News Flash
ALL PERMITS ARE IN- WE START THE DREDGING PROCESS DECEMBER 5!
Dredging upriver to begin
By JACKIE LEATHERMAN
Today's News-Herald
Sunday, December 4, 2011
A major threat to boats’ propellers along the Colorado River north of Lake Havasu City is about to be eliminated. The Lake Havasu Marine Association received permission within the past week to dredge a half-mile long channel near Catfish Bay. The area is about three miles north of Windsor Beach and will stretch 50-feet wide and soon be 4-feet deep – instead of its current average depth of fewer than two feet.
After the association worked for nearly a year to gain support of state, federal and tribal agencies, the permits came just in time to complete the project before a Dec. 31 deadline. Association Executive Director Jim Salscheider said this was the first time a non-profit, the instrumental Chemehuevi Tribe, five federal agencies and two California agencies have worked in unison on a river project. “That’s never been done before,” he said “It opens up the potential for other significant projects and interaction on the lake. Everybody told me when we started this we would never get all the agencies to agree to dredge the mouth of the river.”
Dredging, which removes built-up dirt and silt, is expected to begin Tuesday on the 10-day project that cost upwards of $60,000, he said. The Association fundraised for the project. Biology concerns about the project affecting the upcoming reproduction season of two endangered fish in the river necessitated that it must be completed by the end of the year, said Dick Gilbert, the project leader at the Lake Havasu National Wildlife Refuge Complex. “It is a big project,” Gilbert said. “There are a lot of agencies involved to pull something like this off and the Marine Association has to be commended for stepping up.”
Gilbert said the area has never been dredged before. He explained water – carrying dirt and silt from upstream – flows down the Colorado River at around 6 mph. The river then “hits the lake,” which has slower water flows. “Suddenly you hit water that is not moving so the river slows, any sediment the river is carrying drops out as soon as you hit the lake,” Gilbert said. “That delta has been forming out there slowly ever since they closed Parker Dam and created the lake. It’s just a natural occurrence with lakes like this that have a real good inflow. Hopefully this channel will have some longevity to it.”
Salscheider stressed the Chemehuevi Tribe was the Association’s “partner” in the project. Without the support of the California tribe on the other side of the Lake, he said the permits wouldn’t have been obtained on time and questions if at all. “Would we have ultimately gotten them? I don’t know,” he said. “I know their support and influence was considerable. We had support from them. That changes the whole dynamic with these agencies. They are a sovereign nation and they have significant rights on the lake.”
Chemehuevi Tribal Chairman Charles Wood said they felt the project needed to be completed for safety, first, and secondly, to try to decrease the amount of silt gathering in agricultural pumps in the area. “We’re happy,” he said. “This seems like one of the few times (all the agencies have worked together) and hopefully there will be more in the future. But, ultimately I think this will be a great project.
That particular point of the river, sometimes when the water is low, is less than 18 inches of water. We haven’t had any serious accidents, (but) lots of (boat propeller) damage. That is the major thing in doing that. We are going to reduce it to a no-wake zone. (That is a) narrow point of the river, anyway, and I think the speed should be lowered there to begin with.”
Mohave County Sheriff’s Office Spokeswoman Trish Carter said Friday she couldn’t provide comments on if dredging will impact boating safety. However, Salscheider forwarded a MCSO letter of support, signed by Sheriff Tom Sheahan and dated July 27, to Today’s News-Herald. “The enhancements to public safety that will be made possible by completion of this project are an urgent necessity,” the letter states.
Once dredged, project leaders said that will open up 60 miles of clear waterways between Davis and Parker Dams. “You have 60 miles of the best cruising in the west with resorts on both ends and the city in the middle,” Salscheider said.
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MCSO investigates two watercraft accidents
By JAYNE HANSON
TODAY’S NEWS-HERALD
Published Monday, June 7, 2011
"Be careful at the mouth of the river!"
Mohave County Sheriff’s Office investigated two separate single-watercraft collisions Saturday that occurred on the Colorado River — one injuring a California woman and the second tossed two men, but both were uninjured. “One (boat accident) was minor (and resulted) with a hurt back,” said MCSO Sgt. Doug Schuster on Monday. “And one (boat) flipped over but no one was hurt.”
According to a MCSO press release, waterway deputies responded to a single-injury boating accident that occurred north of the Sandbar about 11:40 a.m. Saturday morning. Boat operator Jeffrey Snyder, 54, of Santa Ana, Calif., was underway in the vessel when the boat encountered a large wake from another watercraft. Janet Armstrong, 60, of Simi Valley, Calif., was bounced during the boat’s impact with the wave causing injury to her back.
In one accident, a 27-foot Lightning Pitchfork boat sunk.
Lake Havasu City Fire Department’s fireboat responded and transported Armstrong to shore. Then River Medical ambulance service transported the injured woman to Havasu Regional Medical Center. Later that day, MCSO waterway deputies responded to a watercraft accident in the North Basin of Lake Havasu about 3:35 p.m. after a 27-foot Lightning Pitchfork boat was sunk.
When arriving on scene deputies observed the nose of the boat up in the air as the body was submerged, according to officials. Investigations determined boat operator Steve Sundling, 41, of Mission Hills, Calif., and passenger Darik Anderson, 42, of Bullhead City, were traveling northbound on the Colorado River at the mouth of the Lake’s north basin when the boat’s outdrive motor caught a sandbar beneath the surface of the water. The boat was traveling about 60 mph at the time of impact resulting in an immediate hard right turn throwing the two occupants from the vessel. Both men were uninjured after they each landed in about three feet of water, MCSO officials said.
