Corps Closing parks!

[JBradley]

Has anyone read about this? i know it doesnt affect the paddling community very much, but i feel like us hunters who enjoy boat ramps and easy access to waterfowl and fishing utilize alot of these boat ramps and camp sites.

Ive also put in my rec boat at a few of these places, practiced cartwheels,and taught people to roll.

LITTLE ROCK (AP) — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Little Rock district announced plans to reduce operations at 29 parks — including closures and reduced service at multiple sites in Pope, Yell and Johnson counties — to save $1.9 million a year.

Included in the proposed changes unveiled Wednesday were the closure of Dwight Mission near Russellville, a 120-day reduction to the operating season at Piney Bay and the closure of all 52 campsites at Sweeden Island. (See accompanying box for a full list of operating changes proposed by the Corps.)

The Corps said it will conduct public meetings next month in Russellville, Ozark, Mountain Home and Heber Springs to discuss the proposed changes, which include the closure of 13 campgrounds across the state.

The Corps said it’s also considering making the recreation season shorter at many parks.

U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor said the plan calls for the closure of 500 out of the state’s 6,000 campsites. The senator said he’ll work with the Corps to ensure there’s a fair process in place to decide which campsites are closed.

The following are proposed changes to park operations grouped by lake or river project.

Dardanelle

• Adjustments affect seven of the 16 parks.

• Cabin Creek: Close day use. Leave boat ramp open.

• Cane Creek: Close all 16 campsites. Leave boat ramp open

• Delaware: Close all 13 Campsites.

• Dwight Mission: Total closure.

• Dublin Park: Partial day use closure. Leave boat ramp open.

• Piney Bay: Reduce season by 120 days

• Shoal Bay: Reduce season by 120 days

• Will not fill 11 summer ranger positions.

• Defer filling one Engineering Technician.

UPPER ARKANSAS RIVER

• Adjustments affect 6 of 13 parks.

• Bigelow: Close day use and boat ramp.

• Old Ferry Landing: Close day use and boat ramp.

• Pontoon: Close boat ramp

• Sequoyah: Close all 14 campsites. No boat ramp currently.

• Cypress Creek: Close all 9 campsites. Leave boat ramp open.

• Sweeden Island: Close all 52 campsites.

• Will not fill 11 summer ranger positions.

•Defer filling one Engineering Technician.

NIMROD AND BLUE MOUNTAIN

• Adjustments affect one of the seven parks.

• County Line: Close all 20 campsites

• Reduce seasonal hires by 2 summer rangers, and 2 summer maintenance workers.

BEAVER

• No park facilities will close.

• Will not fill vacant park ranger position supporting shoreline management/natural resource management.

• Will not hire one summer park ranger.

BULL SHOALS

• Adjustments involve two of the 19 parks.

• Damsite: Close all 35 campsites. Leave boat ramp open.

• Pontiac: Close all 33 campsites. Leave boat ramp open.

• Reduce hours of 10 summer personnel from full-time to part-time

• Will not fill one temporary maintenance worker.

CLEARWATER

• Adjustments involve two of the five parks.

• River Road: Shorten season to 134 days.

• Highway K: Shorten season to 91 days.

GREERS FERRY

• Adjustments affect seven of 11 parks.

• Mill Creek: Close all 39 campsites. Leave boat ramp open.

• Cherokee: Close all 33 campsites. Leave boat ramp open.

• Damsite: Close 89 of 230 Corps-operated campsites. Some additional sites are leased to the marina already.

• Heber Springs: Close 28 of 124 campsites; one waterborne restroom.

• Sugar Loaf: Close 17 of 88 campsites.

• Shiloh: Close 17 of 115 campsites.

• Narrows: Lease all 59 campsites to concessionaire.

• Limit working hours of nine summer ranger positions.

• Will not hire seven summer rangers.

NORFORK

• Adjustments affect one of the 20 parks.

• Jordan: Close all 40 campsites. Leave boat ramp open.

• Reduce hours of 10 summer personnel from full-time to part-time.

• Will not fill one temporary maintenance worker.

OZARK

• Adjustments affect three of the 10 parks.

• Citadel Bluff: Close all 25 campsites and launch ramp.

• Reed Mountain: Close day use. Leave boat ramp open.

• River Ridge: Close all 24 campsites and boat ramp.

• Will not fill 11 summer ranger positions.

• Defer filling one Engineering Technician.

Read more: The Courier — Your Messenger for the River Valley - Corps proposes closures cutbacks at local sites

[rugger]

I don't see why they couldn't leave the ramps open, even if they close the campsites. I use the ramp in Bigelow when we goose hunt on the river.

[Cowper]

I didn't have time to look yet, but if you figure times of public meetings, I'm sure we can get a sticky and maybe a few folks to show up and express concern about the extent of closings and personnel reductions.

[MaxTexan]

I do not work for the Corps, but another federal agency. I have learned that each agency does things differently.

However, one reason for closing a location and not leading access to the boat ramp, etc. may be related to how that agency computes ovehead related to property. IF they leave a location open, when just for a boat ramp, they have to keep a certain amount in thier budget for repair and maintenance.

[fryingsquirrel]

I saw one mane in there that caught my attention: Cypress Creek Park, on the Arkansas. It is a sad example of a Corps park that is gone downhill tremendously. I was out there a while back and most of the picnic tables were gone or broken, there was a large tree down on a table and campsite. The roads onto the campground were blocked off by brush, and the "campground host" didn't even seem to care. Real sad. Another one like this nearby is the Palarm Creek Park. Same story, paths choked out by undergrowth, picnic tables gone or broken, and the Corps doesn't even seem to care. It is a sad truth that when spending gets cut, the public recreation areas are some of the first to suffer. I don't want to start a big argument here, but would the money spent on building that new pedestrian bridge over the Little Maumelle and Arkansas confluence be better used to maintain existing facilities? It just seems like a shame to me.
My $.02
Jon Ellwood

[Clif]

Fed spending MUST come down. Some of it will hurt. Not all cut decisions will be good ones. Easy ones will go first.

Some of the parks on the GFL list also are sad shape. No real bath houses and no traffic. Ramps maybe but few day trippers and campers. Even sugar loaf which gets tons of use is rarely full ..'cept for holiday weekends.

not really making a stand here or there...just sayin. I hate to see rec facilities get cut.. but also hate to see them neglected and misused.

[Shark Attack]

My family spent a few weekends last year researching recreational facilities closer to home. We visited every one of the sites listed at Lake Dardenelle for closure. We love Piney Bay, but those listed to be closed are basically "crack camps" that have become a huge burden on the local law enforcement. Maybe it is time to sell some property back to private owners to make the property once again productive and have real estate taxes paid to the counties that are now burdened by the current problems.

[v rainh2O]

who is John Galt?

[Roger]

who is John Galt?

A pigment of my imagination.

But seriously, Galt was a man who took himself and his role in society too seriously and that's being kind.