SAN FRANCISCO - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) San Francisco District today announced its recreational areas closed due to insufficient funding at the beginning of the fiscal year, has received funding under the Corps’ Work Plan for 2014.
With new funding allocations, Lake Mendocino and Lake Sonoma will reopen more than 200 camp sites and five group day-use sites starting April 1. Local park rangers, engineers, contracting officers and administrative staff are working to reopen recreation sites for the public after they are cleaned and inspected by maintenance.
“It is a pleasure to announce we have received sufficient allocations to reopen U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recreational facilities at Lake Mendocino and Lake Sonoma,” said San Francisco District Commander Lt. Col. John K. Baker. “I want to thank our park users and local communities for their understanding and continued support during the closure.”
The Milt Brandt Visitor Center at Lake Sonoma will remain open Thursday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Boat-in campgrounds at Old Sawmill, Rustlers, Thumb and Skunk will remain closed due to low water levels. Boat-in campground sites currently have steep shorelines due to continued low water levels. The five boat-in campgrounds at Lake Mendocino will be temporarily changed to hike-in campgrounds until water access by boat is possible. The boat docks at Lake Mendocino are still inaccessible due to low water.
As the park reopens, the Corps will implement a $3 day-use fee per vehicle beginning May 1. A $30 annual pass is available for purchase and is accepted for all U.S. Army Corps of Engineer’s lakes and/or recreational areas nationwide. The day-use fee will also replace the boat ramp fees. The $3 day-use area fee better positions each lake’s ability to compete for future recreational park funding.
The $3 fee is in compliance with Section 210 of the Flood Control Act of 1968 (16 USC 460d-3) which allows the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recreation areas to collect camping and day-use fees. While Corps policy sets area fees not to exceed $4 per day, the Corps’ San Francisco District is trying to lessen the impact on communities and users by collecting a $3 fee. All moneys collected are deposited into the U.S. Treasury and redistributed to meet future federal funding requirements.
The National Park Service, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers parks within the Sacramento District, Bureau of Land Management, State Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Forest Service ... all charge a day-use or area fee. Other Corps parks nationwide charge day-use or area fees.
USACE is the nation’s largest provider of outdoor recreation opportunities nationwide.