So the executive director of the Lake Havasu Marine Association and several interested parties are in the process of obtaining necessary permits to dredge a deeper channel along the waterway to promote safer boating. The permit applications, sent to seven state and federal agencies, call for dredging a section 50-feet wide, 4-feet deep and roughly a half of a mile long. The dredging would take place at the north end of Lake Havasu just east of Catfish Bay in San Bernardino, Calif., and just west of The Refuge Golf Course.
“We really have a great water playground here,” Salscheider said Friday. “But there is that one chokepoint and that’s the mouth of the river near Catfish Bay.”
The Marine Association has received dozens of letters of support in the project from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, Lake Havasu City, the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office, the Chemehuevi Indian Tribe and several other agencies.
“The sediment that has accumulated in this location over many years has created a navigational hazard that is a significant threat to public safety,” said Lake Havasu City Manager Charlie Cassens, in a letter to the Marine Association. “The city fully supports the Lake Havasu Marine Association’s efforts to address this issue and is certain that the proposed dredging efforts would provide safe passage for boaters traveling on the Lake and along the Colorado River.”
The Marine Association is working with Hines Consulting to ensure proper procedure in applying to permits necessary from the Arizona Army Corps of Engineers, California Water Quality Control Board, US Coast Guard, the California Department of Game and Fish, the Havasu National Wildlife Refuge, the Bureau of Reclamation and the Bureau of Land Management.
Salscheider credited Himes Consulting Owner Jill Himes with the success of six applications with the various agencies.
“Without her encouragement and ability to work the way through the processes, this would’ve never happened or gotten close to this point,” Salscheider said. “We’ve had tremendous support from so many groups involved and it seems to be that everyone who is aware of this is supportive of it.”
Himes agreed that support has been nearly unanimous.
“Pretty much every agency has been very supportive of this project,” Himes said, adding that there are still several permits to receive approval. “Every agency we’ve approached so far has given us preliminary indication that we can get this through as fast as we can.”
However, several deadlines could delay or hinder the start of the dredging project.
“The timelines are difficult because dredging has to be done prior to Dec. 31 so as not to interfere with fish spawning season,” Himes said. “We’re hoping to begin dredging by Dec. 1 to make sure we’re not up against that deadline.”
The final cost of the Catfish Bay Maintenance Dredging Project is still unknown at this point, Salscheider said, adding that costs would be narrowed pending approval of the applications.
“This is a major safety concern and we’re getting a lot of help so far,” Salscheider said. “If there is a safe access through that area, you have 60 miles of the best cruising in the West. So hopefully we can get this through and people will be able to experience it for themselves.”
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Businessman recognized for generosity to community
By JAYNE HANSON
TODAY’S NEWS-HERALD
Lake Havasu Marine Association Executive Director Jim Salscheider, left, presents a “Large Company of the Year” appreciation award to Chip Romer, owner of Romer Beverage for his pivotal financial support of the marine association’s programs. Lake Havasu City resident Chip Romer has contributed funds to many events and community-betterment programs in Havasu since 1989. “We do most of the events that have proceeds that go to an non-profit or a charity,” Romer said Wednesday. Always under the radar, Romer, owner of Romer Beverage, a duo of Budweiser wholesale distribution centers — based in Kingman and Parker, to serve Mohave and La Paz counties, respectively — has been listed as a large contributor to Lake Havasu Marine Association.
Budweiser sent a crew to film Romer for a media segment that will be aired on Busch Satellite Network.
For example, Romer Beverage has backed marine association programs including Lake Clean Up; the upgraded docks at Lake Havasu State Park Windsor launch ramps and Windsor Four, the Buoys on the Lake project; Designated Operator sober boating campaign; and a dredging project still in the works, said Jim Salscheider, marine association executive director. On Wednesday, Salscheider caught up with Romer at Campbell Cove 1-Stop service station — the unofficial headquarters of the local marine association — to present him with an appreciation award for his relentless support of its programs. Romer was scheduled to be at the boater-popular service station to meet a film crew sent to town by Budweiser corporate to film a media segment that will later be aired on Busch Satellite Network. Romer is featured in the segmentbecause Romer Beverage is the recipient of the first-time “Ambassadors of Excellence” award, doled out by Budweiser. Romer said there are 700 Budweiser wholesalers in the U.S. And there were two recipients selected per region. There are 16 regions. So, 16 recipients were selected, plus two more recipients. In all, there were 18. However, both area Romer Beverage wholesale distribution centers were selected. According to Today’s News-Herald’s calculations, Romer Beverage is within the nation’s top 2.5 percent of all Budweiser wholesalers. The award was based on criteria and exceptional performance in areas of management, community involvement, marketing and employees, Romer said. “We are very, very excited,” Romer told Today’s News-Herald before the film crews arrived.Romer said he takes his family to enjoy many of the local events his business supports, such as Desert Storm in late April. This year, however, he missed that event. Romer traveled to Las Vegas that weekend to accept the Budweiser award. The honor included an overseas trip to Caanes, France and two crystal awards, representing one for each location. Romer Beverage employs about 65 people between the two locations. Romer said he has a team that helps select and organize the regular contributions. The team tracks the frequency and amounts doled out. “Oh, I don’t know,” Romer said, when questioned about the donation amount to date. “I know they track it, but I don’t know. I’m not sure.”
Sad news on the trash front
Today's News-Herald Editorial
Published Monday, June 6, 2011 8:51 AM MST
Just imagine a 325-ton mountain of trash.
That’s how much trash the Lake Havasu Marine Association says it removed from the shores of Lake Havasu in 2010. That is 135,000 trash bags used in the Pack It In, Pack It Out program last year. The program has been in place for about three years and now includes more than 70 trash posts with bags around the Lake.
