By Enid Lake Park Rangers
RECREATION SEASON

All campgrounds at Enid Lake are officially opened.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Enid Lake operates five Class A and 2 Class C campgrounds. The five Class A campgrounds include: Wallace Creek, Persimmon Hill, Chickasaw Hill, Ford’s Well, and Water Valley Boat Landing. These Campgrounds offer a RV pad at each site with water and electrical hook ups, and a dump station is located at the entrance of each campground. All Class A campgrounds have comfort stations, shower houses, a playground, and a boat ramp. Camping fees range from $16 to $18 a night in Wallace Creek and Persimmon Hill, and $14 a night in Chickasaw Hill, Ford’s Well, and Water Valley Landing. Ford’s Well, which is a wrangler campground, offers RV camping. Each site has water and electrical hook ups, and a dump station is located in the campground. Other amenities includes: a comfort station, picnic sites, a large picnic shelter, and a gazebo. Class C campgrounds include: Plum Point and Long Branch. These campgrounds are primitive areas, but offer potable water, comfort stations, a playground, and a boat ramp. Camping fees for Class C campsites are $6 a night.

Campsites in Class A campgrounds can be reserved through the National Recreation Reservation System (NRRS) by calling toll free 1-877-444-6777. You can also reserve sites in these areas by logging onto the NRRS website at RECREATION.gov.  Campsites at Ford’s Well Campground are not part of the National Recreation Reservation System. Campsites at Ford’s Well Campground are all first come first serve.

Enid Lake also has five designated swimming beaches, which are scheduled to open for use on April 1.  Visitors to these beaches are required to pay a user fee or have an annual pass affixed to their vehicle.

The fee for using one of these designated beaches is $1 per person or maximum of $4 per vehicle per day.  When visiting these beaches, everyone is urged to practice water safety.  Each of these beaches is marked with orange buoys and everyone is required to stay within this designated area.  

There is also a “Rescue Device Station” on each beach, which has a throw bag, a reach pole and instructions on their proper use.  These devices are to be used only for emergencies or for water safety demonstrations by rangers.  If anyone would like to practice with one of these devices, request the assistance of a ranger.  The white depth marker poles located on the beaches are intended to give swimmers the approximate depth of the water in feet.

Designated swimming areas are also affected by lake levels. Currently all beaches are unusable due to current lake level, and unless appreciable amounts of rain, beaches will remain closed on April 1.

PASSES/ PASSPORT
Annual passes allow visitors to launch a boat or use designated swim beaches without having to pay every time they utilize these facilities. The Annual Pass can be purchased from any Corps of Engineers Field Office for $30. Annual Passes are valid for one year from date of purchase.

Enid Lake Personnel would like to remind visitors that Golden Age and Golden Access Passports are accepted at Enid Lake, but no longer can be purchased. The America the Beautiful Passports are also accepted at Enid Lake, but can only be purchased at a U.S. Fish and Wildlife or U.S. Forestry Service Office.

These passports allow campers and visitors half price on camping and day use fees. Visitors interested in acquiring information about passport programs may contact the Enid Lake Field Office at 662-563-4571. For more information on Enid Lake Volunteer Events or Recreational Opportunities please contact the Enid Lake Field Office or visit us at our website at www.mvk.usace.army.mil/Lakes/ms/enid/ .
Life Jackets Wear Policy

The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers lakes in Mississippi will continue to implement the mandatory wearing of a life jacket. A U.S. Coast Guard life jacket test program was initiated in May 2009 to determine if more stringent life jacket wear requirements would improve wear rates and decrease the number of water related fatalities. The test program was implemented at Arkabutla, Sardis, Enid, and Grenada lakes and will conclude in May 2012.

Prior to the implementation of the test program, adult life jacket wear rates at the Mississippi lakes were below 10 percent. During the first year of the test, adult wear rates peaked in the 80 percentile and drowning fatalities dropped from seven to three deaths.

As the nation’s number one provider of water based recreational opportunities, our goal is to minimize the potential for public drowning fatalities. This program has clearly demonstrated that the life jacket policy has increased wear rates and has clearly saved lives. Due to its success, the program will continue as it is currently structured.

The following life jacket wear requirements will remain in effect on Arkabutla, Sardis, Enid, and Grenada Lakes.

1. All persons must wear a Type I, II, or III US Coast Guard-approved life jacket at all times while swimming outside of designated swimming areas.

Waivers may be issued by Corps Resource Managers to exempt participants of special events, such as triathlons, from this requirement while participating in the event.

2. All persons must wear a Type I, II, or III US Coast Guard-approved life jacket at all times while skiing or being pulled by a vessel, regardless of vessel length.

3. All persons must wear a Type I, II, or III US Coast Guard-approved life jacket on powered vessels 16 to 26 feet in length whenever under power by the main propulsion unit. (This does not include when the vessel is stationary or powered by a trolling motor.)

4. All persons must wear a Type I, II, or III US Coast Guard-approved life jacket at all times on powered vessels less than 16 feet in length or on non-powered vessels, regardless of length. Non-powered vessels include, but are not limited to canoes, kayaks, flat bottoms/john boats, sailboats, and paddleboats.

For more information on the North Mississippi Lakes Mandatory Life Jacket Wear Policy please contact: Arkabutla Lake Field Office 662-562-6261, Sardis Lake Field Office 662-563-4531, Enid Lake Field Office 662-563-4571, Grenada Lake Field Office 662-226-5911 or visit the North Mississippi Project Office Website: http://www.mvk.usace.army.mil/lakes/ms/msprojoff/index.php.