That dam park
Randleman Reservoir, created by the Randleman Dam, could fill up this year, giving Guilford County a future source of drinking water.
The pending fill-up is also spurring construction of Southwest Park, a 513-acre recreational area on the lake's northwestern arm that could be a bonanza for hikers and bird watchers.
The park design is essentially finished, but the plans still need approval from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the county commissioners before construction begins. Those sign-offs should come in a couple months.
An updated draft of the park's master plan is available here. Note the wetlands, the trails, the canoe launch, and the two softball fields. (The motorboat launch will sit near the lake's southern end.)
County planner Roger Bardsley says the reservoir will be popular with anglers because new lakes offer their best fishing just a few years after they're created. The large wetland-and-wildflower area in the park should attract plenty of birds.
If construction starts this year, the park could open in mid-2007.