Despite the efforts of those who tend to the Lake in order to make it as pleasant as possible for folks who enjoy its beauty, they say some disturbing trends have popped up. It seems a large portion of the trash problem is local.
Comments on the Today’s News-Herald website discussion forum at havasunews.com, have placed the blame for trash on visitors from out-of-state. The sad truth is that doesn’t appear to be the case. When volunteers go out to clean up the Lakeshore and haul in the bags left behind, they are finding tires, big appliances, furniture and more. It’s doubtful that visitors from out of state are bringing their discarded appliances to Lake Havasu to dump.
Much space on these pages has been used to discuss dumping in what should be considered Havasu’s back yard. The refuse is not only found on the Lakeshore, but in the desert areas surrounding the city.
In addition to the total lack of respect for the beautiful wild lands around the city, the Pack It In, Pack It Out trash bags are popping up in residential areas on trash days.
Come, on, people!
The Lake Havasu Divers Association, in their third Annual Copper Canyon Cleanup, removed two tons of trash from the bottom of the Lake last week. And that’s just one area.
Two tons!
In an article published in Sunday’s newspaper, officials said they agree that both tourists and residents are contributing to the trash problem. Then it’s clear residents and visitors need to stop trashing the area both above and below the water. The Lake is the primary reason there is a city and everyone needs to begin treating the area with the respect it deserves. Maybe fewer tons of trash will be the result of all doing their part to pack it in and pack it out.
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LHC Marine Association making it better for 20 years
By JAYNE HANSON
TODAY’S NEWS-HERALD
4-10-11
The Lake Havasu Marine Association has been unofficially organized for 20 years
and first began as a committee to host a Havasu-based boat show that
showcased the local marine industry businesses. The association was formally
organized in 2007 with a board of directors and a mission statement in order
to better accommodate and recognize the impact and potential growth of the
marine industry has in Havasu. Bob Whelan, who owned Campbell Boats,
put the group together in order to organize the boat show event. Whelan,
69, passed away September 2008. “(Whelan) was really the driving person
behind the group,” said Jim Salscheider, executive director of Lake Havasu
Marine Association. “So, he’s really the father of this.” Whelan commissioned
a study in 2007 from an outside firm to gauge the size of the marine industry
in Havasu, said Salscheider. Results from the study pinpointed about $190
million and 800 employees were associated with the marine industry inclusive
of manufacturers, dealers and service providers. “So, that was a real
eyeopener,” Salscheider said.
Another study, this time teamed with Lake Havasu City Partnership of
Economic Development, determined about $210 million per year trickled in
from boaters buying ice, gas and food from local businesses. “For the first time,
people had an idea of the size of the marine business here,” Salscheider said.
In 2007, the marine association board hired Todd Headlee as its first executive
director. In July 2008, Jim Salscheider was hired into the position. The association
currently has 65 dues-paying members and is a business organization. Forty are
based in the community and 25 are specifically marine industry based,
Salscheider said. Membership dues range $250 a year to $500 month and
is structured with business memberships much like the Chamber of Commerce,
he said. Today, the association focuses on “everything associated with
the Lake,” Salscheider said.
From left, Jim Salscheider, executive director of Lake Havasu Marine Association;
Gary Peaslee, Cattail Cove State Park manager; Bill Horton, vice-commodore of
London Bridge Yacht Club; and John Guthrie, Lake Havasu State Park manager,
pose for a photo next to the newly hung “Carry a Designated Operator” billboard
at Lake Havasu State Park in March.
First and foremost, the group still upholds Whelan’s rooted tradition and
hosted its 20th annual Havasu Boat Show from noon to 3 p.m. April 8 at
Windsor 4, Lake Havasu State Park, according to the association’s website.
For many years the show was at the Aquatic Center. This will be the fifth year
at the state park. Since acquiring Teague Custom Marine as a title sponsor last
year, attendance at the show has quadrupled and it has been deemed a regional
boat show. Its status has sur-passed boat shows in Phoenix, Anaheim and
Las Vegas, however the Los Angeles Boat Show is still the largest around ,
Salscheider said. Lake-related projects spearheaded by the association
since 2008 include “Pack it On, Pack it Out” trash bag posts and beach
clean up efforts implemented along the California and Arizona shores of
Lake Havasu to promote clean beaches; the buoy program; promoting
sober boat operator’s on area waterways; and upgrading docking systems
at Lake Havasu State Park. Fundraisers are determined on a case-by-case
basis dependent on what project is at hand.
London Bridge Yacht Club works in conjunction with the Lake Havasu Marine
Association to help promote clean beaches on the shores of Lake Havasu in this
July 2010 photo.
Association meetings are quarterly at Shugrue’s Bridgeview Room and open to the public. The association’s next step includes growth and continuing to address Lake related issues. “We represent the boater and the boating public ,” Salscheider said. “We want a seat at the table when the multitude of agencies on the Lake sit down to talk about any issues. I think we’ve earned that.” For more information about Lake Havasu Marine
Association call 928-208- 2442 or visit www.lhcma.com.
“We represent the boater and the boating public ...”
JIM SALSCHEIDER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
LAKE HAVASU CITY MARINE ASSOCIATION
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The purpose of our trip was to re-aquaint ourselves with Lake Havasu City, Lake Havasu, and some of the new things that are taking place there, including the new Designated Operator program, being greeted with much enthusiasm, Lake Racer's upcoming Desert Storm and the Lake Havasu Boat Show. Infomation on all of these may be found at http://www.lhcma.com/.
