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State Parks seeks $1.6 million LWCF match to improve Johnson Lake campground and boat access
Summary
State Parks presented a Land and Water Conservation Fund application to pave access roads, expand parking, add a single‑lane concrete boat ramp and provide electrical hookups at Johnson Lake. The $1.6 million project would be funded 50/50 (LWCF/state CIP match) and, if awarded, could start construction in 2027.
State parks staff presented a $1.6 million Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grant application for Johnson Lake, proposing to pave circulation roads, expand parking and build a single‑lane concrete boat ramp to improve boat access and maneuvering.
Rhys Miranda, identified in the meeting as the Design & Construction lead for State Parks, said the project would pave the campground circulation road and expand day-use and boat parking; the campsites themselves would remain gravel and primitive walk‑in sites would be left unimproved. "All we're looking to pave is the circulation road," Miranda said, adding that paving reduces maintenance costs, potholes and airborne dust. Miranda said the East Campground would be fitted with electrical hookups to reduce generator noise and fumes from RVs.
Miranda described the funding plan as a 50/50 match under LWCF: "The price tag for the entire project is 1,600,000. So we'd be looking at putting up 800,000 from our CIP appropriation and the remaining 800,000 would come from the Land Water Conservation Fund." He said awards are typically announced in the federal cycle next September, with design in 2026 and potential construction beginning in the 2027 season if funded.
Board members asked whether primitive camping options and sanitation would be preserved. Miranda said walk‑in campsites would remain unimproved and that the paving would primarily target circulation roads for durability and maintenance. On toilets, staff said Johnson Lake’s vault toilets were upgraded previously and that sanitation work at the site was not part of this LWCF application; the division has tested composting toilets at other locations and continues to evaluate low‑cost sanitation options on a case‑by‑case basis.
Miranda also explained LWCF program constraints to the board: sites that receive LWCF funding are protected for outdoor recreation use in perpetuity. Converting an LWCF parcel to another use can trigger a federal conversion process or repayment obligation. "Once you commit LWCF funding to a facility or a site, it goes under LWCF protection in perpetuity," Miranda said, warning that conversion requires a value‑for‑value replacement or repayment.
The presentation closed with staff offering to post contact information and gather public input. The board did not take a formal vote on the application during the meeting; staff requested help spreading the word and said they would share contact information in the meeting chat for follow‑up comments.
