If you’re planning on spending time at the lake this Memorial Day weekend, make sure it’s open before you head out.
After the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency launched earlier this year with the goal of reducing spending, it’s resulted in major layoffs of thousands of federal employees, which is now trickling down to many recreational summer destinations.
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Due to staffing and resource reductions and shortages, more than 40 federally managed lakes across the U.S. are facing full or partial closures going into the long weekend—and beyond.
With the cuts impacting recreational services, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers told USA Today that they have no choice but to “limit operations at certain sites or close them altogether.”
“Decisions to make operational changes at recreation areas are not made lightly, and we understand those decisions may be disruptive to the public’s plans,” USACE spokesperson Gene Pawlik stated, expanding on closures of access points, campgrounds, beaches and boat ramps across more than three dozen lakes.
“We continue to reassess our current operating picture as impacts from resignations and the hiring freeze are realized,” Pawlik added.
The US Army Corps of Engineers—a branch of the U.S. military that is part of the civilian workforce currently under the President’s hiring freeze—is responsible for managing 400 lake and river projects across 43 states.
While a full closure is always a “last resort,” Pawlik revealed, it’s done with the public’s safety in mind, or to ensure that there are “minimum staffing requirements at other locations.”
For a list of ongoing closures, you can check the map or easily accessible list.
Related: Top Memorial Day Destinations in the U.S. Revealed—And You Might Be Surprised
