(5/2/99)
For the first time in many years, a new marina is under construction on
Lake Powell. It's near Page, just across the Arizona border.
That should offer relief to millions of boaters who sometimes jam the lake's
limited facilities.
Environment Specialist John Hollenhorst has details.
The launch ramp is on National Park Service property, the resort-marina
business will be on the Navajo reservation.
And when it's built, it will be the fulfillment of a 30-year-old dream.
It may look like the end of the road.
But it could be the beginning of a new future for the Navajo Nation.
Navajo planner, Herman Tso says, "It's just really hard to believe that this is
really coming about."
A massive launch-ramp is being built this year. Next year a resort-marina
begins to take shape. The government promised two marinas on the Navajo side,
back when Lake Powell was first created.
One was built in the 1980's, but it was a failure and was destroyed in a
flood. Ever since, the Navajos have hoped for another.
Tso says, "I just always said, I'll believe it when I see it."
Boaters will be glad to see it. Several million visit Lake Powell every
year, and they've been funneled through just four launch-ramp-marina complexes.
A fifth is expected to relieve pressure, especially on crowded holiday
weekends.
Char Oberg, of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area says, "We've been
looking forward to this for almost 30 years. So we're real excited to actually
have an operation here."
To the Navajos, it means a chance to share in the cash flow at one of the
West's most popular recreation spots. Their own unemployment rate is a whopping
47 percent.
Thomas Boyd, of the Navajo Nation Economic Development, says, "Hopefully we can
employ around 300 people, put a little dent into our unemployment rate."
Several other potential marina sites have been identified. But it's a good
question whether any of them will ever be built. There are serious worries
about whether too many visitors would be too much for the lake.
Oberg says, "We certainly don't think this marina will impact that. But
additonal marinas may. That will be something we certainly may have to address.
We want our visitors to have a quality experience while they're here."
Many boaters are frustrated by the lack of facilities at Lake Powell.
But the Park Service has a competing mission to protect the spectacular
scenery and the natural environment.
They still have a committment for a second marina on the Navajo side, but
it's likely to be several years before that one moves forward.
