LITTLE ROCK — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is considering turning over campgrounds at three southwest Arkansas lakes to private groups, a plan that worries campers who fear costs would rise.
The move comes after the Corps last winter took heat for shutting down campsites at Lakes Ouachita, Greeson and DeGray, citing budget reasons. In February, the Corps reversed course and decided to open them up while limiting services such as trash pickup and grass mowing.
The idea to lease campgrounds at the three lakes was prompted by the same budget woes, including a backlog of maintenance projects, flat funding and the rising costs of operations, said Frank Worley, a Corps spokesman for the Vicksburg district.
A public hearing is scheduled for 6 p.m. June 4 at the Hot Springs Convention Center.
"I think it would be devastating," said Arnie Habig, an avid camper and chairman of the Lake Ouachita Citizens Focus Committee, who was reached by telephone at a campsite nearLake Ouachita. He said he's heard that camping fees could jump from around $10-$18 to $40.
But leasing is just one option the Corps is considering, and nothing is set in stone, Worley said.
"It's a work in progress," he said. "Once we've had a chance to hear from the community, we'll take another good, hard look at it over the summer."
The Corps operates roughly 1,500 campsites at the three lakes, but it's unclear how many sites would be affected.
Bill Barnes, a member of the citizens focus committee who owns resorts at the three lakes, has told the Corps he'd be interest in leasing campsites near his resorts. But he hopes it doesn't come to that.
"They were built with public money," he said. "There were promises made that they would continue to operate them."
He acknowledged that prices would likely go up if he and other private outfits leased the grounds, although he said some services would likely improve.
"We can't do it at a loss," he said.
A similar plan generatedsuch a strong backlash in the late 1990s that it was scrapped, said Rick Dwyer with the Corps' Ouachita Project Management Office.
He said he's heard of Corps campgrounds leased privately in other parts of the country but none as big as the ones being considered in southwest Arkansas.
"It would save some money," he said.
Recreation is just one of the purposes of the lakes. They're also used for hydropower and flood protection. And Lake Ouachitahas been identified as a potential long-term drinking water source by the Mid-Arkansas Water Alliance.
Those competing factors, along with tight funding, make it tough for the Corps to focus only on recreation, said Al Behm, a retired Corps official who is on a focus committee that advised the Corps.
He is opposed to the Corps leasing the land to private groups but thinks something needs to be done so the campsites can offer better amenities without steep price increases.
"My gut reaction is it ain't gonna work," he said, echoing others on the focus committee.
Arkansas, Pages 15, 21 on 05/24/2008