paddlers as the “flow restrictor”) located on The Cutoff to the southeast of Champion Lake. Decisions regarding their operation will continue to be based on tides, river flows, winds, and drought conditions.
The US Army Corps of Engineers plans to post a summary of the proposed manual on the website for the Wallisville Lake Project Office at https://www.swg.usace.army.mil/Locations/Wallisville-Lake-Project-Office/. A copy of the complete text of the manual is also planned to be posted to the same website.
The public is invited to comment on the manual between August 5 and September 4, 2024. Give the posted materials a look and send in your comments to CESWG-Watermanagement@usace.army.mil, Attn: Wallisville WCM. You might want to mention that the Lake Charlotte/Trinity River area is a popular destination for paddling recreation, and that you personally paddle there. Needless to say, maintaining water levels adequate for paddling in Lake Charlotte is a priority for canoeists and kayakers.