Little Hall was one of nearly a dozen Corps operated parks that were closed at the start of the Memorial Day holiday weekend. As of publishing date, It is unclear when these parks will reopen. But other Corps operated parks remained opened, along with state and locally operated parks.
A revised list of temporary park closures at Lake Lanier beginning on Memorial Day weekend was released by the US Army Corps of Engineers on Thursday, May 22. The revisions were the result of public reaction and involvement by Georgia Sen. Greg Dolezal, who issued a statement on Wednesday, May 21, after the initial announcement was made that morning.
“Yesterday I reached out to the Corps and asked where the employees are that staffed these parks just days ago; they did not have an answer,” said his written statement, posted on Facebook. “I am reaching out again today for answers. I have also been in contact with Congressional leaders and contacts in the Administration to offer any help they need resolving this issue as quickly as possible.”
On May 22, the Corps released a list of parks that will be open, as well as parks under its management that will be closed temporarily.
The following parks with their respective boat ramps are open: Balus, Belton, Bolding Mill Multipurpose, Buford Dam Park, Duckett Mill Multipurpose, East Bank Park, Lanier Park, Little Ridge, Lower Overlook, Lower Pool, Lula, Nix Bridge Park, Sardis Creek, Simpson, Thompson Bridge, Thompson Creek Park, Tidwell, Toto Creek Multipurpose, Vann’s Tavern, West Bank, and West Bank Scenic Overlook.
The following parks with their respective boat ramps are temporarily closed: Burton Mill, Keith’s Bridge, Little Hall, Little River, Long Hollow, Mountain View, Old Federal Day Use, Robinson, Two Mile, Van Pugh North and Van Pugh South.
“Campgrounds are open and are not planned to close,” said the Thursday, May 22, Corps of Engineers news release.
“We will be continually assessing and reassessing these temporary closures throughout the summer. We encourage visitors to check the current operational status of Corps managed recreation areas at Lake Lanier for any restrictions or safety alerts prior to visiting.”
The closures do not affect certain parks in Forsyth, Hall and Dawson counties that operate under recently implemented Challenge Cost-Sharing Cooperative Agreements/Partner Operations Plan. The program was implemented approximately 18 months ago.
Under the Partner Operations Plan, these parks will remain open: Dawson – Toto Creek Multipurpose Park, plus Thompson Creek and Nix Bridge Day-Use parks; Forsyth – Sawnee Campground, Mary Alice Park, Bald Ridge Creek Campground, Young Deer Creek Park, Shady Grove Campground, Charleston Park and Six Mile Creek Park; and Hall – Bolding Mill Campground, Duckett Mill Campground and Old Federal Campground.
“Several years ago Congress approved the mechanism to partner with local jurisdictions under (Challenge Cost-Sharing) Cooperative Management agreements to divert operational costs by partnering with local jurisdictions and to help keep revenues generated by the parks local,” said Tim Rainey, operations project manager of the Lanier Project Management Office when the programs were introduced in late 2023.
The agreements allow municipalities and counties the opportunity to take over certain aspects of park and campground management and operation, including each campgrounds’ reservation system, handling grounds and facilities maintenance, gate staffing and trash removal.
In return, the Corps continues park ranger patrols, provide and pay for utilities, such as electricity and water, and enforce regulations and safety issues for the parks under the Partner Operations Plan.
“Forsyth County is glad to continue to provide recreational amenities through various parks on Lake Lanier through the partnership with Corps including leased park spaces the county operates as well as those through the Partner Operations Plan,” said Russell Brown, director of communications for Forsyth County. “The program allows us to help keep parks open for our residents and visitors, as we prepare for the summer season, in addition to other lake parks the county operates.”
Lanier is not the only lake affected by the closures; other projects across the district have also been affected.
“The temporary closures will remain in effect until we can adequately address the staffing shortages,” the Corps’ May 22 news release said. “Visitors are encouraged to check our website or social media channels for updates regarding the reopening of the parks and for any alternative recreational options in the area.”
Photos: by Vicki and Alan Hope
