ENID LAKE — With the first major holiday of summer only a few days away, the recreation season at Enid Lake is in full swing.
Memorial Day falls on Monday, May 27, this year and is traditionally the start of the summer vacation season.
The staff at Enid Lake remind all Enid Lake visitors to put safety at the top of their list no matter what recreational activities they will be participating in over the holiday.
The North Mississippi lakes’ mandatory life jacket policy is still in effect at Sardis, Enid, Grenada and Arkabutla lakes. With this in mind, remember to follow all water safety rules, including:
» Always swim in a designated swimming area
» Never swim alone
» Never dive into the water
» Always have adult supervision for children
» Most importantly, always wear a U.S Coast Guard- approved life jacket that properly fits while playing in or near water.
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North Mississippi lakes’ mandatory life jacket policy requirements include:
1) All persons must wear a Type I, II or III U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket at all times while swimming outside of designated swimming areas. Waivers may be issued by Corps resource managers to exempt participants of special events, such as triathlons, from this requirement while participating in the event.
2) All persons must wear a Type I, II or III U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket at all times while skiing or being pulled by a vessel, regardless of vessel length.
3) All persons must wear a Type I, II or III U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket on powered vessels 16 to 26 feet in length whenever under power by the main propulsion unit. (This does not include when the vessel is stationary or powered by a trolling motor.)
4) All persons must wear a Type I, II or III U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket at all times on powered vessels less than 16 feet in length or on non-powered vessels, regardless of length. Non-powered vessels include, but are not limited to, canoes, kayaks, flat bottoms/john boats, sailboats and paddleboats.
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Currently, the lake level at Enid Lake is 268.00 feet above sea level, which is 18 feet above normal lake stage.
Visitors should pay special attention to all signs and barricades. Numerous secondary roads around the lake have become inundated and are marked with barricades. Motorist are reminded not to drive through water covering roadways.
Visitors are reminded to drive slow on secondary roadways and pay attention to all signs and barricades.
Boaters should also take precautions. As the lake levels come up, many obstacles that were once visible may be covered with water. At some boat ramps, signs, guardrails and rip rap rocks may be under water. When possible, these features have been marked with buoys and/or barricades.
Other hazards boaters need to be aware of are stumps, snags, lake points, etc., that have not been inundated in the past several years.
Boaters are reminded to use extreme caution when boating in unfamiliar areas.
Above all, Enid Lake wants to remind all of visitors to slow down, take your time and be safe.
For more information on water safety or high lake stages, contact the Enid Lake Field Office at 662-563-4571 or visit the website at http://www.mvk.usace.army.mil/Missions/Recreation/EnidLake.aspx.
IN THE PHOTO: As evidenced by this photo taken near the spillway at Enid Lake, high lake stages continue and the Enid Lake staff remind all visitors to slow down and practice water safety this Memorial Day weekend. (Photo special to The Sun-Sentinel)
