# Texas AG backs public access to East Texas waterway

> Texas Attorney General sides with locals in fight over historic waterway access.
- Title: Texas AG backs public access to East Texas waterway | Shortify
- Summary: Texas Attorney General sides with locals in fight over historic waterway access. Texas Attorney General's office says Creslenn Lake is a public waterway…
- Keywords: creslenn lake, trinity river, philip surls, save the cutoff, iron river ranch ii llc, 12th court of appeals, news, local, Texas, backs, public, access
- Source: Texastribune — https://feeds.texastribune.org/link/16799/17501752/east-texas-waterway-attorney-general-briefing
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: creslenn lake, trinity river, philip surls, save the cutoff, iron river ranch ii llc, 12th court of appeals, news, local
## Texas AG opinion
Texas Attorney General's office says Creslenn Lake is a public waterway.

> The trial court ignored the historic use of creslenn lake and erred in its conclusion that neither the cutoff nor the old cedar creek are navigable
## Waterway dispute
Rancher Phillip Surls fenced off single boat ramp in 2022.

> When the land surrounding it was sold to wealthy businessman philip surls, he fenced off the single remaining boat ramp
## Legal battle
Residents lost court cases but push for public access since 2022.

> Save the cutoff has lost nearly every court battle for the cutoff, but has continued to push for its return to public use as it was prior to 2022
## Opposition stance
Surls' lawyer says waterway is not public and law is outdated.

> There's no evidence in the record at all, up, down and sideways of impounding a navigable stream
## Court decision
12th Court of Appeals will rule on public access in days or months.

> The court will read through all the filings and issue an opinion
## Key takeaway

Texas Attorney General's office says Creslenn Lake is a public waterway, supporting residents' legal challenge against rancher Phillip Surls who fenced off the area.