Due to the shelter-in-place order in effect in Illinois, all U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) St. Louis District campgrounds and most comfort stations located in Illinois will close until further notice starting March 21, 2020.
The impacted Illinois USACE projects include Lake Shelbyville, Carlyle Lake, Rend Lake, and the Kaskaskia Navigation Project.
The state-issued shelter-in-place order may affect the ability for USACE project staff, contractors, and volunteers to properly clean and disinfect comfort stations among other public safety concerns.
Lake Shelbyville, Carlyle Lake, and the Kaskaskia Navigation Project day use and lake access areas including boat launches, fishing piers, and viewing areas will remain open. Keeping these areas open will be determined on a Project-specific, case-by-case basis which may cause specific areas of the USACE controlled public areas to close.
At Rend Lake, the South Marcum and Dam West boat ramps, the Dam West and Spillway Day Use Areas and outlying access areas will remain open. In addition, portions of the Rend Lake bike trail, not effected by flooding, will remain open.
The USACE regrets any inconvenience caused by these closures, but must keep the safety and health of all visitors as well as its employees as our priority. These measures, triggered by the shelter-in-place order, allow the USACE to continue to best deliver its other critical services uninterrupted during this challenging time.
Additional information on modifications, closures or other restrictions related to USACE Project Areas will be announced as soon as possible. Follow us on Facebook for any new announcements or news regarding the public safety precautions taken during the COVID-19 situation.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) St. Louis District will close all visitor centers, museums, beaches and project offices to the public beginning March 18, 2020 while day use areas and boat ramps will remain open and available.
USACE campgrounds that are currently open will honor active reservations through Thursday March 19th. Any individuals with reservations on or before Thursday, March 19th will be able to camp for the entirety of their reservation. First-come, first-serve campsites will not be available after Thursday, March 19th.
Further, reservations scheduled between 20 March and 3 April are cancelled. Refunds will be provided through Recreation One-Stop (1-877-444-6777 or recreation.gov). Unopened USACE campgrounds will have an indefinite delay in their previously advertised seasonal openings. All other events, including USACE-sponsored events, interpretive programs, fishing tournaments, lock-and-dam tours and site visits scheduled from 17 March through 3 April are now cancelled.
The USACE regrets any inconvenience caused by these closures. The USACE must keep the safety and health of all visitors as well as its employees as our priority. These preventative moves allow the USACE to continue to best deliver its other critical services uninterrupted at this time.
Additional information on modifications, closures or other restrictions related to USACE Project Areas will be announced as soon as possible.