We were accompanied by:
Brady L. Kay blk@harrispublishing.com - Executive Editor, Harris Publishing and
Rusty Manoff rusty@alliancewake.com - Retail Development, Alliance Wakeboard Magazine
We arrived on Thursday evening and our stay began with dinner at the London Bridge Resort where we were greeted by the general manager, Cal Sheehy csheehy@londonbridgeresort.com. The food, service and ambiance were great, not to mention the large hot tub in our room. Friday morning began with a walking tour across the bridge (did you know the bridge is hollow?) and breakfast at Makai restaurant located beneath Shugrue's. From there we had the option to do some fishing with a local guide or to tour the Nordic Boat factory. Carol and I chose the Nordic http://www.nordicboatsusa.com/ tour.
We were picked up by Todd Shuttle Service http://toddshuttleservice.com/. They provided most of our land transportation and we couldn't have asked for anything better.
Kevin Doane kevin@nordicboatsusa.com , general manager, was our guide. It's one thing to see these beautiful boats on the water but it's altogether different to see them up close and personal while they are being built.
We left the Nordic factory and made a stop at West Coast Drive Service www.westcoastdrives.com and were introduced to the owner (and very much the operator) Vern Gilbert vern@westcoastdrives.com. I need to mention that Gilbert is an eight-time world record holder in offshore racing. This information plays an important part in our next day's activities.
Friday afternoon we were picked up at Windsor Beach Launch Ramp and enjoyed a beautiful and informative ride through Topock Gorge via two pontoon boats. The boats were driven by Jim Salscheider and Gary Kellogg. Midway through the ride, we were treated to lunch at Pirate Cove Resort by Jim Nakashima jnakashima@piratecoveresort.com , the general manager, and his crew. As you'll see on the next cover of Arizona Boating & Watersports/Western Outdoor Times news magazine, one of the photographers with us found interesting photo opportunities at Pirates Cove.
Our trip back to Lake Havasu City took us through London Bridge Channel where we were dropped off at the London Brige Resort http://londonbridgeresort.com/.
Friday concluded with a trip to the Blue Grass festival. This also reminded me that Lake Havasu City has much more to offer than just lake activites.
Saturday started with a ride to breakfast aboard a vintage fire truck driven by Becka. Becka is the daughter of Dean Messmer deanmessmer3@hotmail.com,, owner of The Boat Brokers & RV http://www.theboatbroker.com/about-us.shtml to The Nautical Inn. Breakfast was great. We were hosted by Vern Porter and his excellent staff. During breakfast we were filmed by Jim Mathews jim@havasuvideonews.com, executive producer, Havasu Video News.
After breakfast we spent the rest of the morning on a water tour with Kenny Samp, www.SunsetHavasuBoatTours.com, Captain Sunset Charter & Tour Company. Our tour included the many lighthouses around Lake Havasu and also the various canyons, including Copper Canyon. Many will think only of Copper Canyon as the place during spring break where the water can't be seen because of the wall-to-wall, literally, boats. Be assured that this tour will give you a complete new way to look at Copper Canyon and its history.
Saturday afternoon was a day that little boys (and some of us not-so-little boys) only dream about. We were treated to a ride up and down the lake on two performance boats. I mentioned Vern Gilbert of West Coast Drives. You got it; he brought out a Skater offshore boat and, along with John, who offered his boat as well for this trip, we headed for Lake Havasu Springs.
We were picked up at Thompson Bay and driven (flown - 143 according to the GPS) to Havasu Springs where we enjoyed lunch at Havasu Springs Resort http://www.havasusprings.com/.
Our days at Lake Havasu City were definitely full to the brim. Thank you all from Jim & Carol Allen
Used w/ permission from Arizona Boating & Watersports.
24k wristbands ready to mark sober boaters
By JAYNE HANSON
Today’s News Herald
Published
A grassroots boating campaign, “Carry a Designated Operator,” spearheaded by Lake Havasu Marine Association will be in full throttle this weekend as two area state parks begin to distribute wristbands marking sober boat operators on Lake Havasu and the Colorado River. Arizona state parks officials, Lake Havasu State Park manager John Guthrie and Cattail Cove State Park manager Gary Peaslee said they agree they will be asking “who is the designated operator?” as boaters come through the gates of the state parks.
Sober boat operators stepping forward with an in-good-faith commitment to stay sober while operating any type of watercraft will be given a wristband while boating on local waterways. Some resort locations on the shores of the Lake and river will offer free refreshments including soda or tea to designated sober operators wearing the wristbands, including Nautical Beachfront Resort and Pirate Cove upriver, according to earlier reports.
“We have 7,000 wristbands in hand,” said Jim Salscheider, executive director of Lake Havasu Marine Association. “And we are expecting 17,000 (to arrive) next week.”
The wristbands come in a variety of glow-in-the-dark colors including navy blue, which will be distributed by marine-association-member watercraft rental businesses in town; light blue bands, which will be distributed by two area state parks; and white bands, which will be distributed by Nautical Beachfront Resort, Salscheider said.
The watercraft rental companies on board, seven in all, are prepared to implement forfeiture clauses in rental contracts anchored to loss of the rental deposit if designated sober operators violate their commitment. Local law enforcement agencies are in line to make phone calls to the rental vendors if a driver is believed to be drinking at all — not necessarily enough for arrest. “It will be up to the vendor if they want to keep that deposit or not (in that situation),” Salscheider said.
The program has hooked the attention of water-based agencies since its inception in late 2010. Participating agencies include Arizona Game and Fish Department, Lake Havasu City Police Department, Mohave County Sheriff’s Office, Arizona State Parks, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office, BLM and possibly the Coast Guard, according to earlier reports.
