06.22.16

Hoeven: Lake Tschida Campground and Boat Ramp to Reopen

Senator Brought Property Owner, Bureau of Reclamation & Local Officials Together to Resolve Differences

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven today announced that the Koehler’s Point campground and boat ramp, a popular site at Lake Tschida, will reopen for public use later this week. The Bureau of Reclamation recently closed the location’s facilities, prohibited camping and restricted the area to walk-in access only after failing to secure an adequate road easement on neighboring private land.

“Outdoor recreation is an important part of our state’s heritage,” Hoeven said. “Federal and other public lands help support outdoor activities like hunting, fishing, camping and other recreation, and are an important asset for North Dakotans and others visiting our state. That’s why we worked to facilitate an agreement between the Bureau of Reclamation and the neighboring land owner to ensure public access to Koehler’s Point. This agreement means that Koehler’s Point will remain open for outdoor enthusiasts and will help support the economic activity tied to Lake Tschida. I appreciate the land owners, Corey and Jennifer Roth, and the Bureau of Reclamation working with us to help ensure this popular recreation area can remain open to the public.”

In order to resolve the situation, Hoeven arranged a meeting in early May between the bureau, the property owner and local officials from Grant County and the Tri-Cities Joint Job Development Authority. The bureau had planned to close the site permanently until Hoeven intervened. They subsequently agreed to keep the campground and boat ramp open through Memorial Day and paused the permanent closure process while an agreement for an easement could be reached. The land owner filed a mutually agreeable easement with the county today and completed a new section of road this past weekend.

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