Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

BumRushDaShow

(151,326 posts)
Sun Apr 27, 2025, 08:26 AM 20 hrs ago

Campgrounds, visitor centers at federal lakes are closing amid Trump's budget cuts

Source: ABC News/AP

April 27, 2025, 12:03 AM


TOPEKA, Kan. -- Campgrounds, boat ramps and other facilities in at least 30 locations at federal lakes and reservoirs in six states will be closed or have their hours curtailed as of mid-May as the Trump administration tries to rapidly shrink the U.S. government. Officials at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which oversees the lakes and reservoirs and their amenities for boating, camping, hiking and sightseeing, said they are dealing with staffing shortages and other budgetary restrictions.

Corps spokesman Douglas Garman said concentrating staff at fewer recreational sites will allow those sites to keep the “full range of services” that visitors expect. The Corps' district office in Omaha, Nebraska, which oversees facilities across a large swath of the Great Plains from western Iowa and Nebraska to Montana's border with Canada, said the changes also will protect hydropower and dam operations.

"Decisions to make operational changes at recreation areas are not made lightly, and we understand those decisions can be disruptive to the public’s travel plans," Garman said in an email to The Associated Press. President Donald Trump imposed a federal hiring freeze after beginning his second term in January, and his Department of Government Efficiency is trying to eliminate tens of thousands of government jobs.

In Pickstown, South Dakota, residents were “appalled” to learn the Corps plans to close its visitor center at the Fort Randall Dam and suspend tours of the dam's powerhouse on May 1, said Cindy Broyhill, the president of the town’s Board of Trustees.

“”We have a lot of fishing and boating, but we also have a lot of just plain tourists coming through to see the dam," Broyhill said of Pickstown, located a little more than a half-mile (0.8 kilometers) east of the dam on the Missouri River, about 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) north of the Nebraska state line. “I think there are other places where they could cut that would make more sense," she added.

Read more: https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/campgrounds-visitor-centers-federal-lakes-closing-amid-trumps-121207745



From the OP excerpt -

In Pickstown, South Dakota, residents were “appalled” to learn the Corps plans to close its visitor center at the Fort Randall Dam and suspend tours of the dam's powerhouse on May 1,

(snip)

“”We have a lot of fishing and boating, but we also have a lot of just plain tourists coming through to see the dam,"

(snip)

“I think there are other places where they could cut that would make more sense," she added.


Pickstown, SD is in Charles Mix County. And what did they do come 2024 election time?



Kudos for the Harris/Walz voters in that apparently bloody red county (which is about 32% indigenous).

31 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Campgrounds, visitor centers at federal lakes are closing amid Trump's budget cuts (Original Post) BumRushDaShow 20 hrs ago OP
"I think there are other places where they could cut that would make more sense" displacedvermoter 20 hrs ago #1
Yeah. Da Fuck? Why don't they close the Statchoo of Liberty or Independence Hall 3Hotdogs 17 hrs ago #17
The Corps would have statutory mission-oriented work they can't reduce, and so... Beartracks 10 hrs ago #28
I enjoy camping at Army Corps of Engineer campgrounds. Everything good in life is Wingus Dingus 20 hrs ago #2
Some of the best campgrounds in the country Onthefly 20 hrs ago #5
Intentional cuts to hit us where we recreate and recharge. Hope22 20 hrs ago #7
Don't get me started on how people trash parks and public lands, it's absolutely appalling. Wingus Dingus 19 hrs ago #12
Not just by him. This is Project 2025 stuff. By Conservatives/RWers. By Republicans. JHB 16 hrs ago #18
Yep electricmonk 12 hrs ago #24
'Important' people will still be able to go there. Remember Chris Christie who shut down a state beach Norrrm 20 hrs ago #3
"Remember Chris Christie who shut down a state beach" BumRushDaShow 19 hrs ago #8
My wife and daughter were at the Gettysburg Military Park a little over a week ago. galapagos 20 hrs ago #4
Was the facility still winterized or does TN not have that problem? Nt Hope22 19 hrs ago #9
TN? Gettysburg is in Pennsylvania JHB 16 hrs ago #19
lol! Hope22 16 hrs ago #20
We are now a shit-hole country. OverBurn 13 hrs ago #22
The "shit-hole" is not the country, but the orange anus and everyone who put him in charge. erronis 12 hrs ago #25
Welcome to the DU galapagos! CountAllVotes 11 hrs ago #27
Next plan - sell to the highest bidder. nt Tadpole Raisin 20 hrs ago #6
And a portion will somehow end up in the pocket of the crime boss. Prof. Toru Tanaka 18 hrs ago #14
Maga land, no boats for you! Blues Heron 19 hrs ago #10
"They say that finding out is hard to do..." tanyev 19 hrs ago #11
"But even then, they still won't vote blue...." Prof. Toru Tanaka 18 hrs ago #15
Sad, funny and true--all at the same time. tanyev 18 hrs ago #16
And then what happens? Does anybody know? What's the end result other than simply gutting a program? Firestorm49 18 hrs ago #13
The goal is not to save money. Irish_Dem 14 hrs ago #21
Wake up call Iamscrewed 12 hrs ago #23
They will figure it out when it hits them in the pocket CountAllVotes 11 hrs ago #26
K&R red dog 1 10 hrs ago #29
Nobody ever expects the face eating leopards mn9driver 7 hrs ago #30
Have The Day You Voted For! modrepub 29 min ago #31

displacedvermoter

(3,693 posts)
1. "I think there are other places where they could cut that would make more sense"
Sun Apr 27, 2025, 08:33 AM
20 hrs ago

like someplace that serves Black people or gays or woke people. Just not here where 71 percent voted for our Leader.

