LITTLE ROCK — Visitors to the Ouachita National Forest are finding fewer recreational opportunities this summer because of flood concerns and bureaucratic mixups.
As of May 30, the Ouachita National Forest banned overnight camping on portions of some public recreation areas because of flood concerns. They can only be used during the day, from 6 a.m.-8 p.m.
The release said: “Concerns for public safety have prompted the Ouachita National Forest to close campsites or entire campgrounds that are known to flood or have the potential to flood, pending further study. Day use will still be allowed in these areas.”
A study is in progress to determine the flood risks at the affected areas.
“These changes are necessary to allow us time to analyze and mitigate risks in flood prone areas,” Norman Wagoner, supervisor for the Ouachita National Forest, said.
Areas that have been restricted to day-use only are Bear Creek Horse Camp in Garland County and Big Brushy Recreation Area in Polk County. Camping loops B and C at Charlton Recreation Area (Garland County) are also day-use only, but camping is still allowed at Loop A.
A portion of Bard Springs and Shady Lake recreation areas, in Polk County, are now day-use only, as is a portionof Knopper’s Ford Recreation Area in Scott County, and Lake Sylvia Recreation Area in Perry County.
The four float camps on the Ouachita River in Montgomery County - Dragover, River Bluff, Rocky Shoals, Fulton Branch and Shirley Creek - are strictly day-use only.
Montgomery County has maintained the float camps, two public shooting ranges and seven other public use facilities in partnership with the United States Forest Service by way of a federal law that redistributes money from timber sales back to counties that have national forestland. The Arkansas Department of Education handled those accounts, but in 2011 the Arkansas Legislature transferred that authority to the state treasurer’s office. Alvin Black, Montgomery County judge, said the state treasurer’s office missed the application deadline. Consequently, Montgomery County won’t have the money to maintain those areas and others this year.
“We have been maintaining 13 recreation areas forthem, but that’s about to stop at the end of July,” Black said. “We did a better job of maintaining them than they [the Forest Service] did, and we did it cheaper.”
The state treasurer’s office released a statement last fall suggesting that the treasurer’s office was not notified of its new responsibilities. An amended statement claims that the treasurer’s office asked Arkansas’s congressional delegation for help.
“Senators [John] Boozman and [Mark] Pryor attached an amendment to the Surface Transportation Bill to restore this funding,” the statement continued. “The bill, SB1813, passed in the Senate, but the House voted to extend the current version of the Surface Transportation Act. Congressmen [Rick] Crawford, [Tim] Griffin, and [Steve] Womack voted with the majority of the House members for the extension, which effectivelykilled the restoration of the funding.”
“That’s going to cause me to have to lay off three people in the next few weeks,” Black said.
Rep. Mike Ross voted to restore the funding.
BIG BASS BONANZA
The 13th annual Arkansas Big Bass Bonanza will run Friday through Sunday on the Arkansas River. It’s America’s largest amateur bass tournament, and the angler who catches the biggest bass of the tournament will win $50,000.For rules and entry information, visit www.arkansasbigbass.com FISHING LEGEND DIES
Homer Circle, one of America’s greatest outdoor writers, died Friday at age 97 at his home in Ocala, Fla.
Circle was the longtime fishing editor for Sports Afield. Lately, he wrote a monthly column for Bassmaster. He also served on the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission in 1970-1971, an obscure distinction of which he was very proud.
My first rod and reel was a Homer Circle Signature combo from Sears in 1972. He got a big kick out of that when I first met him at a Southeastern Outdoors Press Association conference 20 years later in Alabama.
At the 1996 conference in Virginia Beach, Va., he was the keynote speaker at the awards dinner. He held the room spellbound as he recalled his most memorable fishing trips.
At the 1995 SEOPA conference in Greenville, Miss., he gave the invocation at one of the dinners. It went like this:
Benevolent Father above
We ask your grace upon these vittles
That they might expand our hearts and minds
But not expand our middles
The outdoor writer fraternity knew him as Uncle Homer. He lived a beautiful life.
Sports, Pages 16 on 06/28/2012