BOAT LAUNCHES AT JACKSON MEADOWS & BOWMAN CLOSEDLETTER OF INTEREST:TO: Sierra County Board of Supervisors Board Meeting May 20, 2025 Dear Chairman Adams: Friends of Independence Lake, Inc., is gravely concerned about the closure to motorized boating on Jackson Meadows Reservoir. This closure was discussed at the April NID meeting and a subsequent closure was implemented. Our concerns include the following: 1 – The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). How is a disabled person supposed to row around the lake? This is not a small lake, and the winds regularly pick up in the afternoons. A disabled person, an elderly person, a young person could quickly become in dire need of rescue while trying to access the further reaches of the lake. Who will provide rescue? 2 – California charges for an AIS sticker for each boat. Where is that money? Why is this money not used and NID performs an inspection of each boat that accesses the lake? 3 – Why just a closure to motor boats. Are we supposed to believe that the Golden Mussel discriminates and only attaches to motor boats? A car-top canoe or kayak or paddleboard has just as much of an opportunity to transport these very small critters, and a car-top boat is much more likely to travel long distances than a trailered motor boat. The potential for the non-motorized boats to transport these mussels is just as likely as a motor boat. 4 – There is a complete lack of transparency. Once NID ordered the closure, no information on it was made to the Recreation.gov website or the TNF website of the US Forest Service, and we heard about the closure through word-of-mouth. 5 – There is inadequate information to justify closing the lake to motor boats. At the April NID meeting, a “risk rating” showed Jackson Meadows to be a “low/moderate” risk. 6 - Why is this happening now? Years prior, the Friends of Independence Lake suggested and staffed an AIS program at Little Truckee Summit which would have protected multiple lakes accessed by the Fiberboard Freeway. There are very limited options for motor boating in Sierra County. Closing this lake takes away one of the largest options, and negatively impacts the local residents recreation. 7 – This will economically harm Sierra County. Sierra County is a small county that has limited opportunities for revenue. Closing this lake will negatively impact the tourism dollars that our local businesses rely upon. 8 – Conflict issues. The USFS has no jurisdiction on the water. The boat launch is on USFS land. How will this be implemented? Who will patrol this? Most importantly, who will provide rescue for those needing it? 9 – This will impact fishing and the fishing opportunities; it is a direct affront to the fishing community. Not only will it impact professional fishing guides, it harms the recreational fisher-person. 10 – This is a dangerous lake to row. Two of us rowed a boat around the lake. It took 8 hours of strenuous rowing, and the wind came up in the afternoon with white caps. This is a dangerous lake to be on when rowing a boat with no other means of propulsion. Tourists who do not know about the regular winds on this lake will be in danger. A disabled person, a young or elderly person, or a person who physically cannot row a boat will be negatively impacted by the closure of this lake to motor boats. In California, a water company cannot typically shut down boating in navigable waters without a valid reason, such as a public safety emergency.” California law protects the public's right to use navigable waters. We believe that shutting motor boats out of Jackson Meadows CREATES a public safety hazard. As NID continues past its knee-jerk reaction to the Golden Mussel, and prepares to implement more constructive ways to safely access our public waterways, we believe that at a minimum electric trolling motors be allowed on the lake for this season. Friends of Independence Lake, Inc., is extremely concerned about this issue. Our suggestion for the long-term health of Jackson Meadows (and surrounding lakes) is an AIS inspection facility be implemented by NID (as it is in places like Lake Tahoe), and that ALL boats to the lake, both motorized and non-motorized, be inspected, and the lake remain open to the public. Thank you for your consideration. Kenny Osburn, President Friends of Independence Lake, Inc. CC: Sierra Booster Sierra Sun Yuba Net Plumas Sun Reno Gazette Journal Congressman Kevin Kiley Sheriff Mike Fisher USFS Nevada City Forest Supervisor Nevada County Board of Supervisors California Department of Fish and Wildlife California Department of Boating and Waterways NID Submitted: 05/22/25 Article By: Sierra Booster |