OLDTOWN — Those hoping to camp at Springy Point are out of luck as U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials announced Tuesday the recreation area was being shuttered for the season.

The recreation area's closure, which takes effect May 10, includes the campground, restrooms, beach and boat ramp. It will be closed until further notice.

USACE officials said recent staffing and other challenges could impact the Corps' ability to manage the site with visitor safety and resource protection in mind, as well as several others on Lake Pend Oreille and the Pend Oreille River.

Limited staffing means reduced routine maintenance and sanitary conditions and also impacts the agency's ability to respond in emergencies in a manner essential for a positive and safe visitor experience, USACE officials said.

"The Corps of Engineers is experiencing various challenges providing its standard level of public service this year,” said Albeni Falls Dam Natural Resources Chief Taylor Johnson. “Because our visitors’ well-being is our top priority, we’re reducing services and closing designated recreation areas to ensure our staff can provide safe experiences for everyone."

Limiting the number of sites that USACE staff need to monitor and manage will help accomplish that, said Johnson.

The USACE also announced that several other USACE-managed facilities on Lake Pend Oreille and the Pend Oreille River will see reduced services this summer.

Among the changes are reduced janitorial services at the Albeni Cove, Priest River and Riley Creek recreation area. In addition, the Riley Creek Recreation Area, set to open May 10, will see one restroom closed and reduced picnic shelter availability. The Albeni Cove and Priest River recreation areas are set to open May 17.

These changes do not affect properties owned by USACE but managed by Idaho Department of Fish and Game, such as the Driftyard, Morton Slough and Johnson Creek.

Limited staffing also has forced cancellation of all interpretation, public outreach events and water safety education activities, impacting nearly an estimated 5,000 visitors. USACE officials estimated that over $17 million is generated in the local economy as a result of the 450,000 visitors who recreate at USACE-managed facilities around Lake Pend Oreille.

“We recognize these closures may be disruptive but want to remind the public that preparation is important. Please plan your trip and check to see if there are additional restrictions or safety alerts,” said Johnson.

Site-specific updates will be posted at recreation.gov and by searching for specific recreation areas. Those with existing reservations at Springy Point will be contacted directly and receive full refunds.

"USACE is working diligently to address its staffing challenges and aims to reopen the affected campgrounds as soon as it is feasible to do so safely and effectively," officials said.

The Albeni Falls Dam relies on temporary seasonal employees and volunteer campground hosts to supplement permanent staff during the peak recreation season, typically May through September. Permanent staff provide critical maintenance at Corps-owned sites and with limited staffing, USACE officials said the agency's ability to provide the services needed to ensure the sites are safe and in good order for the recreation season is impacted.

That limited staffing impacts everything from campground and visitor center operations, powerhouse tours, janitorial services and general maintenance.

"Any unforeseen major maintenance could result in closures due to lack of adequate staffing," Johnson said.