The National Park Service has completed the Environmental Assessment, required under the National Environmental Policy Act, for a General Management Plan Amendment to address low-water conditions at Lake Mead.
A Finding of No Significant Impact was signed March 13, which allows the park to address operational needs to maintain lake access and provide safe and diverse recreational opportunities at lake elevations above 950 feet. The document was made available for public review and comment.
The selected action states that existing marina operations would be reconfigured and launch ramps would extend farther into the lake, as site conditions allow, at or near their existing locations on the lake. Current marina capacity would be maintained with associated roads, parking, and utilities spread across those locations.
At Hemenway Harbor, marina operations and launch ramps would extend to an elevation of 950 feet. At elevations below 1,000 feet, the launch ramp and marina facilities would be relocated to deeper water closer to Hemenway Wall with associated roads and utilities.
At Callville Bay, marina operations and launch ramps would extend to an elevation of 950 feet. At elevations below 1,065 feet, the launch ramp and marina facilities would be extended farther into the lake or relocated to Swallow Bay with associated new road and utilities.
At Temple Bar, marina operations and the launch ramp would extend to an elevation of 950 feet. At elevations below 1,050 feet, the launch ramp would be relocated farther into the lake to the northeast with associated new roads and utilities.
At Echo Bay, the park would analyze reestablishing full-service marina operations at this location based on public safety, utilities, and commercial interest. The launch ramp and marina (if reestablished) would extend to an elevation of 1,000 feet. At elevations below 1,050 feet, the launch ramp and marina operations (if reestablished) would be relocated north to Pumphouse Bay with associated new roads and utilities.
At South Cove, launching would continue to be authorized at the end of a park-approved road. The signed Finding of No Significant Impact can be found at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/documentsList.cfm?projectID=52509.
