cliff jumping ban- aka end of dws

Post by **the lurkist** » Mon May 28, 2007 4:47 pm

http://www.kentucky.com/news/state/story/80513.html

Post by **Yasmeen** » Mon May 28, 2007 8:27 pm

Damn.

Post by **dmw** » Mon May 28, 2007 10:56 pm

that really, really sucks

Post by **pigsteak** » Mon May 28, 2007 11:26 pm

why does it suck? if we are merely climbing on the cliffs, and not jumping from them...

heck, even a good bluff scaler falls once in a while.

Pru · Post by **Pru** » Mon May 28, 2007 11:37 pm

Piggy, please go test that theory and let us know if you are able to get out of the hefty fine. Thank you.

Post by **Saxman** » Tue May 29, 2007 12:04 am

It bans diving and jumping, not falling.

Post by **Horatio Felacio** » Tue May 29, 2007 12:18 am

how many army corps patrol boats has anyone ever seen? or even any kind of "official" patrol boat?

Post by **sendit** » Tue May 29, 2007 12:43 am

i was jumping there yesterday over by the coliseum...no one stopped our group, but I didn't see any patrol boats. The way I see it, we can probably plead ignorant for this summer until they have time to install signs around all the cliffs. If you want to risk it just say you're from out of town.

Post by **Wolf** » Tue May 29, 2007 1:29 am

So the Army Corps of Engineers can just "announce a ban"? Is there any possible legislative remedy to this stupidity? I wish I lived in a land that placed a greater value on freedom.

Post by **rohr** » Tue May 29, 2007 4:07 am

Wolf wrote:So the Army Corps of Engineers can just "announce a ban"?

Yeah, it looks that way. The regulations that govern the Corps give the District Commander a lot of authority to restrict public use of Corps projects. (If you're a big dork like me, see 36 CFR 327.12, http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2006/ ... 327.12.pdf )

Here's the press release announcing the ban. Notice that it says that rangers will issues warnings and that failure to follow the warnings can result in arrest/fine.

HUNTINGTONâ€¦Effective immediately, the Huntington District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is banning cliff jumping/diving on all district managed recreational property.

Cliff jumping/diving is a reckless and potentially very dangerous activity that has always been strongly discouraged on USACE recreational projects. Recent water-related accidents and fatalities have prompted Huntington District to take the lead in prohibiting this activity.

Overall, there have been 69 water-related deaths in the Huntington District since 1993; there were seven deaths in 2006.

Warnings will be posted at district projects alerting users of the dangers associated with cliff jumping/diving and advising them of the ban. Warnings will be issued by park rangers explaining the dangers associated with the activity.

Failure to heed warnings may result in citation under Title 36, which may result in a penalty of up to $5,000 or even federal imprisonment.

District lakes where the ban is now in effect include: Alum Creek, Deer Creek, Delaware, Dillon, North Branch of Kokosing and Paint Creek Lakes in Ohio; Beech Fork, Bluestone, Burnsville, East Lynn, R.D. Bailey, Summersville, and Sutton Lakes in West Virginia; Dewey, Fishtrap, Grayson, Paintsville and Yatesville Lakes in Kentucky; and John W. Flannagan in Virginia.

For more information, please contact the Public Affairs office at (304) 399-5353.

(Source: http://www.lrh.usace.army.mil/Announcem ... rg_id=7732 )