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Contrasting spectacularly with its surroundings, Lake Meredith lies on
the dry and windswept High Plains of the Texas Panhandle. The lake itself
was created by Sanford Dam on the Canadian River; it now fills many breaks
whose walls are crowned with white limestone caprock, scenic buttes, pinnacles,
and red-brown, wind-eroded coves. Lake Meredith’s shores are dotted
with mesquite, prickly pear, yucca, and grasses of arid plains. Up the sheltered
creek beds stand cottonwoods, soapberry, and sandbar willows. By Public
Law 101-628 (16 U.S.C. § 460eee), on November 28, 1990, Congress renamed
Lake Meredith Recreation Area as a National Recreation Area, “to provide
for public outdoor recreation use and enjoyment of the lands and waters
associated with Lake Meredith in the State of Texas, and to protect the
scenic, scientific, cultural, and other values contributing to the public
enjoyment of such lands and waters.” The 50,000-acre national recreation
area includes a 10,000-acre reservoir where visitors can enjoy a variety
of recreational opportunities for a day or an entire vacation.
With the closure date quickly approaching, Superintendent Karren Brown reminds
area personal water-craft (PWC) users that beginning on November 7, 2002,
PWC use will no longer be allowed until a special regulation is finalized
and published in the National Register. The park is nearing completion of
an environmental assessment (EA) in conjunction with a draft special regulation
authorizing personal watercraft use at Lake Meredith National Recreation
Area, stated Ms. Brown.
Eight National Recreation Areas (NRA) are affected by the closure and include
Amistad NRA (TX), Bighorn Canyon NRA (MT/WY), Chickasaw NRA (OK), Curecanti
NRA (CO), Glen Canyon NRA (UT/AZ), Lake Mead NRA (NV/AZ), Lake Meredith
NRA (TX), and Lake Roosevelt NRA (WA). All eight parks will continue to
work on such rulemakings throughout the end of 2002 and during 2003. Every
effort will be made by the NPS to expedite the rulemaking process.
The public will get its first look at the draft EA during a public review
period; which should begin in late December and will continue during the
designated 60-calendar-day public review and comment period. With the
EA process nearing completion, we are hopeful that the rulemaking process
will move forward in a timely manner, said Chief Ranger Bill Briggs. While
this issue has been well publicized and media interest remains high, much
of the public remains confused on the issue. Park staff is optimistic
that a special regulation authorizing personal watercraft use at Lake
Meredith NRA will be granted and PWC use will return to the waters of
Lake Meredith.
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