Billboards promoting the campaign are installed at launch ramps on Lake Havasu and the Colorado River including Lake Havasu State Park Windsor 4, Nautical Beachfront Resort, Site Six, Havasu Landing, Havasu Springs, Cattail Cove State Park and Park Moabi, Salscheider said.
Topock 66 Resort will join the group when it opens later this year. Black Meadow landing is another possibility, he said. Lake Havasu Marina is the only launch site in the 60 miles of waterway from Topock to Parker that hasn’t yet stepped forward to participate in the sober boating campaign, according to earlier reports. “We figure we are reaching 80 percent of all boaters on the (Colorado) River,” Salscheider said.
London Bridge Yacht Club donates $1,000 to sober boating campaign
By JAYNE HANSON
Today’s News Herald
London Bridge Yacht Club’s 100 or so members approved a $1,000 donation last week that will benefit Lake Havasu State Park with about 5,000 wristbands promoting a grassroots Designated Operator sober boating campaign that begins March 1.
“We think it is a worthy venture,” said Bill Horton, vice-commodore of London Bridge Yacht Club. “We think things need to change on the Lake if we want to continue to boat.”
Horton said the club members gave a “good response” to the intent to donate to the program.
“I think it’s a good pro- gram, I think it is,” Horton said. “The more folks you can make aware, I think the better it will be.”
Campaign organizer Jim Salscheider, executive director of Lake Havasu Marine Association, ear-marked the donation for Lake Havasu State Park’s boat launch ramps. The decision came after the state agency expressed support of the program but looming budgetary woes stopped financial contributions, Horton said.
“This thing is really going to go I think, it’s really taking off,” Salscheider said Wednesday. “Yacht clubs are everywhere, and so it’s important to have them involved.”
Area state parks such as Cattail Cove and Lake Havasu State Park attract a large amount of boaters each season. The location are therefore prime locations to spread the word about the Designated Operator campaign as boaters begin their day on the water.
"We fully support the Designated operator campaign," said local state park manager John Guthrie in a marine association press release. "Anything we can do to reduce the number of boating OUIs on the Lake will significantly make boating safer and more fun. We're pleased to be a part of this community effort."
Arizona State Parks officials didn't immediately return calls seeking comment Wednesday.
The Designated Operator campaign, co-sponsored by Havasu based Rover Beverage Co. and Valencia, California. based Teague Custom Marine, has gained momentum in recent month and gained support of Lake-based agencies including Arizona Game and Fish Department, Bureau of land management, Mohave County Sheriff's Office, San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, and Lake Havasu City Police, earlier reports said.
Wristbands promoting designated sober boating will be doled out to operators committed to a day of sober boating. Wristband-wearing individuals will be served soft drinks free of charge at participating resorts, bars or restaurants on the shores of Lake Havasu and the Colorado River, according to earlier reports.
Furthermore, a handful of Lake Havasu-based watercraft rental businesses are onboard to withhold rental deposits if an operator, who has committed to be a designated boat operator, is arrested for operating under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Campaign billboards provided by the marine association will be displayed at nine boat-launch-ramp locations along the 60 miles of waterway from Needles, Calif. to Parker Dam, which includes Lake Havasu and the Colorado River. However, Salscheider confirmed Wednesday Lake Havasu Marina isn't one of them. "As far as I understand they aren't going to participate," Salscheider said. Salscheider declined further comment Wednesday when Today's News-Herald asked how he feels the missing link will affect the overall campaign. Lake Havasu marina didn't immediately return telephone calls Wednesday.
Sober-boating program ready to launch
Editorial — Today’s News-Herald 01/30/11
Although winter is still the official season, it won’t be long until the boat launch ramps around Lake Havasu are filled to capacity and another official season begins. Advanced planning is under way to promote sober boating again this year.
The grassroots sober-boating campaign, “Carry a Designated Operator,” picked up steam recently at the Colorado River Law Enforcement Association conference in Laughlin, Nev. The campaign will stretch the 60-mile waterway from Needles, Calif., to Parker, according to a recent report in the Today’s News-Herald. The program is set to begin March 1.
At the urging of Lake Havasu Marine Association Director Jim Salscheider, several agencies have committed to support the program. Agencies on board include the Arizona Game and Fish Department, Lake Havasu City Police Department, Mohave County Sheriff’s Office, Arizona State Parks, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s office, BLM and possibly the Coast Guard, Salscheider said.
A designated operator would be issued a wristband indicating to law enforcement he should be sober. As a designated operator, that person would be eligible for freebies when visiting participating businesses. An additional incentive to drive sober this year is the participation of area watercraft rental vendors. This year, the contract for several rental vendors includes a clause stating the renter would forfeit their deposit if found to be operating under the influence by local law enforcement.
The buzz about the sober boating program along the Colorado River and Lake Havasu has spread to other areas popular to boaters. Out-of-area organizations have reached out to the marine association requesting information to establish similar programs in their locales.
The obvious desired result of the program is safer conditions for all who take to the waterways. Last boating season, there were five water-related deaths — not all alcohol related — but five none the less. A summer without any would be the best possible statistic.
The National Transportation Safety Board reports that one-third of all boating fatalities are alcohol related. That’s too many. We hope to see a lot of wristbands on the lake and river this summer. And we hope the pages of this newspaper are absent of boating tragedies.
Sober-boating campaign picks up speed before launch
By JAYNE HANSON TODAY’S NEWS-HERALD
Lake Havasu City Marine Association’s grassroots sober-boating campaign “Carry a Designated Operator” gained momentum last week on the heels of the Colorado River Law Enforcement Association conference in Laughlin, Nev., Jan. 19-20.
