(The Center Square) – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers blames staffing shortages as it closes or limits access to 31 recreational beaches and campgrounds ahead of the Memorial Day weekend.
The majority of the closures, 21 of them, are at Lake Lanier, a popular area in northeast Georgia just outside of Gainesville. Two are at Allatoona Lake, near Cartersville. The others are at the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint public shoreline area, three at Alabama’s Black Warrior and Tombigbee Lakes area, one at Mississippi’s Okatibbee Lake and sites at Georgia’s Walter F. George and Lake George W. Andrews area.
“The well-being of our community is our top priority, and the current staffing levels do not allow us to maintain the necessary safety measures within our parks,” the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District said in a news release. “This includes essential services such as park supervision, maintenance, and safety monitoring that ensure a secure and enjoyable environment for all visitors.”
The Corps did not give a reason for the staffing shortage.
The closures are temporary but it’s not known how long they will last.
“We will be continually assessing and reassessing closures throughout the summer,” the Corps said. “We encourage visitors to check the current operational status of USACE recreation areas for any restrictions or safety alerts prior to visiting.”
U.S. Rep. Rich McCormick, R-Ga., said he was disappointed to learn about the closures.
“As the most visited of all 464 federally operated lakes in the U.S., Lake Lanier draws over 10 million visitors annually. The Army Corps of Engineers oversees the lake and surrounding parks,” McCormick said in a statement. “Last year, I introduced Amendment #48 in HR8997 to prevent campground closures around Lake Lanier. While the rule passed, Democrats blocked the overall bill. I’m working with county officials, the executive branch, and the Corps to find a solution before Memorial Day weekend.”
The closures do not affect areas not managed by the U.S. Corps of Engineers. Hall County Parks and Leisure has four recreational areas along Lake Lanier. The agency said in a social media post that those areas are open. Forsyth County officials, which has seven lake parks, said they are also open.
The Mobile District is not the first to close recreational areas. The Omaha District announced in April it would shut down or reduce services at sites in Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota and Montana starting May 1. The Kansas City District announced sites in Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Iowa would be affected beginning May 15, also because of staffing challenges.
