Central Arkansas Water is taking input through June 17 on its updated plan to govern recreational activities on and near its two water sources -- Lake Maumelle and Lake Winona.
The water utility hired Kleinschmidt Associates to review the current regulations governing the two lakes, meet with the public and local stakeholders, and come up with recommendations on whether additional recreational activities can be allowed on the lakes and in their watersheds.
While the consultants recommended that most rules stay the same -- such as the prohibition on swimming, diving, jet-skiing, kayaking, canoeing and mountain biking -- they suggested streamlining some regulations, such as those for hunting.
"The sole purpose for construction of Lakes Maumelle and Winona was to provide a high-quality water supply for the Little Rock metropolitan area," the report says. "CAW's primary responsibility is to ensure outstanding water quality and supply for existing customers and future generations. Therefore, regulations for the public use of Lakes Maumelle and Winona exist to ensure that limited recreational use of the lake areas does not compromise water quality or the CAW's mission."
The rules for Lake Maumelle were last amended in 2010. Rules for Lake Winona haven't been amended since they were adopted in 2002.
The consultants determined that there are too many safety risks and risks to water quality to allow body-contact sports such as swimming on the waterways.
There is support for revising hunting regulations, but the consultants said additional discussion and research is needed.
The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission requested that the hunting season be expanded, the hunting permit process through Central Arkansas Water be removed, small game seasons be expanded and an open waterfowl season on both lakes be created.
"The ecological needs support a change in regulations as small game and nuisance species numbers are rising in the area and the average deer take under the current permit system is below state harvest goals for maintenance of a healthy forest ecosystem," the drafted recreation plan says.
Revising the hunting regulations would likely reduce the commission's and water utility's costs to manage the land, and would simplify rules for hunters, resulting in higher use, the plan said.
While the updated plan gives no guarantees, it instructs Central Arkansas Water to work with the commission before the 2016-17 hunting season to make changes.
During focus groups before the plan was drafted, more campsites were requested in the watersheds, but the consultants recommended keeping current regulations the same.
The Central Arkansas Trail Alliance had advocated for the water utility to loosen its regulations on mountain bikes, which are currently banned. The revised plan says more study is needed to make a decision and suggests a pilot program that the Trail Alliance proposed.
"The primary reason for prohibiting mountain bikes has been the perceived potential for increased risk of erosion from mountain bikes as compared to other trail uses," the report says.
But if Central Arkansas Water wants to explore the impact mountain biking has, it should approve a short-term pilot project on a small section of the Ouachita Trail, somewhere between Arkansas 10 and Arkansas 300, consultants said.
Mike Mitchell of the Central Arkansas Trail Alliance said he looks forward to working with the water utility on a test program but hopes more expansion is allowed in the future.
"Our ultimate goal is to have a trail that encircles the lake and connects with the trails at Pinnacle State Park, which is already connected with the River Trail System," Mitchell said. "Rightfully so, CAW wants assurance that such a trail system will not adversely affect water quality. Anticipating that concern, we contacted the Denver Water control about their experience at Lake Dillon, which is a Denver water source and which has for years had many trails in its watershed right to the water's edge all open to mountain bikes."
"The recreational director at Denver Water was all positive on their experience and assured us there has been no adverse effects on water quality," Mitchell said
The drafted recreation plan does recommend some changes to current conditions and regulations.
Significant improvements should be made to facilities at the Jolly Rogers Marina, the only full-service marina on Lake Maumelle, the plan says. Bank fishing areas around the lake also should be enhanced.
While additional boat access and marinas were requested during focus groups, consultants said more information is needed to see if there is actually a demand for that.
Consultants also recommended that Central Arkansas Water streamline its process for special-use permits. The revised process should be transparent and easy for the public to understand. A deadline for a decision to be made on a request should be clear, the report said.
Consultants stressed that regulations for Lake Maumelle and Lake Winona should be revised to be clear and consistent with one another.
The full plan can be accessed from the water utility's home page at www.carkw.com. Comments can be submitted by emailing RecreationStudyComments@carkw.com, or by mailing a letter to Central Arkansas Water, Attn: Recreation Study Public Comments at 221 E. Capitol Ave., Little Rock, AR 72202.
"We will keep taking public comment for about three more weeks, and then everything would be compiled and presented to the [Central Arkansas Water board of commissioners] for consideration," said Douglas Shackelford, the utility's director of public affairs and communications.
"The board could choose to revamp the entire recreation plan, change a few things in very specific areas, or make no changes at all to what is currently in place," he said.
Metro on 05/29/2016