The campaign will stretch the 60-mile waterway from Needles, Calif., to Parker, Ariz., organizers said.
Jim Salscheider, executive director Lake Havasu Marine Association, said he pitched the campaign and gained support from seven agencies in attendance. Five agencies have already committed. “It was an extremely positive meeting, everybody is onboard and we think this will have a big impact on lake safety and river safety,” Salscheider said.“(Bureau of Land Management) asked to be a part of it, and (U.S.) Coast Guard asked to sit in because if it goes national they would be interested.”
The agencies onboard include Arizona Game and Fish Department, Lake Havasu City Police Department, Mohave County Sheriff ’s Office, Arizona State Parks, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office, BLM and possibly the Coast Guard, Salscheider said. During discussions to iron out the campaign’s details, AZGFD suggested donating T-shirts to designated operators as authorities came into contact with them. Looming state budget constraint concerns led to discussions between the agencies to agree wristbands would be sufficient.
“We’re excited to be engaged with the various partners in providing insight and guidance as subject area experts … and we feel the program is moving forward,” said Kevin Bergersen, Arizona Boating Law Administrator of Arizona Game and Fish Department, in a prepared statement received via email Wednesday. AZGFD is providing a “small amount of funding” for the wristbands. Salscheider said AZGFD has about $4,000 in its budget earmarked for the campaign, which will purchase about 12,000 wristbands. The wristbands will begin to be distributed to the public through law enforcement contacts after the campaign’s March 1 kickoff.
A sober designated boat operator test campaign centering on beads last year at Pirate Cove resulted in distribution of about 5,000 beads. Participating law enforcement agencies have agreed when they stop a boat and find a designated sober operator, a wristband or sober-boating decal will be awarded to the operator, along with praise and recognition, he said. “It is a symbol that (boaters) buy into the concept,” Salscheider said. “We hope that the wristband carries on longer than a one-day deal. We are hoping (sober operators) wear them as a symbol making the Lake safer.” Salscheider said the Lake Havasu City Police Department has not committed to the wristbands and were more interested in distributing campaign decals. Calls to Lake Havasu City Police Department were not immediately returned.
The wristbands will also be doled out to a group’s designated sober boat operator at lake- and riverbased resorts including Pirate Cove Resort and Marina, The Turtle at the Nautical Beachfront Resort and Havasu Springs. Topock 66 Spa & Resort will follow suit once they open later this year, Salscheider said. The designated operators wearing the wristbands will receive free soft drinks when visiting participating businesses, Salscheider said.
Another mile marker for the campaign was anchoring eight watercraft rental businesses to extend a sober designator agreement clause in rental contracts stating the renter would forgo their deposit if found to be operating under the influence by local law enforcement. “Which could cost (the renter) up to a $1,000 deposit,” Salscheider said. Participating local watercraft rentals include AZ Watersports (Windsor Beach Rentals), Wet Monkey, Nautical Sports Center, dventure Center, Got Water, London Bridge Rentals and Fun Time Boat Rentals, Salscheider said. “(We are) always in support of safe boating and so we were excited to be part of the program … of course we are enthusiastic supporters of anything that increases safety on the Lake,” said field manager Ramone McCoy, of BLM Lake Havasu Field Office. Mohave County Sheriff ’s Office, Chief Deputy Jim McCabe agrees. “We are always happy to participate with programs to help save lives and prevent injury on the waterways within Mohave County” McCabe said.
The newly approved “Carry a Designated Operator” billboard will be introduced May 1 at launch ramps on the Colorado River and Lake Havasu. Logos for Bureau of Land Management and Havasu Springs have yet to be added to the billboard.
Drinking and Boating on the river.
A recent article in Performance Boats Magazine concerning drinking and boating on the River was judged by the Agencies at our Laughlin meeting as "the best written, most balanced article ever written on this subject". Click on the link below to see what you think. Our congratulations to Magazine owner Chris Davidson and Editor/writer Kevin Spaise for their willingness to shed light on this subject!http://lhcma.com/PerformanceBoatsDesignatedOperatorArticleJan2011.pdf
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Associations join for sober-boating campaign
By JAYNE HANSON
Today's News-Herald
Published Thursday, November 25, 2010 7:09 AM MST
Lake Havasu Marine Association and Arizona Game and Fish Department are seeing eye-to-eye on a grassroots sober boating campaign by the local marine association. Marine association executive director Jim Salscheider said he, the association’s media consultant and four representatives of AZGFD met Friday in the private meeting room at Red Onion for a three-hour discussion about the campaign.
“It was a really good meeting. It improved the quality of the (sober boating) program. We worked out our minor differences, and they will be participating in all our stuff,” said Salscheider on Monday. One minor difference was the portrayal of adult boaters without lifejackets. AZGFD is entrenched with other nationwide campaigns to promote lifejackets being worn all the time, no matter what the boaters age, according to earlier reports. The marine association has compromised with the state agency and has agreed that if their campaign materials show people in a boat, the depiction will reflect boaters wearing life jackets, Salscheider said. “Our issue was that it is not the law, not the Colorado River culture. Cut we agreed that if we are going to show boaters, they will be in lifejackets,” he said.
AZGFD and the marine association are jointly working on the next round of billboards to include new themes, stickers and other campaign materials promoting responsible boating in the area. “Sober Skippers Rock” is the new slogan generated by a collaborative brainstorm effort, Salscheider said. It was deemed appropriate for the “younger generation” and called a “more positive thing”, he said. The next meeting between the two organizations is set for mid-January during a law enforcement seminar in Laughlin. The meeting is six-weeks before the grassroots campaign digs its heels in March 1 — in time for Spring Break season on Lake Havasu.
