Col. John Echols

Marshall | Park Ranger

Colonel Echols grew up in Marshall and returned after retirement from the Air Force to live in Uncertain, Texas, on the shores of Caddo Lake. There he worked for Parks and Wildlife at Caddo Lake State Park as a ranger, ran the Longs Camp Fishing Camp, and grew active in efforts to protect Caddo Lake through a group that he and friends formed, called the Greater Caddo Lake Association. Mr. Echols and the Association were involved in controlling damaging flood releases from the Lake O’ the Pines dam, in blocking permits for effluent from a paper mill and sewage treatment plant, opposing construction of the Little Cypress Reservoir, challenging proposals by Shreveport to pump water from Caddo Lake, stopping efforts by the Corps of Engineers to dredge a channel through the Lake, and in spearheading other efforts to protect Caddo.