From The Durango Herald (Dale Rodebaugh):
On Wednesday, about 30 people turned out at the La Plata County Fairgrounds for the first in a series of public meetings about recreation on the lake, which will cover 1,500 surface acres when fully filled in 2011. Posted for public viewing were comments on the subject, and almost all of them contained a pitch for either motorized or nonmotorized boating…
Friends Anne Sutherland and Cindy Ortman, who hadn’t seen one another in six years, found they still have a lot in common. They don’t want motorboats on the lake, too. “I’m here to give input,” Sutherland said. “No motorized craft – boats or jet skis.” Ortman said she’d like to see sailboats and rowing and high school and college crew teams…
Joy Lujan, a National Park Service community planner, is coordinating creation of a recreation master plan at the lake. Lujan wants participants in upcoming forums and workshops to have a solid foundation for discussions. Lujan points out that although federal Wallop-Breaux funding that helped build a boat ramp at Lake Nighthorse requires access for motorized craft, the master plan will spell out the type and location of water-based activities…
Also on hand to answer questions at the meeting were employees of the Bureau of Reclamation, which owns Lake Nighthorse; board members of the Animas-La Plata Water Conservancy District, which is leading the campaign to fund the recreation master plan; and a representative from consultant DHM Design…
Another open house is scheduled from 5 to 8 p.m. today at 175 Mercado St., Suite 117, in Three Springs. Public forums and workshops will follow until a final recreation plan is unveiled Jan. 12.