LOS ANGELES – A number of organizations have joined together for the Lake Mead Safe Boating Partnership and will present the initiative at a press conference Jan. 31 at the L.A. Boat Show, according to a statement from organizers Wednesday.
The members of the partnership are the National Park Service, Personal Watercraft Industry Association, the California Department of Boating Waterways, the Arizona Game & Fish Department and the Nevada Department of Wildlife. The public/private campaign is aimed at tri-state boaters in an effort to reduce accidents in Lake Mead National Recreation Area, which includes Lake Mead and Lake Mohave.
Each year 8-10 million people visit Lake Mead in Nevada and Lake Mohave in Arizona. About half of these visitors are from out-of-state, many from California. On a busy weekend at Lake Mead alone, up to 5,000 vessels can be on the lake at one time. Many of the boating accidents that occur on the lakes are preventable, according to the new group. Most involve factors that boaters can easily correct to improve safety on Lake Mead and Lake Mohave, which will be the focus of this partnership.
William Dickenson, Lake Mead National Recreation Area superintendent; Gloria Sandoval, California Department of Boating and Waterways associate boating administrator; and Maureen Healey, PWIA executive director plan to sign a Lake Mead Safe Boating Partnership declaration at the press conference.
