Popular Boat Launch to be Closed

The Walter's Ferry boat launch on the Snake River will be closed beginning Monday, September 15. The closure will encompass the entire launch area, including the boat ramp. The popular boat launching area will reopen on Saturday, September 26, possibly earlier if continued construction upgrades are completed prior to that date. During the two-week closure, boaters are encouraged to use nearby alternate launch sites including the Bernard's Landing boat ramp located six miles west of Walter's Ferry off of State Highway 78, and Canyon County's Celebration Park boat launch, located five miles south of Melba off of Can Ada Road. Improvements have been ongoing at Walter's Ferry since mid-April. Lighting, an expanded parking area, boat docks and new restrooms are all part of the improvement project. "Paving the parking area is the next major task," Fish and Game utility craftsman Dennis Hardy noted. "Once paving and striping are completed, the remainder of the construction efforts can be completed without further disturbance to ramp users." The Walter's Ferry improvement project is a coordinated effort between Idaho Fish and Game and the Owyhee County Waterways Commission. Federal Sport Fish Restoration funding are paying for the bulk of the improvements. For further information regarding the Walter's Ferry improvement project, please contact Dennis Hardy at Fish and Game's Nampa office, 465-8465.