While their purpose is to control floods, reservoirs are better known as recreational spots for boating, swimming, hiking, camping, wildlife observation, hunting and fishing. The Great Lakes and Ohio River Division provides 34 percent of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ total outdoor recreational opportunities and managesmore than 16,000 miles of lake shoreline that includes 18,875 campsites, 329 boat ramps and 68 visitor centers. Our 1,900 field personnel act as our ambassadors to over 100 million people who visit our 128 lakes and navigation pools and spend more than a billion dollars each year.

Since the vast majority of our recreation areas are located next to water, the Corps, in partnership with other agencies, is active in the National Water Safety Program.Visit this program's site for materials to teach and promote water safety at home or in the classroom, and for links to other water safety programs.

To reserve one of the nearly 50,000 camping, day use, wilderness, or cabin sites at more than 1,700 locations across the nation, the Corps, along with the U.S. Forest Service, provides online reservations.