U.S. Army Corps of Engineers warning boaters to watch for leftover debris

MOUNTAIN HOME, Ark. (KY3) - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is warning those heading to streams and lakes hit by storms in May.

The Corps says boating could be dangerous because of debris, especially at a few Arkansas lakes.

“There’s obviously going to be a fair amount of debris in the lake. That can be both natural and man-made. We had reports of damaged boat docks. We also had trees and limbs in the lake,” Norfork and Bull Shoals Lake Chief Ranger Dylan Edwards said.

Beaver Lake, Bull Shoals, and Norfork Lake could all have leftover debris floating on the water.

Over the last week, boaters on the lake and the Corps have been removing the debris.

“We’ve heard reports of folks taking it upon themselves to get things out of the lake and at least pulled up to the shoreline,” Edwards explained.

Edwards said boaters on the lake can remove debris if it’s safe to do so, but if it’s too large or dangerous to move, they should call the Corps.

“Let us come out of there and take care of those things. With the events we’ve had the last couple of weeks, we’ve been getting a lot of those phone calls,” Edwards stated.

Corps crews have been working since May 26 to clear the lake, and most of the debris has been removed, but it’s always a good idea to be on the lookout for pieces that might have resurfaced or haven’t been found yet.

“A lot of times, the obstructions can be right at the water surface. It’s hard to see sometimes. We encourage people to have a spotter looking out for those things,” Edward explained.

On top of wearing lifejackets, ensure the boat’s kill switch works if you’re boating.

“If people have those kill switches properly hooked up to themselves and their boat, in the event they get thrown overboard, that kill switch is going to kill your engine,” Edwards said.

Edwards added that boating is always much safer during the day, as the sun might expose debris before it’s too late.

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