USACE Closes Office, Day Use for All Parks
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The U.S.Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Fort District said on Tuesday it is closing its Canyon Lake office until further notice and will not reopen campgrounds that are currently closed but were scheduled to reopen in April.
Update: Comal County Commissioner, Pct. 4 Jen Crownover said on her Facebook page on March 18 that “All Day Use areas for the Corps of Engineers will be closed. This includes Overlook Park. We will post more information as soon as we get it.”
This is a developing story. USACE advises the public to check this link throughout Wednesday for updates:
https://www.swf-wc.usace.army.mil/lake/lakefacilities.htm
USACE said these closures will help public health efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) and protect USACE employees and visitors.
“The health and well-being of our visitors, volunteers and employees is our highest priority,” Brig. Gen. Paul E. Owen, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Southwestern Division, said.
Effective immediately, the Fort Worth District is restricting access to all of its office sites to employees, contractors and essential service personnel. Additional changes include:
- All USACE sponsored events, tournaments, volunteer activities and public meetings are cancelled until further notice.
- Special event or activity permits will not be issued; those permits that have already been granted will be considered for revocation based on the Center for Disease Control’s guidelines.
- Visitor centers and lake offices are closed to the public until further notice.
- Campground reservations and fees must be made in advance at www.recreation.gov. Refund policies remain unchanged for those areas that remain open. Full refunds will be provided if USACE guidance requires closures.
- Campers must pre-print passes and proceed to campgrounds where possible.
- Campgrounds that are currently closed but were scheduled to reopen for the season will not reopen until further notice.
- Day use facilities, such as group shelters and other group events are no longer available. Please call the local project for the latest information.
Additional closures may be made by the district office based on local health and safety concerns.
Officials urge all visitors to follow the CDC’s guidelines regarding social distancing and remain diligent. CDC guidelines and more information can be found at www.conoravirus.gov.
“The health of our team and the community is our top priority,” said Col. Kenneth N. Reed, USACE Fort Worth District commander. “Protecting our team includes mitigating the spread of the virus and ensuring personnel have the most up-to-date information on appropriate measures to prevent potential spread of COVID-19.
On Monday, USACE and Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA) confirmed all parks and recreational facilities along Canyon Lake would remain open.
USACE operates seven major parks on the shores of Canyon Lake as well as a JBSA Recreation Park for active duty military personnel and DOD cardholders.
Click here for more information on all USACE-operated parks.
