Army Corps Campgrounds and the budget

There are no lakes with ACOE campgrounds in NJ or DE, but there are 3 in NY, and 13 in PA. I wish they had a camping facility along the ACOE-controlled Chesapeake and Delaware Canal in central DE.

You can search ACOE facilities by state here:

http://corpslakes.usace.army.mil/visitors/visitors.cfm

Again, the COE has a main mission of managing navigation and flood control. That means dams on lakes, rivers, and reservoirs. Because they owned land around these features (most were purchased/eminent domain from private landowners)they do manage some areas for recreational camping. It is not their main mission, and only a very tiny part of their budget.

If you have no COE campgrounds near your home, it is probably because the COE is not involved in flood control or navigation in your area. They don't buy land adjacent to existing lakes just to create a campground, they created campgrounds on lands that they acquired for navigation or flood control purposes, and as some folks have said, often that was many many years ago, and the CCC was involved in helping build some of those campgrounds.

Most Corp campgrounds are around the dams. Tenneesee Valley Authority and Bonneville power were a couple. Numerous ones on the Missouri and Mississippi River drainage.

Most COE campgrounds were developed by the CCC during the depression. I don't think I've ever found one that wasn't on a waterway of some type.

Doug33 wrote:
I just want to know why there aren't any Army Corp campgrounds anywhere near me in NJ (that I'm aware of). How were the locations decided and developed over time?

Many of the Army Corps Campgrounds are developed around lakes that they are in charge of...here in Middle Tennessee, Percy Priest, Old Hickory, Cordell Hull, Center Hill and a few more.

I just want to know why there aren't any Army Corp campgrounds anywhere near me in NJ (that I'm aware of). How were the locations decided and developed over time?

I haven't worked for the govt, but I have consulted for a number of different agencies, and one thing I have learned about budgeting is that there is no consistency among the various agencies. In some cases a program is managed at a national level, which makes it a very "visible" budget item, easily enhanced, or easily cut. In other cases, a project is managed at local levels, and is subject to the whims of the local director.

As an example, almost every military base has a golf course, but the condition (read, percentage of local budget) depends on whether or not the base CO plays golf or not.

Based on what was posted earlier, I suspect that COE campgrounds are managed out the various district budget. So if a particular area, like West Point is underfunded, that is likely an issue at the Mobile COE district office.

Semantics and labeling tricks work wonders on a budget - either you take the money under manipulated pretenses, or you get the money from the same type scheme in reverse.

Many in the director positions either look the other way, or are told to look the other way as a matter of policy. Don't challenge the paperwork. It's keep your job or lose it.

The first thing we lose in any "budget adjustment" -- services, not management jobs.

On the same note, I've met many NP workers who do not fit that category and work hard for the parks. But, it only takes a few (even one or two with power) to undo all the great work the majority accomplish.

Ok, if the funds are retained in the parks.....why are so many in need of repair and closing for lack of funds? Don't want to start a war, just hate to see what is happening in our parks. And I'm a volunteer also.

Kaz wrote:

Mark and Linda wrote:
Just wondering if anyone might have any idea on how the Federal Budget affects the campgrounds and their maintenance. Love the campgrounds **Army Corps**

At the lake where we live (West Point Lake, LaGrange, GA), only 4 of the Army Corps campgrounds are open; the rest are closed due to "budget constraints." It's really sad--seeing these facilities decaying because there's no money to maintain them and keep them open.
@rant_on: And that really annoys me. One of the few things that the government does that actually benefits citizens, besides national defense, is manage public lands. Other than that, it seems like they mostly just push money around from one person to another. But at budget time, the good things seem to get whacked for the benefit of less worthy expenditures. Ugh. OK -- I feel better now. @rant_off.
I would be curious to know how much of the recreation fees that the Corps collects actually go back to the facilities. And I definitely will start making better use of the donation boxes!

Same thoughts here...I see some that needs it and others really looking good. The area near where I was born in VA is having the same problem, areas not be kept up and left to run down.