Environmental Impact Statement for lakes Mead and Mohave.

04/22/03

William K. Dickinson, superintendent of Lake Mead National Recreation Area, announces the Record of Decision on the Final Lake Management Plan/Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the management of water-based recreation, and the promulgation of a rule allowing for the continued use of personal watercraft on 95 percent of lakes Mead and Mohave. “The Final Lake Management Plan/Final EIS described and analyzed four alternatives for improving the management of Lakes Mead and Mohave to provide long-term protection of park resources while allowing a variety of recreational opportunities for park visitors,” said Dickinson. Each alternative identified actions related to recreational and shoreline zoning, facilities and recreational services, minimizing recreational conflicts, addressing sanitation and litter issues, resources protection, park operations, and personal watercraft (PWC) use. The plan was developed with extensive public input and participation by local and state government agencies. The draft plan was released on April 19, 2002 and public comments were accepted through June 26, 2002. “We received about 10,000 comments on our draft plan and the final version was revised to incorporate these comments and released January 7, 2003,” said Superintendent Dickinson. The National Park Service will begin implementing the preferred alternative (Alternative C) as soon as practical, allowing for time to inform the public of the new provisions. The following components are highlights of Alternative C: • Continued personal watercraft use on 95 percent of Lakes Mead and Mohave. PWCs can be rented at the following marinas on Lakes Mead and Mohave: Callville Bay Resort, Cottonwood Cove Resort, Echo Bay Resort, Lake Mead Resort, Lake Mohave Resort (Katherine Landing), Las Vegas Boat Harbor (formerly named Las Vegas Bay Marina), Overton Beach Resort, and Temple Bar Resort. • For safety, shoreline accessibility, and social carrying capacity, the total boats allowed at any one time on Lakes Mead and Mohave will be increased to a total of 5,055. • Establishment of 5 percent of the park waters as primitive or semi-primitive settings. • Primitive zones will be generally managed for non-motorized use, but in response to public access concerns, electric trolling motors will be allowed. Semi-primitive areas will be managed for flat-wake speed in all areas except Black Canyon. Personal watercraft are prohibited in primitive and semi-primitive areas (about 5 percent of Lakes Mead and Mohave). • Black Canyon zoning has been modified to allow for increased boating access and a wide variety of recreational opportunities. The canyon, upstream from Willow Beach, will be managed as a primitive zone (non-motorized use) two days per week on Sunday and Monday year round. On Tuesday through Saturday, between Labor Day weekend and Memorial Day weekend, it will be zoned semi-primitive. Semi-primitive zoning allows for boats with 65-horsepower or less. During the peak boating season, between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend, the canyon will be zoned rural-natural. This zone allows for unrestricted motor size and includes personal watercraft use. Due to the narrow canyon environment, houseboats, wake boarding, and water skiing will continue to be prohibited in this portion of Black Canyon. • In response to comments from the public an zone around both lakes has been revised to include a 200-foot flat-wake zone around beaches occupied by bathers, around boats at the shoreline, and persons in the water or at the shoreline. This is to establish a safe shoreline environment for shoreline users and is similar to the state of Nevada boating law. • The National Park Service will work with states to develop uniform boating laws and mandatory education programs. Currently, Nevada and Arizona boating laws are not uniform. • Alcohol consumption by the operator of a boat that is under way will be prohibited. • Water quality will be enhanced by requiring all boaters to possess a marine head or portable toilet while camping on the shoreline. • Additionally, glass beverage containers and Styrofoam will be prohibited within the park. • Beginning December 31, 2012, boats that do not meet the Environmental Protection Agency Rule for gasoline spark-ignition marine engines will be prohibited on Lakes Mead and Mohave. After that date, The National Park Service will require the exclusive use of four-stroke engines, direct-injection two-stroke engines, or equivalent technology. The public has almost a decade to convert to the new technology. “With about 9 million visitors per year, it is our responsibility to provide diversified recreational opportunities for all visitors, while protecting the park’s resources,” said Dickinson. “We believe the Record of Decision and Final Rule do address the varied needs and interests of our visitors while protecting the natural and cultural resources of Lake Mead National Recreation Area.” The Final Lake Management Plan is intended to guide management planning and actions during the next 15-20 years. The Final Rule, the Record of Decision, the Lake Management Plan/Final EIS, and a map illustrating the areas of Lakes Mead and Mohave that have personal watercraft restrictions, are all available on the website at http://www.nps.gov/lame. If you would like a paper or CD-ROM copy of the Lake Management Plan/Final EIS, please call Jim Holland, National Park Service, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, at (702) 293-8986. Lake Mead National Recreation Area is a unit of the National Park Service.

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