Economy Affecting Corps Parks

[Danoinark]

TIGHT BUDGETS PROMPT CHANGES IN CORPS PARK OPERATIONS, PUBLIC WORKSHOPS SLATED

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Tight budgets are requiring the Little Rock District of the Army Corps of Engineers to propose changes at several of its parks, including closing some less efficient facilities.

A series of public workshops to discuss these proposals and solicit public input is being scheduled for February at Piedmont, Mo., and at Mountain Home, Heber Springs, Russellville and Ozark, Ark. The workshop times, dates and locations will be announced when they are finalized.

Among tough choices being considered are changing recreation operations at 29 parks, including closing 13 campgrounds, four partial campgrounds, four day use areas, one partial day use area, and 10 boat ramps. Also under consideration is making the recreation season shorter at many additional parks.

Other likely park adjustments include reducing the frequency of trash pick-up, cleaning and mowing, as well as reduced maintenance response time and fewer temporary park rangers, law enforcement agreements and contract park attendants.

The proposed changes will reduce costs by an estimated $1.9 million annually ($921,000 for operation and maintenance expenses and $989,000 for labor).

Little Rock District operates 178 public parks and access areas. Making adjustments to the 8 percent of its park facilities that are less efficient will allow the district to place more emphasis on the remaining 92 percent.

Here are some proposals for our area facilities....

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

Table Rock

- Facilities

- Approve the Ozarks Rivers Heritage Foundation to take over four additional recreation areas (Old Hwy 86, Mill Creek, Baxter, and Campbell Point).

- Reduce opening dates of recreation areas on Table Rock Lake; 1 May through 15 September.

• This would impact Ozarks Rivers Heritage Foundation on parks they operate outside these dates. The foundation would have to pick up O&M and contract costs for services provided before 1 May or after 15 September.

- Personnel

- Not hire seasonal personnel in recreation program. This could result in reduced or no park patrols during some weekdays as permanent staff work weekends during peak use periods.

Beaver

- Facilities

- No park facilities will close.

- Personnel

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

- Will not hire one summer park ranger.

Bull Shoals

- Facilities

- Adjustments involve two of the 19 parks.

- Damsite – Close all 35 campsites. Leave boat ramp open.

• Very close to two great parks, one being a state park

• City or state are interested in leasing

- Pontiac – Close all 33 campsites. Leave boat ramp open.

• Request to lease by marina has been received

• Park is on high ground and gets low use in normal water years.

- Personnel (Covers entire Mountain Home office -- Bull Shoals and Norfork lakes)

- Reduce hours of 10 summer personnel from full-time to part-time (24 hours weekly).

- Will not fill one temporary maintenance worker.

Greers Ferry

- Facilities

- Adjustments affect seven of 11 parks.

- Mill Creek – Close all 39 campsites. Leave boat ramp open.

• Volunteer agreement for keeping ramp open, mowing and picking up trash.

- Cherokee – Close all 33 campsites. Leave boat ramp open.

• Efficiency score is very low.

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

• Of the four loops to be closed, one is flood prone, two are old developments in wooded areas and get low use but require frequent ranger and law enforcement time because of the “party crowd,” and the fourth area is historically low use.

- Heber Springs – Close 28 of 124 campsites; one waterborne restroom.

• Helps separate day-use from camping.

- Sugar Loaf – Close 17 of 88 campsites.

• Campsites proposed for closure are non-electric and not close to a restroom

- Shiloh – Close 17 of 115 campsites.

• Efficiency score very low.

• Area has been used for group camping only.

- Narrows – Lease all 59 campsites to concessionaire.

- Personnel

- Limit working hours of nine summer ranger positions.

- Will not hire seven summer rangers.

Norfork

-Facilities

- Adjustments affect one of the 20 parks.

- Jordan – Close all 40 campsites. Leave boat ramp open.

• Marina might lease

- Personnel (Mountain Home office covers Bull Shoals and Norfork lakes)

- Reduce hours of 10 summer personnel from full-time to part-time (24 hours weekly).

- Will not fill one temporary maintenance worker.

[rainbow]

Do you know if there are any proposals for Clearwater Lake near Piedmont?

[Danoinark]

Do you know if there are any proposals for Clearwater Lake near Piedmont?

Here you go rainbow....

Clearwater

- Facilities

- Adjustments involve two of the five parks.

- Propose to take two back to their “historical” season. Historical occupancy rates show low impact to public. Other parks operation is 5/15 to 9/15.

- River Road – Shorten season 134 days. New season 3/15 to 10/31.

• Opening coincides with paddlefish gigging season.

• Ramp stays open and free camping available without utilities.

• Historically very little to no campers during the time that’s being shortened

- Highway K – Shorten season 91 days. New Season 5/15 to 9/15 (was 4/1 to 10/31).

• Popular “warm weather” riverside park.

• Close gates to areas to leave five sites, vault toilet, and river access.

• No utilities.

• Historically, few or no campers during the time being shortened.

- Personnel

- No negative impacts

[Danoinark]

Here is the link to the full story...

http://www.swl.usace.army.mil/news&info/news/2012/02-12.html

[Ham]

Thanks for the info Dano. The ramps are staying open on BSL. And ppl may step in to keep the parks open. The economy probably puts the plan to move the lake level from 654 to 659 on hold as well.