The Star - News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area

Do you have some thoughts on how to improve Spring Canyon? Would removing the swim dock be a good or bad idea, in your opinion?

During the month of May, people can comment on Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area sites, including Spring Canyon, a part of the National Park Service, which sees a need to address changing visitor interests.

“Your input is important and will help shape potential management strategies and improvements at these sites at Lake Roosevelt,” the NPS said in an April 27 press release. “No decisions have been made yet.”

“We have no immediate plans for the removal of swim docks from throughout the recreation area,” Denise Bausch, chief of interpretation and education for LRNRA, told The Star. “This, however, is a potential option found in our draft Visitor Use Site Management Plan that will be available for public comment beginning on May 1st.”

That’s when the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area will formally begin its “Visitor Site Use Management Plan and Environmental Analysis” that will examine the nine major visitor-use areas of the park: Spring Canyon, Keller Ferry, Evans, Marcus Island, Kettle Falls, Gifford, Hunters, Porcupine Bay, and Fort Spokane.

“Management strategies and supporting improvements are needed at these nine heavily used sites to address a wider range of visitor interests and needs related to camping, boating, day use, and other activities,” the release states. “Because recreation uses are changing and visitors are using a variety of camping vehicles, many of them larger than in past decades, there is a need to improve and update campgrounds. The NPS is considering diversifying and enhancing overnight camping experiences and recreation opportunities as well as improving visitor safety through traffic circulation and access improvements at the nine locations. By directing and concentrating visitor use in appropriate areas, it is expected that there would be less congestion and conflicts in use, resulting in an enhanced visitor experience. The NPS also would update facilities to meet federal accessibility standards, increase the sustainability of facilities and resources, and improve the efficiency of maintenance and care of the nine sites.”

To attend

or comment

Two virtual public meetings are scheduled for May 7 and 13, both from 6:30-7:30 p.m.

“These will be live, virtual meetings, and participants will be able to ask questions via the chat function online,” a press release states.

Links to the two online meetings are:

• May 7: https://zoom.us/j/92408711991 with meeting ID: 924 0871 1991.

• May 13: https://zoom.us/j/94822606534 with meeting ID: 948 2260 6534

Participants may also call in by phone to either meeting at (669) 900-6833.

Comments must be submitted by May 31 at the NPS planning website https://parkplanning.nps.gov/parks. Search by park, and click on Lake Roosevelt NRA to find

“Visitor Use Site Management Planning.”

Written comments can also be sent to:

Superintendent

Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area

1008 Crest Drive, Coulee Dam, Washington 99116-1259.