Carlyle Lake trail receives National Recreation Trails designation

All ages can enjoy the Carlyle Lake Multi-Purpose Trail.
The trail was recently designated national recreation
trails by the U.S. Department of the Interior for 2012.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced, June 18, that the Carlyle Lake Multi-Use Trail is one of five Corps recreation trails that have been designated national recreation trails by the U.S. Department of the Interior for 2012. Carlyle’s trail will join eight other St. Louis District trails already on the national network of 1,150 designated trails, encompassing more than 13,650 miles of existing trails and trail systems.

National recreation trail designation recognizes those trails that link communities to recreational opportunities on public lands and in local parks across the nation. The first national trails were established in the early 1970s.

The Carlyle Lake trail is a successful partnership between the city of Carlyle and the Corps. The 10.3-mile multi-use trail system connects the city of Carlyle to Carlyle Lake and passes through numerous recreation areas and diverse, scenic wildlife habitat ranging from lake, forest, agricultural fields, restored prairie and wetland areas. Visitors also pass along historical and interpretive points of interest including the Carlyle Lake Dam, the General Dean Suspension Bridge (listed on the National Register of Historic Places), and the Goshen Trail. The trail will receive a certificate of designation, a letter of congratulations from the Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar, and national recreation trail markers.

Eight trails at St. Louis District recreation areas have already received this designation and enjoyed daily by visitors.

Lake Shelbyville:

Camp Camfield Nature Trail

Kaskaskia River Navigation Project:

Kaskaskia River Confluence Trail

Rend Lake:

Rend Lake Bike Trail

Wappapello Lake:

Johnson Tract Trail

Lost Creek Trail

Memory Lane

Ozark Trail

Pine Ridge

These trails continue to connect people with nature and the great outdoors as part of a healthier lifestyle, a core principle behind President Obama’s “America’s Great Outdoors” and first lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move Outside!” initiatives. The national recreation trail program is jointly administered by the National Park Service and the USDA Forest Service in conjunction with a number of other federal and nonprofit partners, notably American Trails, which hosts the national recreation trails website at http://www.americantrails.org/nationalrecreationtrails

As the nation’s largest federal provider of outdoor and water-based recreation, USACE’s more than 420 lake and river projects in 43 states provide more than 7,300 miles of diverse land and water trail systems. USACE officials credit the support of local public and private organizations and the thousands of volunteers annually in helping to make these trails available for public use.

For more information on USACE land and water trails and the many other recreation opportunities available at USACE sites, please visit http://corpslakes.usace.army.mil/visitors/

Wearing a Life Jacket Can Save Your Life

Wearing a Life Jacket Can Save Your Life... By providing time to be rescued, it will help ensure you survive an unexpected fall into the water. An adult can drown in 60 seconds. It takes a strong swimmer 10 minutes to put on a life jacket after entering the water. If you will not wear it for yourself then wear it for those who love you.

Don't Wreck Your Spring Break

A group of friend wear lifevests while on the water.

With spring around the corner, more than 3.7 million college students across the nation are preparing for a well earned spring break. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers would like to urge everyone to play it safe while at the beach or around water. Don't wreck your spring break! Following these top ten tips could mean the difference between life and death.

Number 10: HELP (Heat Escape Lessening Position) can save your life in cold water. This position is where your knees are drawn up to your chest with your arms grasping them together helping retain body temperature until you are rescued. Wet clothing will not weigh you down in the water because water does not weigh more than water, so leave your clothes on. Additional layers of clothing can actually help you stay afloat by trapping air.

Number 9: Diving could be a neck-breaking experience, so never dive into unknown waters.

Number 8: Any beach that has breaking waves could have the potential to develop rip currents near the shore that can pull even the strongest swimmers out to sea. If you get caught in one of these narrow rip currents, swim parallel to shore until the current stops pushing you out.

Number 7: Never overestimate your swimming abilities, especially in open waters.

Number 6: Swim only in designated areas.

Number 5: Always swim with a buddy; never swim alone.

Number 4: Swim and boat sober. Drinking alcohol doesn't only make you do things that you wished you had not done by impairing your judgment. People under the influence of alcohol have drown because they become disoriented underwater and think they are swimming to the water surface, but in reality they are swimming down.

