Will Government Shut-Down Close Your Local Lake?

Sorry if this is the wrong spot to post this, I had no idea where to put this.

I was reading on another forum, Wayne's Words, regarding how a government shut-down would affect Lake Powell. Apparently they will close the lake.

Since almost all the lakes in AZ are in the National Forest I assume they would also close. From what I am told by my Senators Kyle and McCain's offices we are no where near a budget that anyone can agree on and that government shut-down is very, very likely.

Will your lake close? What are you going to do? One of the comments on the other forum was they wanted to get to the lake the day before, and venture out onto the lake, and have it all to themselves until someone kicks them off. Lake Powell is BIG, and that could take a while.

It looks like I'm going to be an outlaw again!

Local county governs our lakes. And they've been so broke we haven't seen a sheriff on the water in almost 2 yrs.

A government shut-down will give me a lot more free time to wakeboard but no income for gas money.

I was informed that we have one lake here in the Phoenix area that isn't in the NFS. Lake Pleasant - Ughh! What a zoo that will be!

Good thing my local waterway, the CA delta, is an international shipping channel

Is it possible to shut down a lake? I mean, it is not like some federal employee has to unlock the doors of a federal office building.

I have no idea who has ultimate jurisdiction over our lake, and I wonder if it isn't shared. The lakes are Corps lakes (lake of the ozarks aside).

Bro-stock last year no doubt made the lake "authorities" nervous. Here were all the different water patrols in boats:

Corps of Engineers,
Arkansas WP,
the County Sheriff (Marion AR)
AR Fish and Game (I believe),

and then I forget.

It seemed like we counted five different agencies in 7 or 8 identified boats, with at least 2 un-marked but not very subtly-acting other patrol boats.

Here in AZ it is pretty easy to close down a lake. Most of the lakes here have one or two roads into them. They just put up a road block sign and have one officer down the road that writes tickets for failure to follow a traffic control device. One officer in the parking lot can effectively shut down an entire lake.

Hey Everyone,
I just confirmed this with Diane at the Tonto Ranger's Office and they are also preparing for the shut-down. You can call her yourself if you want.

Tonto National Forest Supervisor's Office
2324 E. McDowell Rd.
Phoenix, Arizona 85006
(602) 225-5200

If they shut-down the federal government we are officially screwed in Arizona with only Lake Pleasant left open. It will remain open because it is a county park, not in National Forest.

Originally Posted by richmondrider

A government shut-down will give me a lot more free time to wakeboard but no income for gas money.

I fall into that catagory also. I did hear that we can apply for unemployment. I guess that is better than no money.

The local lake is a federal lake but run by the state. Now I just have to hope my friends will let me ride for free since I won't have any money for gas. I am sure I can work off some deal with them. Free rides now for rides on my boat later in the season.

Im not sure what your saying Sam, Is sag, bartlett and canyon shutting down for the summer then? What i dont understand is the lakes arent even run by the forrest services really, they are basicly run by SRP.

Originally Posted by azwakeYO

Im not sure what your saying Sam, Is sag, bartlett and canyon shutting down for the summer then? What i dont understand is the lakes arent even run by the forrest services really, they are basicly run by SRP.

The lakes themselves are operated by SRP on the water level side, but the National Forest Service is the entity that services the crappers, trash, etc... and has ultimate jurisdiction. They are also responsible for the parking permit system. The lakes will only be closed if a Federal Government Shut-down occurs, which according to McCain and Kyle's office, it will.

If it shuts down the lakes will be closed for sure. The Sheriff's Office will be responsible for monitoring it. The last time they shut down Bartlett I drove pas the road closed sign along with about 25 other people. About five miles further down the road on the other side of a small rise a sheriff was waiting for us and wrote all of us a ticket for failure to follow a traffic control device. I was able to beat my on procedure in court though. Either way the lake was closed and they towed people's cars from the parking lot, including trailers.

I dont get a crap about the smelly bathrooms or parking haha. looks like i will be moving for the summer then.

whats the eta for this shut down?

I'm calling shinanagins! Wake or die!

Will they seriously close off all access to the water? If so that's just absurd.

Money runs out on Friday at midnight.

Originally Posted by SamIngram

Money runs out on Friday at midnight.

