The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) is now in the final stages of creating an area in Wells Bottom that will allow bank access to the Cumberland River for fishing purposes.

The project first came to the Clinton County Fiscal Court more than a year ago and Thursday, May 24, the path to the river was cut out and is ready for use.

“I’m going to tell people it’s ready to be used,” Fourth District Magistrate Ricky Craig said. “I think it will get a lot of use.”

Although the project had been presented more than a year ago to the fiscal court, the KDFWR has spent three or more years on the project alone.

It became a “go” for Clinton County when the fiscal court voted to accept a road into the county system to give access from the Wells Bottom area to the lower Cumberland River.

“It’s getting in the final stages. I talked to Scott (Merryfield), our contractor, and he has done a pretty nice improvement to your little community,” Lee Kemper, of the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wilflife said. “I’m sure it will be greatly appreciated.”

Kemper said the project was contructed to provide a 15-20 vehicle parking lot for bank fishing access.

“We are going to work with the landowner and we will have access to this resource right here,” Kemper said.

Last July, Tony Wheatley, staff assistant/land acquisition, and Eric Brooker of the engineering division with the Department of Fish and Wildlife, addressed the fiscal court about the local project they said had been in the works since 2008.

Brooker is currently overseeing the local venture, which was estimated to be at least a $140,000 project.

Wheatley said the department’s strategic plan called for increasing angler/fishermen access to the upper Cumberland River, and that was possible at an area at Wells Bottom in northern Clinton County. He added that a property owner in the area had agreed to sell land for the project and funds were in place in the form of a 75/25 matching Sport Fish Recreation grant.

The land the project is taking place on was purchased from Sam Hadley.

Craig is optimistic that in the future, there will be access to the island. He said funding will have to come through donations and fundraising in order for that to happen.

“I’m hoping a swinging bridge can be constructed at some point to give people access to the island,” Craig said.

The island is called Snow Island and is located just east of Rockhouse on the Cumberland River.

“This is going to be nice,” Craig said. “People who want to fish can come down here at no extra charge. It’s going to be a good thing. People can bring their kids down here and things like that.”

The project, when completed, is expected to be a major tourism and economic boost to the Cumberland River area, including Clinton County.

“It will be a good thing … it will be good for anybody who wants to fish,” Craig said. “People could come down and just sit on the bank. We’ve got the potential right now to grow.”

Once the project is complete, Craig is hoping the county will host events at the fishing location like fishing derbys and other events.

“We need to promote it anyway we can,” Craig said. “We need to get these kids out and take them fishing. If you get the kids, you will have the parents.”

Although funding through the county is tight and with the budget recently being approved, Craig is hopeful more funding will come from the KDFWR once the area has been utilized by the public.

“We are hoping with this project we can get some funding,” Craig said. “The contractor said they were hoping to get it fenced and gated today (Thursday, May 24). They are moving right along with it. It’s going to be an added benefit for the county. I honestly believe that they will come up with some more funding for this project. It’s going to be too good of a thing and with the fish and wildlife behind it, it will be more interesting for people.”

The main reason for the public access to the Cumberland River is the lack of access in the area to the river. The KDFWR wanted to create more access to this fishing and recreational resource.

During that fiscal court meeting last year, Wheatley explained there were only two current access points to the Cumberland River at this time, those being below the dam and at Helm’s Bottom.

He went on to estimate that opening the third access point would create up to a $300,000 to $400,000 economic impact to this area, and noted even that was a conservative estimate.

“Most of the area around the upper Cumberland is private ownership, so there are limited access areas,” Wheatley said. He said the extra access point from Clinton County, the already estimated 36,000 number of anglers who use the river for fishing and tourism each year would likely only increase. He added that the shoal of the island at Wells Bottom would be one of the better fishing points on the Cumberland River.

In late July of 2011, the court, with assistance from County Attorney Michael Rains and advice from the Department of Local Government, voted to amend its road ordinance to help clear the way for the access road.

The project will be beneficial to our youth, local fishermen, and families, Judge Lyle Huff said at a fiscal court meeting earlier in the year, adding he felt there would be family functions such as picnics and other activities that would take place at the site in the future.

“I’m pleased with the cooperation shown by the fiscal court, my office and the Department of Fish and Wildlife in making this project possible,” he added.

Craig said that added tax revenues, plus the possibility of additional homes being built in the area as an indirect result of the project will be a positive one for the county even in years to come.

“If we (fiscal court) hadn’t of acted on it (project), another county would have,” Craig continued, in noting the department was looking for another access area from some point when they decided the area in Clinton County would be the best.

Earth moving equipment was being used last week to prepare a parking lot near the new fishing access point in Clinton County, located on the Cumberland River.