Spring on Lake Lanier often means camping and the U.S Army Corps of Engineers is swinging open the gates on a few campgrounds just in time for the weekend.
Nicholas Baggett, the Natural Resource Manager for the Corps of Engineers at Lake Lanier, said Sawnee Campground, Bolding Mill Campground and Duckett Mill Campground will open Thursday, March 28. Opening will be delayed until May 1 for Bald Ridge Campground and Old Federal Campground.
Baggett said the Corps has worked diligently to get campgrounds and other facilities open following heavy winter rains.
"Our lake levels were up a tremendous amount...we were up right around 1,076 mean sea level in February," Baggett said. "Tremendous amount of rain and with that rain came high water which impacted our campgrounds, our parks, our boat ramps."
Baggett said the water that encroached on Corps-run properties left behind a good bit of damage. Even with the water levels now receding, and with ongoing rehabilitation of the properties, all Corps beaches will have to remain closed for a time. Some areas of parks are also off-limits even though the parks themselves may be open.
Boat ramps, though, are now open.
"We have over 80 boat ramps on the lake - they are operational - so all boat ramps on Lake Lanier that the Corps of Engineers manages are operational," Baggett said.
Baggett also pointed out that weather conditions might impact park operations later in the spring, saying more rain could mean additional or lengthier closures for Corps facilities.
For updated information on campgrounds operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, follow this link.