So its official ? At the end of 4/8/11 the lakes will be closed? I was gonna try a hail Mary and try to get the MormonBu out on the water Sunday

The Feds could still work out a budget deal.

Guess I better call that number near the end of Fridays business day

I'll be watching this closely, planning on hitting Bartlett this Sunday. If the lakes close for any length of time I forsee shaving 5-6 strokes off my golf handicap this summer as it's time for a new hobby.

We've had a trip planned to Lake Powell for three months. We were planning on heading down next Thursday through Sunday. This really sucks. It would really piss me off if I was unaware of the issue and showed up at the lake and not able to get in.

Bartlett is my life. I go to powell three times every summer. I almost cried when i read these posts haha. Why would they close the lakes?

Thank god for the dirty d!

Dude im gonna cry as well. shutting them down? i dont get it, wtf, why!? doesnt arizona have the largest number of recreational boats per capita?

realistically, what do they actually DO for us? There is never a sheriff at Saguaro, and even when their is, he is pulling over all the WRONG people anyways. Bath rooms? Close them, they are nasty anyways and no one I know ever uses them. Have 2 huge dumpsters on the side of the road out that gets collected everyweek. Problem solved, what other expenses can there possibly be?

Why not make the passes more expensive? It'd be like buying a season pass at a ski resort....it would SERIOUSLY suck but if it came down to it I would pay it.

Our lake was closed April 1st
http://www.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/art...=2011103250385

isn't there private launches even if you HAVE to drop $10 to put in and take out? Almost all the lakes here in NY have state launches plus a couple marinas. If its a small lake usually there are a few home owners who have their own launches that you can bargain to use.

Looks like there will be no shut down........for now.

Originally Posted by wakerpunk

isn't there private launches even if you HAVE to drop $10 to put in and take out? Almost all the lakes here in NY have state launches plus a couple marinas. If its a small lake usually there are a few home owners who have their own launches that you can bargain to use.

here in phoenix AZ there is 1 maybe 2 roads that goes to each lake and we only have 3 nearby (they're really just flooded valleys that have been damed up). nobody lives on the lakeshore except for steve the fresh water otter.

so since the budget passed, they cant shut down the lakes right??

Don't dismiss the possibility of government shut-down yet...

HOLD EVERYTHING: There's No Budget Deal, And The Government May Still Shut Down

Originally Posted by SugarFree

here in phoenix AZ there is 1 maybe 2 roads that goes to each lake and we only have 3 nearby (they're really just flooded valleys that have been damed up). nobody lives on the lakeshore except for steve the fresh water otter.

I haven't seen Steve since last year, I wonder how he is doing...

I hate to be the boy who cried wolf, but the blogosphere is hopping mad with people talking about a shut-down. Last we supposedly had an agreement
for the budget for the rest of the year; however, they only actually signed a continuing resolution to get us through Friday until a bill could actually be drawn up
with the verbage agreed upon. After that they had to wait 3 days according to what the Republicans signed. This week the CBO, Heritage, and a bunch of other
institutions analyzed what was agreed upon, and was suppose to be signed this Friday, but it's plum full of accounting tricks, etc... Now the freshman GOP (the guys with nuts)
are raising all sorts of hell and a lot of them are saying that they will not agree to vote for the bill. This would effectively shut down the government again... at Midnight Friday!

Cross your fingers and hold on, it's going to get bumpy!

Originally Posted by SamIngram

I hate to be the boy who cried wolf, but the blogosphere is hopping mad with people talking about a shut-down. Last we supposedly had an agreement
for the budget for the rest of the year; however, they only actually signed a continuing resolution to get us through Friday until a bill could actually be drawn up
with the verbage agreed upon. After that they had to wait 3 days according to what the Republicans signed. This week the CBO, Heritage, and a bunch of other
institutions analyzed what was agreed upon, and was suppose to be signed this Friday, but it's plum full of accounting tricks, etc... Now the freshman GOP (the guys with nuts)
are raising all sorts of hell and a lot of them are saying that they will not agree to vote for the bill. This would effectively shut down the government again... at Midnight Friday!

Cross your fingers and hold on, it's going to get bumpy!

That's why you should have joined us at Saguaro on Sunday p

I just called the tonto sup office and she said saguaro is not closing any time soon.

Yes, they voted this afternoon (DC time)...

sam stop toying with my emotions!!!! open or closed!?