Corps cancels campground RSVPs to protect employees, visitors

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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Little Rock District is announcing campground reservation cancellations in Arkansas and Southern Missouri in response to the coronavirus. The cancellations will not affect those campers already at the campgrounds.USACE campgrounds currently open will honor active reservations through Sunday. Individuals with reservations on or before Sunday will be able to camp for the entirety of their reservation. No new reservations will be accepted after Sunday.No new campers will be accepted at first-come, first-serve campsites effective Thursday.

Campground reservations scheduled between Tuesday and May 15 will be canceled. Refunds will be provided through Recreation One-Stop (1-877-444-6777 or recreation.gov). Reservations after May 1 will be reevaluated at a future date.

These measures are in addition to operational changes announced earlier this week.

Those changes included:
– All USACE sponsored events, tournaments, volunteer activities and public meetings are canceled 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 Centers for Disease Control’s guidelines.
– Visitor centers and lake offices are closed to the public until further notice.
– Campgrounds that are currently closed will not reopen until further notice.
– Day use facilities, such as group shelters, are subject to evolving conditions and may not be available. Please call the local project for the latest information.
– Corps of Engineers personnel will no longer conduct site visits that require personal interaction during inspections for shoreline management activities until further notice.

These changes, officials say, are being made in an abundance of caution and to protect guests, volunteers and staff.

Guests planning to visit USACE lakes for any reason are encouraged to call the lake project office before planning their trip to obtain site-specific closures, such as parks and boat ramps.

Officials urge anyone visiting a USACE lake to follow the CDC’s guidelines regarding social distancing and remain diligent.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Little Rock District updates can be found at www.swl.usace.army.mil, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/littlerockusace and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/usacelittlerock.

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