Number 3: If you are boating, wear a life jacket even if you know how to swim and don't expect to enter the water. Falls overboard are one of the main reasons people drown because your first gasp (gasp reflex) after falling into the water can kill you because it only takes only 1 Tablespoon of water in your lungs to drown.

Number 2: Choose the right life jacket for you and wear it. The new inflatable life jackets are lightweight and the belt-pack style of inflatable life jacket will still allow you to get a great tan.

The Number 1 tip that could mean the difference between life and death during spring break: Don't let anyone talk you into anything that you don't want to do. You have a brain; use it because peer pressure can kill you. Don't let someone's actions or perceptions influence you to cross your stupid line. If you feel uncomfortable leave the situation and stay alive.

No one can remove all of the risks, but putting safety first and following these simple tips can help students to enjoy their spring break and make lots of memories. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers hopes that you have a safe and enjoyable spring break because you deserve it and your family wants you to return home safely.

New Upper Mississippi River Navigation Charts Now Available

Boaters should not leave home without a copy of the new 2011 Upper Mississippi River Navigation Charts which are now available for purchase.

These bound sets of river charts indicate important river features such as navigable sloughs, open channel areas, hazardous areas such as wing dams, historical features, small boat harbors, wildlife sanctuaries, bridge clearances, locks and dams, and other useful information to ensure a safe and enjoyable boating experience.

The navigation charts depict the Mississippi River from Minneapolis, Minn., to the mouth of the Ohio River at Cairo, Ill. They also show portions of the St. Croix and Minnesota Rivers. These charts are updated from the 2001 charts and were created using the most recent aerial photography and survey data developed by and available to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The navigation charts are sold through a cooperation agreement between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Quad Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau and cost $30 (including tax), plus shipping. To avoid shipping, charts may be purchased in person at the Mississippi River Visitor Center on Arsenal Island in Rock Island, Ill. Charts may also be purchased over the phone by calling the Mississippi River Visitor Center at (309) 794-5338. Telephone orders must be paid by credit card (VISA, Master Card, or American Express).

The 2011 navigation charts can also be downloaded from the Web for free at
http://www2.mvr.usace.army.mil/NIC2/mrcharts.cfm. The downloadable charts are print-quality Adobe Acrobat files, and include digitally encoded geographic coordinates. Devices that use this information allow a user to measure distance or area on the map, as well as show a current position if GPS positioning is available.

Wetlands and you

Wetlands are often found where rivers, lakes and oceans meet land. Wetlands provide a rich mix of nutrients, insects, and plants that make them ideal nesting, resting, feeding and breeding grounds for many different types of creatures.

In fact, over a third of all federally listed rare and endangered species live in or depend upon wetlands.

But did you know, YOU depend on them too?

Wetlands are among the most important ecosystems in the world. They produce high levels of oxygen, filter toxic chemicals out of water, reduce flooding and erosion, recharge groundwater and provide a diverse range of recreational opportunities from fishing and hunting to photography.

Water Purification is one of the many benefits of ecosystems and wetlands.

Pollutants such as metals, viruses, oils, excess nutrients, and sediment are processed and filtered out as water moves through wetland areas, forests, and riparian (streambank vegetation) zones.

This purification process provides clean drinking water and water suitable for industrial uses, recreation, and wildlife habitat.

• Wetlands can remove 20 to 60% of metals in the water
• Wetlands can filter up to 90% of sediments from runoff, helping to purify water and slow down erosion
• Wetlands eliminate 70 to 90% of entering nitrogen from the water
• Treatment of wastewater by constructed wetlands could cost 60% less than conventional treatment methods
• 1 acre of wetlands filters 7.3 million gallons of water a year
•  Microorganisms in wetlands utilize or break down nutrients, metals, and other chemical contaminants in the water 
• Many types of plants are specially adapted to different kinds of wetlands, and a large percentage of the nation’s imperiled plants and animals depend on wetlands for at least part of their life cycle

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plays a major role in helping restore, manage, and protect our wetlands for more, check out the Corps of Engineers Environmental Brochure   or the Lands and Waters Brochure.

Additional information can be found at the Environmental Protection Agency's Website.