Castle Rock Cutoff

This may be a repost but still worthy!-

Lake Powell News

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CASTLE ROCK CUT OPENS

Date: May 8, 2009

Page, Ariz. – Superintendent Stan Austin at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area today announced that the Castle Rock Cut is open to boat travel on Lake Powell.

The National Park Service recently completed the excavation of the Castle Rock Cut. Work to deepen the cut began in February and continued until mid-April. Contractors removed nearly 87,000 cubic yards of material and lowered the depth of the cut by approximately 8 feet to 3,607 feet in elevation. Because of the excavation project the Cut is open five weeks earlier than in 2008.

"I knew when I arrived at Glen Canyon that the Castle Rock Cut project was a priority for the park and the community," said Superintendent Austin. "I’m pleased to see the Cut open well before the Memorial Day weekend."

The Castle Rock Cut is a safe and convenient boat passage linking Wahweap and Warm Creek Bays. With the Cut open, boaters no longer need to travel through The Narrows to reach uplake destinations such as Padre Bay and Rainbow Bridge. Traveling through the Cut saves boaters about 12 miles and shortens response times to life, health, and safety emergencies uplake.

The elevation of Lake Powell reached 3,613 Thursday and continues to rise. National Park Service staff placed buoys to mark the channel from Wahweap to the junction of Warm Creek and the main river channel. The cut is marked as a no wake zone and boaters are reminded to use caution.

http://www.nps.gov/glca/parknews/castle ... -opens.htm