I loathe these people.

3Hotdogs

(14,113 posts)
17. Yeah. Da Fuck? Why don't they close the Statchoo of Liberty or Independence Hall
Sun Apr 27, 2025, 11:22 AM
17 hrs ago

or some other place. Why our place?

Beartracks

(13,861 posts)
28. The Corps would have statutory mission-oriented work they can't reduce, and so...
Sun Apr 27, 2025, 06:00 PM
10 hrs ago

... running boat docks and recreational areas becomes a "nice to have" thing that is first on the chopping block when the Trump administration cuts budgets and staff.

I would hope that the Corps makes it known that Trump's cuts are the reason these facilities are being closed. Put it on signs right there on the locked gates and doors.

To those people who think there must be "other places where they could cut that would make more sense" -- you've been misinformed that bloat runs rampant at every government agency and institution, sucking their budgets dry with DEI programs and gender education. In your eyes there's simply lots and lots of low-hanging fruit that can be hacked out of every government office in a way that won't affect YOUR life in any way. However, that is simply not the case. This is what you voted for. And if you think it isn't, then you weren't paying much attention during the campaign.

==================

Wingus Dingus

(8,949 posts)
2. I enjoy camping at Army Corps of Engineer campgrounds. Everything good in life is
Sun Apr 27, 2025, 08:37 AM
20 hrs ago

being eroded or outright taken away by that evil piece of shit.

Hope22

(3,928 posts)
7. Intentional cuts to hit us where we recreate and recharge.
Sun Apr 27, 2025, 08:56 AM
20 hrs ago

Check into the devastation Americans caused on parks like Yosemite during Covid. Mountains of trash and literal shit to be cleaned up when the park reopened. If people weren’t animals and packed their crap out we would have zero problems and 100% use of the spaces but we know that so many of us are simply dirty, greedy humans!

Wingus Dingus

(8,949 posts)
12. Don't get me started on how people trash parks and public lands, it's absolutely appalling.
Sun Apr 27, 2025, 09:31 AM
19 hrs ago

JHB

(37,641 posts)
18. Not just by him. This is Project 2025 stuff. By Conservatives/RWers. By Republicans.
Sun Apr 27, 2025, 11:58 AM
16 hrs ago

electricmonk

(1,877 posts)
24. Yep
Sun Apr 27, 2025, 04:25 PM
12 hrs ago

A DOGE guy is running it all now because Burgum is too lazy to do his job, not that he would be any better but the new guy didn't even have to go through any confirmation hearings. I'm not sure if he has direct ties to Project 2025 but he's an oil executive. This guy does a good, non-biased (almost too non-biased) job covering park and outdoor recreation news and made a video about that a few days ago.

?si=BZi3SNwdqcpWj0f_

Norrrm

(1,297 posts)
3. 'Important' people will still be able to go there. Remember Chris Christie who shut down a state beach
Sun Apr 27, 2025, 08:47 AM
20 hrs ago

during COVID but took his family there as a private beach.

BumRushDaShow

(151,326 posts)
8. "Remember Chris Christie who shut down a state beach"
Sun Apr 27, 2025, 08:58 AM
19 hrs ago

Meme of the century on DU (along with Bernie Sanders' mittens)!

galapagos

(10 posts)
4. My wife and daughter were at the Gettysburg Military Park a little over a week ago.
Sun Apr 27, 2025, 08:50 AM
20 hrs ago

When my daughter had to use a public bathroom, she said there was no toilet paper and the sinks did not have running water. In all the years we have been going to that park, we have never encountered that issue before.

erronis

(19,242 posts)
25. The "shit-hole" is not the country, but the orange anus and everyone who put him in charge.
Sun Apr 27, 2025, 04:38 PM
12 hrs ago

This country is wonderful but the magats/republicons/tea-partiers/xians are trying to ruin it.

Firestorm49

(4,356 posts)
13. And then what happens? Does anybody know? What's the end result other than simply gutting a program?
Sun Apr 27, 2025, 10:10 AM
18 hrs ago

And that, as we all know, is the rub. As a former business owner, if I felt the need to improve an underperforming service or program, I would generally have a plan B in mind first. These guys are gutting just for the thrill of it. Cutting expenses, my butt. Mindless shock positioning at the very best. They’re totally incompetent to do much of anything at all, as is illustrated by the constant reversing of their stated goal. It appears to be an ass kisser’s paradise. Kiss his ass and you get what you want, or in Trumpian, loyalty.

Irish_Dem

(68,775 posts)
21. The goal is not to save money.
Sun Apr 27, 2025, 02:51 PM
14 hrs ago

The goal is to destroy American culture, history, society.

And sell off public lands to the highest bidder.

Iamscrewed

(160 posts)
23. Wake up call
Sun Apr 27, 2025, 04:12 PM
12 hrs ago

How long will it take for people who voted for the oRange menace to figure it out.

CountAllVotes

(21,718 posts)
26. They will figure it out when it hits them in the pocket
Sun Apr 27, 2025, 05:03 PM
11 hrs ago

Same old story!

Welcome to the DU Iamscrewed !!



Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»Campgrounds, visitor cent...