State to restore flood area near Jackson to recreational park

JACKSON, Tenn. — Outdoor enthusiasts in West Tennessee will soon get a new place to explore.

West Tennessee River Basin Authority announced Monday that the state of Tennessee has acquired an 858-acre floodplain area north of Jackson in community of Three Way.

The plan is to restore the area back to its natural habitat. However, they are also planning to use the land for recreational purposes.

“There will be hiking and biking trails, canoeing, wildlife viewing and we’re going to restore habitat for water fowl and bottom land hardwood forest,” said David Blackwood, a civil engineer with WTRBA.

Blackwood says the project is still in the planning and proposal phase. However, the project is slated to begin construction some time in 2018 and be open to the public by 2021.

In addition to the announcement, WTRBA provided some visual models of what the park may look like when completed: