Boating Weather Here
Corps of Engineers Promoting Water Safety
Morgantown Dominion Post
7 June 2012
As the days get warmer, more people are taking to the rivers and
lakes to enjoy life on the water.
In West Virginia, the Division of Natural Resources Police patrol
the popular boating places, such as Cheat Lake and the Monongahela
River.
Anyone 25 years old or younger who wants to operate a motorboat or
personal watercraft in the Mountain State, needs to have completed
a boating safety education course.
This year, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is promoting water
safety for those who use the river pools created by the
navigational locks under the theme “Think Five, Stay Alive.”
The campaign, a condensation of the extensive advice available on
the U.S. Coast Guard boating safety website, reminds those in
boats to: Wear a vest, don’t drink and boat, keep children in
clear view at all times and watch out for others, know your
physical limitations, and review boating safety steps before
heading out.
This year, waters under Army Corps control are more accessible to
the military. Headquarters announced in May that the agency is
accepting the America the Beautiful Federal Recreation Pass
program’s new Interagency Annual Pass for Military.
“The pass is good at any Corps facility nationwide where the Corps
charges day use fees,” said Bob John, with the Natural Resources
Management Branch, Army Corps of Engineers, Pittsburgh District.
For Morgantown area residents, this means Youghiogheny River Lake.
Tygart Lake and Stonewall Jackson Lake are in parks operated by
West Virginia; the Corps charges no day use fees there.
America the Beautiful passes — including the military pass — can
be picked up at Fort Necessity National Battlefield, Farmington,
Pa., or any of the offices at the Monongahela National Forest.
John said the Corps has another program that provides camping
discounts for active military home on R&R. For that, he said,
the soldier must show an active military card and leave papers.
Info about boating in West Virginia and online boating classes:
wvdnr.gov/lenforce/boa ing.shtm.
Coast Guard boating safety info: USCG boat ing.org.