The sober-boating campaign will also be promoted at the Los Angeles Boat Show March 17-20 as well as the marine association’s 20th annual local boat show April 9-10, sponsored by Teague Custom Marine, Salscheider said. Teague and Romer Beverage are key sponsors for the campaign. The gesture of the companies using its personal money is one aspect that hooked AZGFD, Salscheider said. Furthermore, AZGFD suggested there are state, national and private funding resources that could help support the local campaign, according to AZGFD wildlife manager Dee Pfleger. Pfleger said Tuesday she agreed the meeting was a success. “Just an opportunity for game and fish to sit down with the marine association and to get on the same page as the marine association,” Pfleger said. “We are always looking for any opportunities to make waterways safe. Pfleger said AZGFD helped the marine association identify where the gaps were and how the state could help. “I think its great. It is something that we have needed for a while. It is something that we as state agencies have been reiterating. But a new voice saying it in a slightly different way might help to gain attention,” Pfleger said.
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BLM, Marine Association place buoys in the Lake
By NATHAN BRUTTELL
TODAY’S NEWS-HERALD
After months of discussion and “bureaucratic red tape,” the Lake Havasu Marine Association and Bureau of Land Management collaborated this week to set the first six of 18 safety buoys in Lake Havasu. Officials placed the first set of Coast Guard-approved buoys Monday and Tuesday. The Marine Association applied and received Coast Guard approval for the safety buoys to be placed over hazards near the California side of the Lake in July, but BLM representatives said the organization must approve the buoys as well.
The BLM approved the buoys recently, agreeing that they mitigate safety hazards on the Lake. “It’s important to us because they’re putting them out on BLM administered lands,” said Ramone McCoy, BLM Lake Havasu field manager, Wednesday. “It’s a safety issue and the Marine Association identified it as a safety issue, so we worked diligently with them and the Coast Guard to make sure the correct permits were obtained.” The buoys could have been placed following a 180-day permit and environmental review process, but BLM representatives said the safety concerns became enough reason to speed up the process. “The Marine Association and BLM have worked really hard on this and it really is a positive relationship and collaborative effort,” McCoy said. “We need to enforce these things but it is good to have a good working relationship with them as well.”
Marine Association Executive Director Jim Salscheider, who said previously he was disappointed with the efforts from the BLM, said Wednesday the two groups are working together. “It’s been a very good process, although it took four months,” Salscheider said. “Maybe this is a harbinger of better things ahead.” Salscheider added that he was pleased to see the buoys placed in the Lake this week. “There are almost 100 buoys on the Arizona side of the Lake, and most of them are safety related but there really isn’t much on the other side,” he said, adding his thanks to the BLM. “They did a great job stepping up. Their problem was working with their bureaucratic red tape and it took us several months to find a middle ground but we did find it. It’s quite satisfying.”
Marine Association fundraisers in the past two years raised more than $3,250 for the buoys, Salscheider said. “We should have them all in by early December so I’ve got to thank those who helped us and contributed money. It feels good to succeed at a project like this,” he added. the organization is currently administering an environmental assessment on the Lake to determine Special Recreation Permit Regulations and possible fees for “nearly every boating activity on the Lake.” The organization also performed an environmental assessment for shoreline and on the-water vendors on the Lake earlier this year. But McCoy said those new developments are not directly related to the buoys. “In reality the Lake has been utilized for free for a long, long time,” McCoy said. “BLM is just getting into the realm of starting to step up and do what we’re supposed to be doing and following our rules and regulations. We’ve told the city and (dozens of other organizations in Lake (Havasu City) that we’ll work with them over this next year and get the word out with a lake management plan. We know there is some way we can all come together to work on lake management.”
Lands and waters at the 450-foot Lake elevation and below are Bureau of Reclamation withdrawn lands, Henderson said previously. “These lands (and waters) are managed by the BLM under Secretarial Order No. 2915 that states, ‘the purpose of this Order is to assign to the BLM full responsibility for the implementation of the Plan (Lower Colorado River Land Use Plan, 1964), including; negotiation, execution, and administration of leases; the administration of Reclamation lands used or to be used for recreation or wildlife activities; administration of the special permit program on the lands; and for coordination with plans, programs, or activities of bureaus and offices that relate to or affect the Plan.”
Sober boating campaign kicks off
By JAYNE HANSON
TODAY’S NEWS-HERALD
Published Tuesday, October 26, 2010 10:09 PM MST
Lake Havasu Marine Association recently launched the test-market phase of a large-scale “Carry a Designated Operator” sober boat operator campaign to help promote safe boating on Lake Havasu.
“What we are testing is: you recognize the sober (boat) operator as somebody special. We are trying to turn it into a positive,” said Jim Salscheider, executive director of Lake Havasu Marine Association. “This program is going to kick off big time in March. Right now, we are doing a lot of test marketing to see what gets the boater’s interests.”
The campaign includes beads and medallions given out to sober boat operators at some hot spots on the River including Turtle Grill at the Nautical Beachfront Resort and Pirate Cove, located north on the Colorado River.
Furthermore, a number of the association’s safe and sober boating billboards have been hung or are in the process of being hung in high-traffic boater areas including Lake Havasu State Park, Campbell Cove One-Stop, Site Six, Cattail Cove and Havasu Landing.
A second round of billboards will be hung in upcoming weeks at Havasu Springs, Park Moabi, and Pirate Cove, despite its seasonal closing from Nov. 1 through sometime in March 2011. In April 2011, Black Meadow Landing should also have a billboard installed.
