Lake Pleasant/Table Mesa closure

[rhino105]

LAKE PLEASANT ENTRANCE FROM TABLE MESA ROAD WILL BE CLOSED TO MOTORIZED USE EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2007.

This closure is not totally due to OHV use....... correction: MISUSE............. but it certainly shows how important it is for us go get involved in the OHV Ambassador Program and help LEO's do Peer Patrol. I'm not very happy they have taken this stand following OHV applying thousands of dollars of signing, kiosks, and volunteer labor to help them when they do nothing to help themselves but closures are the easiest way to solve a problem for agencies......... mark my words............ CLOSURES WILL HAPPEN BECAUSE OF OUR LACK OF INVOLVEMENT OR RESPONSIBILITY.

NEWS for immediate release

MARICOPA COUNTY
Parks & Recreation
234 N. Central Ave , Suite 6400
Phoenix, AZ 85004
Ph 602-506-2930
www.maricopa.gov



Agencies to enforce motorized vehicle restriction

County and state agencies to enforce motorized vehicle restriction at Agua Fria Conservation Area
Effective July 1, 2007



(Morristown) – Effective July 1, 2007, in accordance with the Park Rule R-107 and 1995 Park Master Plan, the restrictions on motorized vehicle use at the Lake Pleasant Regional Park Agua Fria Conservation Area entrance will be enforced. The conservation area is located at the north end of the park just south of Table Mesa Road. The decision to enforce the park rule was made by the Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department and Bureau of Reclamation to ensure public safety and to protect the conservation area. “This decision was not made lightly,” stated R.J. Cardin, assistant director for Maricopa County’s Parks and Recreation Department.



“Over the past four years, we’ve seen an increase in illegal activity in the area. Illegal activities have ranged from shooting to dumping and irresponsible use of off-highway vehicles to vandalism. These activities are causing damage to the desert and riparian areas and have created an unsafe environment for law abiding visitors who are there to enjoy the natural beauty of the area. This is very concerning to all the agencies who manage the public lands in the area and we’ve agreed that the motorized vehicle restriction needs to be enforced to protect both the public and the conservation area,” added Cardin.



A multi-agency task force, initiated by the Bureau of Reclamation, has been meeting to determine the best short and long-term solutions for the area. Until a long-term solution is developed, park visitors may continue to fish, hike, bike, picnic, and camp in the conservation area. All supplies must be carried into the site without the use of motorized vehicles.



Anyone who witnesses any illegal activity at the Agua Fria Conservation Area should contact the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office at [phone]. Future developments on the conservation area will be made available to the public. Lake Pleasant Regional Park is located at 41835 N. Castle Hot Springs Rd. in Morristown. For information on the conservation area, visit www.maricopa.gov/parks/lake_p.../AguaFria.aspx.

[I Am Batman]

FUCK

[f250crawler]

motherfucker said:

FUCK

X2

[az-k5]

motherfucker said:

FUCK

It isn't that bad.


Think about it, when was the last time you drove to the lake from TM?

I did it a little over a year ago and won't do it again. The two biggest issues are guns and dumping. There is no shooting in the lake boundaries and that is a constant problem. The north side of the lake is kinda like the north valley sycamore creek.

[FATBOB]

AZ-K5 wrote
"Think about it, when was the last time you drove to the lake from TM?"

I just went fishing there last weekend, and wish I could keep going back.

It was about the only place you could camp by the water, UNDER TREES, go fishing, and go dirt bike/quad riding. The water is shallow enough to let kids play in, for those like Alan and Jenny. It was a great multi-use spot.

This might be the wrong place to say this, but I believe many of us have multiple interests besides rockcrawling.

I like hunting, but all my old quail-dove hunt areas have houses on them now
Ditto for most of the dirtbike spots.
ditto for shooting/ target practice
And I know its only a matter of time till there is no place to go rockcrawling.
I just hate to see any of my recreational activites being curtailed because the game&fish dept wont enforce the LAW.

And yes, you are right about the area getting worse, but giving on an area is not the best solution.

[az-k5]

I do realize that there are multiple users on each piece of land. The fact is that there is a major number of users that are conducting illegal activities in that area. I am glad to see some sort of response to it.

In order to play/fish/camp on the north side you are supposed to stop by the pay station on the south side. Maybe if they get the rif-raff out they can put in a toll set up like the main gate.

Is it the best solution? No.
Is it a safe place to leave your truck/boat trailer while you go trolling for fish? No.
Is it a safe or clean place for kids to play in? No.

Something needs to be done.

I met a ranger out there a few years ago and she was rather nice. She was just counting vehicle use and was surprised I stopped by her truck to talk. I had asked if the area was lake property and she said about a mile north of the drop in to the river there used to be an old sign that got knocked down that declared that lake pleasant area. She was surveying the use of the area for a possible toll area, similar to saguaro lake.