Across the heart of America, federal lakes and reservoirs — places where generations have camped, fished, hiked, and made lifelong memories — are under threat.

Campgrounds are closing.

Visitor centers are shutting their doors.

Boat ramps, hiking trails, and swimming areas are being abandoned.

Not because people stopped coming, but because funding is being ripped away.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, tasked with caring for these public treasures, has been forced to slash services due to Trump's massive budget cuts. As a result, at least 30 locations in Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Montana, Washington, and Pennsylvania are shutting down or severely curtailing access. Small towns that rely on outdoor tourism to survive are already bracing for the economic blow. Family-run bait shops, supply stores, and local restaurants — the heartbeat of these communities — stand to lose everything.

Our lakes are more than bodies of water, they are places where children learn to fish, where families gather under starry skies, where we find peace and freedom in the great outdoors. Closing down these campgrounds and visitor centers threatens not only local economies but the very spirit of exploration and connection that these public lands inspire.

And without proper funding and oversight, what happens to the sanctity of these lakes? What happens to the delicate balance of these ecosystems when they are neglected, when the stewards who protect them are pulled away?

We demand Congress and the administration to immediately restore funding to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ recreational programs. Reopen our campgrounds. Keep our visitor centers alive. Give rural communities the chance to thrive. Protect the lakes, rivers, and forests that belong to all of us.

The clock is ticking. Mid-May closures are already being prepared.
Once these places are lost, it will be so much harder to bring them back.