The association’s goal is for all launch ramps on Lake Havasu and the Colorado River by the start of the 2011 boating season to include a billboard reminder of safe boating.
Salscheider said OUI checkpoint statistics issued by Arizona Game and Fish Department showed that one drunken boat operator was arrested out of every 10 stopped on the Colorado River 10 years ago. More recently, OUI checkpoints have determined one drunken boat operator out of 40, or even 60, he said.
“We want to get that ratio down so low that safety is significantly increased on the Lake,” Salscheider said. “A boat operator should have no alcohol. But everybody else can be partying. We just don’t want the operator drinking. And that’s what we are trying to fix.”
Kevin Bergersen, of the Arizona Game and Fish Department, said the marine association has captured their attention, but a few details need to be ironed out before the project will gain the state entity’s full support.
“We are still looking at it as a favorable grassroots effort,” Bergersen said. “We think that this has the potential to become a very popular awareness that drunk boating is drunk driving.”
Collaborative partners including the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, Arizona State Parks, Lake Havasu City Police Department, the marine association and AZGFD are scheduled to meet Nov. 19 to further discuss avenues of reaching boaters.
“It is an admirable project that we think could be a home run, if we just take some time with it,” Bergersen said.
At this time, AZGFD has refrained from including their logo on the test-market phase billboards simply because they “had some design concerns,” Bergersen said.
Reducing the number of drunken boat operators is a pillar issue AZGFD focuses on, but it is not the only one, according to Bergersen.
“We are also looking at raising (adult) life jacket awareness … there is a nationwide campaign we are participating in,” Bergersen said. “The (billboard) design, in our opinion, needs a little more of a professional touch.”
The billboard depicts a watercraft with five adult boaters on the Lake — without lifejackets. Although Arizona law only requires boaters under the age of 12 to wear life jackets, the billboard depiction is a direct contradiction to other grassroots campaigns AZGFD is already involved with, Bergersen explained.
The state’s participation in the nationwide lifejacket campaign “Wear It! Arizona,” which AZGFD supports, is set for National Boating Safety Week May 21-27, 2011, according to www.safeboatingcampaign.com.
AZGFD also has an ongoing education-based boater safety campaign called “Boat Safe. Boat Smart. Boat Sober.”
You may contact the reporter at jhanson@havasuews.com.
Boating group will launch a DD campaign
By JAYNE HANSON
TODAY’S NEWS-HERALD
Aug 19, 2001
Those who volunteer to man checkpoints must go through rigorous training
The Lake Havasu Marine Association is organizing a designated sober boat operator campaign to be launched on Lake Havasu and the Colorado River with hope of propelling trends of sober operators on the waterways.
“The definition of a designated driver is someone who has not had an alcoholic beverage all day,” said Jim Salscheider,executive director of Lake Havasu Marine Association. “We want to get people to think about having a designated driver every time they are on our Lake. Instead of talking about it, we are going to do something about it.” The campaign’s arsenal of ideas includes posters, billboards, bumper stickers, bead necklace medallions, newsletters, local business support and participation and possibly giving sober drivers hats or trinkets at checkpoints.
The group’s inspiration came from a checkpoint on the Colorado River that its members assisted Arizona Game and Fish Department about two months ago. Of the 25 boat operators checked, 11 or 12 were proud to announce they were designated drivers. The marine association’s goal is to make that number of sober operators to be 25 out of 25.
There are about 10 marine association members who volunteer with Mohave County Sheriff ’s Office Boating Safety Officers, said MCSO Lt. Randy Johnson. The program has been in place since 1997 and has about 45 active volunteer members assigned to Lake Havasu, the Colorado River, Lake Mead and the Meadview area. The volunteers are put through an extensive training during the off-season and can be trained to various skill levels to ultimately help the sheriff ’s office when deputies are performing certain duties.
Like the MCSO volunteer roadway posse volunteer program, BSO volunteers have no arresting authority, Johnson said. For example, on holiday weekends, the sheriff ’s office will have six patrol boats on the water plus one or two SBO volunteer staffed boats to help, Johnson said. Encouraging boaters to designate a sober operator is something MCSO has been promoting for years, and it has no problem allowing the group to use the volunteer program as a vehicle to spread their message.
Johnson, who has spent the past 20 years patrolling Lake Havasu and the Colorado River, said he has noticed a growing trend of sober boat operators — especially in the last decade. “Twenty years ago, we didn’t have designated operators. But now it is an everyday occurrence to have designated operators on the water,” Johnson said. “There has been a huge increase in the numbers in designated operators on the water.” Tim Baumgarten, AZGFD OUI/Watercraft Program manager, agrees.
During a presentation to marine association members Wednesday night at Shugrue’s Bridgview Room, he shared some of his experiences on the water. In 2005, an AZGFD sobriety checkpoint was set up near the site of a triplefatal boating collision on the Colorado River that occurred near Topock in 2004. The site was selected because of the tragedy. “In two-an-a-half hours, we had 17 impaired operators out of 170 boats. That is beyond the concept of boating safety,” he said. “The operator of every tenth boat was under the influence.” The checkpoint had to be shut down early because there were not enough officers to make all the arrests. “Now we will have seven to nine impaired operators (who come through sobriety checkpoints), so I think we are making headway,” Baumgarten said.
“I think that this (campaign) is a great project. We have been trying to get that (sober operator) message across. We really appreciate the collaboration on these types of projects.” Baumgarten said AZGFD is onboard with the marine association’s project.
One on-the-wate
