Work on a boat inspection and decontamination station at Lake Nighthorse is scheduled to start this month, according to a news release from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. But don't put your boat on the car just yet.
The bureau is contracting with Weeminuche Construction Authority operated by the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe for surveying and construction of the Lake Nighthorse boat inspection and decontamination station. Survey work and construction will begin this month.
The station will be located off County Road 210 at the entrance of the Lake Nighthorse recreation area. The purpose of the station is to prevent aquatic invasive species from being introduced into the reservoir.
After construction is completed in September 2016, the area will remain closed to all public access, the bureau says. The feds say the closure is necessary until a recreation management entity is identified and recreation facilities are built to provide for public safety and protect resources from damage due to uncontrolled use.
Lake Nighthorse is a component of the Animas-La Plata (A-LP) Project. The A-LP Project was built to fulfill the water rights settlement of the Ute Mountain Ute and Southern Ute Indian Tribes.
