U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT NEWS RELEASE
Coeur d'Alene BLM
Coeur d'Alene BLM
| Contacts: | Kurt Pindel, 208-769-5015 |
BLM’s Blackwell Island Recreation Site to Close for Season
COEUR D’ALENE, ID - The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM’s) Blackwell Island boat launch and recreation area will close for the season at 11 p.m. on Monday, October 8, 2012. The main gate will be locked at this time and restroom facilities winterized. The annual drawdown of Lake Coeur d’Alene necessitates the closure as low water levels make launching difficult. Blackwell Island recreation site traditionally opens just before Memorial Day depending upon lake water levels.
An alternative launch site for boaters is the BLM’s Mineral Ridge boat launch located on the east side of Lake Coeur d’Alene. The launch is open year-round, and a $40 annual pass covers both Blackwell Island and Mineral Ridge. Daily rates are $6 per day. The annual pass is available for purchase throughout the year at the BLM’s Coeur d’Alene District office located at 3815 Schreiber Way in Coeur d’Alene during regular business hours.
Blackwell Island recreation site offers picnic facilities, including a large pavilion that is available on a rental basis, wildlife viewing along the boardwalk trail, walking paths and four boat launch lanes.
For additional information, please visit our website: http://www.blm.gov/id/st/en/fo/coeur_d_alene/recreation_sites_/Blackwell.html or contact the Coeur d’Alene office at 208-769-5000.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.