St. Paul District Headwaters recreation areas opening for 2013 season

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Despite spring’s late arrival and snow on the ground, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District Headwater recreation areas will open for the camping season May 1.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Headwaters include Cross Lake, Gull Lake, Leech Lake, Pokegama Lake, Sandy Lake and Lake Winnibigoshish.

Due to frost and heavy snow pack on campgrounds, some facilities and amenities may not be open. Also, the availability of potable water, shower buildings and flush facilities may vary depending upon each site conditions. Please contact project offices for site specific information of available facilities.

The St. Paul District operates 49 recreation areas. They range from public landings along the Mississippi River to lock and dam visitor centers to full-service campgrounds. These recreation areas are an important component of the region’s tourism industry, and the impact on the local and regional economies is significant. On average, an estimated 8.7 million visitors use district recreational sites each year. They spend approximately $239 million, of which $165 million was captured in the local economy, and support an estimated 3,060 jobs.

The nearly 700 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, employees working at more than 40 sites in five upper-Midwest states serve the American public in the areas of environmental enhancement, navigation, flood damage reduction, water and wetlands regulation, recreation sites and disaster response. Through the Corps’ Fiscal Year 2011 $175 million budget, nearly 2,800 non-Corps jobs were added to the regional economy as well as $271 million to the national economy. For more information, see www.mvp.usace.army.mil.

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