Recreation is a growing
business for the district. In recent years, total annual visitation
to district lakes, and two recreation sites on the Ouachita, Black,
and Red Rivers in Louisiana has approached 30 million and is continuing
to grow. In the 40 years since Sardis, the oldest of the district's
lakes, opened to the public, more than 400 million people have visited
the district's recreation facilities. Growing visitation also means
hundreds of millions of recreation dollars for state and local economies.
Vicksburg District manages 165 recreation areas
in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi, and nearly 2,500 miles
of shoreline (equal to the entire Gulf Coast). Most people are attracted
to the lakes by the water, which offers a variety of recreational
opportunities-swimming, skiing, boating, diving, etc. With 174,000
total acres in recreation pools, there is ample space for all these
activities. The projects also offer excellent hunting and fishing
in many areas.
Camping and picnicking also help draw the crowds
to Vicksburg District lakes. There are 2,500 picnic sites and 4,700
camping sites with recreation facilities also offered through several
state parks located adjacent to the lakes.
Each of the lakes is staffed by trained professionals
who strive to provide safe, enjoyable recreation experiences. However,
due to ever increasing visitation, coupled with the size of each
project and recent manpower cuts, visitor cooperation is essential
in promoting safety.
In addition to its role in the Ouachita-Black
Rivers navigation system, operation of the Felsenthal Lock and Dam
regulates the fish and wildlife management pool for the Felsenthal
National Wildlife Refuge. The district acted as purchasing agent
for the 65,000-acre refuge, which is managed by the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service. A similar purchasing arrangement has been used
to acquire more than 50,000 acres for the Tensas National Wildlife
Refuge in Louisiana. In addition to their roles in protecting important
ecosystems, both refuges offer numerous recreational opportunities.
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