Dear Editor:

We are against having a reservoir/lake in Washington Parish. There are numerous reasons why the Washington Reservoir should not be permitted to continue. Not only are we concerned about our homes and heritage, but we are extremely concerned about our cemeteries and community church.

Oak Grove Church will be blocked by water over all three roads that otherwise would give access. Oak Grove Church is discussing the possibility of adding a new building for the Sunday school services. The church has a lot of new members and is really growing. People are coming from all over the parish to worship in the little church. The church is packed with new and old members. It was established in the early 1900s.

Recently we had a funeral at the church for one of our beloved ladies in our community. We care for our loved ones and protect and keep where they are laid to rest. It is our culture and way of life that we do not want disturbed.

The State of Louisiana is broke with no money to support an unneeded and unwanted reservoir/lake. The land that they want to cover with water won’t hold water. I had to have my new pond packed with clay because it wouldn’t fill with water. A dam will not hold on Sand Hill, it is too sandy and will leak out from under the dam. People in Ben’s Ford and Bogalusa will be afraid to go to sleep due to the fear that the dam will break. Quite a number of people have expressed to us their fears over the building of the earthen dam reservoir. It would be difficult not to have the potential for dam failure on your mind and worry about it. We don’t need that nightmare. There is too much at stake to allow this reservoir to consume our entire community. The cost is too great financially and emotionally.

We are afraid that our parish and community will go down the drain. It is evident that this reservoir project is not for potable or non-potable water. There’s no need for additional recreation areas. We have plenty. It’s all about enriching a certain few and pushing out the common people so the rich can have their playgrounds while our lives are uprooted and our community is destroyed.

– Benjamin L. Thomas Sr.

Edward McDonald