Alligator spotted in ditch near Lewisville Lake

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A 9-foot alligator has made Lake Lewisville its new home.

Officials spotted the gator Monday in a drainage ditch near the dam on the downstream side.

It's about 200 yards from the Elm Fork of the Trinity River and a swampy area that's still flooded with water from the lake.

A spokeswoman for the Army Corps of Engineers said it's actually not uncommon for alligators to be in the area, because it is basically their natural habitat. There are no plans to remove it.

Residents don't need to worry as long as they stay away from the animal and don't feed it, officials said.