ROCK ISLAND, Ill. (July 29, 2009) - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is waving day use fees Aug. 1-9 at its more than 2,400 Corps-operated recreation sites nationwide. This waiver includes sites within the Rock Island District.
The waiver applies to day use fees collected at boat launches and swimming beach facilities. Fees for camping and camping related services and specialized facilities or special events will not be waived.
Day Use Fees are being waived at the following Rock Island District boat ramps on the Mississippi River: Grant River, Blanding Landing, Pleasant Creek, Big Slough, Thomson Causeway, Lock and Dam 13, Cattail Slough, Clarks Ferry, and Shady Creek. Day use fees are waived at beaches and boat ramps in Iowa at Coralville Lake (Iowa City), Lake Red Rock (Pella), and Saylorville Lake (Des Moines).
"The Corps is waiving day use fees to highlight recreational opportunities available to the public," said Susan Clevenstine, Rock Island District Outdoor Recreation Planner. "We want people to take advantage of their public lands by using our beaches and boat ramps free of charge for the week."
State and local agencies and private partners who manage recreation facilities on Corps lands are encouraged but not required to comply with the fee waiver.
The Corps is the nation's largest federal provider of outdoor and water-based recreation, hosting more than 350 million visitors per year at more than 400 lakes and river projects. Many of these sites are located close to major metropolitan areas and provide 4,500 miles of trails, 90,000 campsites, and 33 percent of all U.S. freshwater fishing.
To find the nearest Corps of Engineers recreation site, please visit www.CorpsLakes.us.
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