LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – More than 31,000 pounds of trash has been picked up from Lake Mead to Lake Mohave in 2024 alone by volunteers.
Park officials are working to better educate the public on disposal of waste and give visitors more disposal options.
“We’re trying to build capacity to address trash issues, educate the visitors better, also increase our number of toilet facilities, which meets the increasing demand that we’re seeing,” said Mike Gauthier, superintendent of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, who reported that 2024 visitation is on the rise.
Images around Lake Mohave show makeshift toilets and abandoned campsites. Signs will be added in different languages to inform visitors of littering laws and proper waste disposal, said Rommel Garcia, who oversees maintenance.
“The region’s growing population meant we were seeing a lot of new recreators who didn’t necessarily know recreation etiquette or park rules to follow from visiting Lake Mead,” Garcia said.
More toilets will be installed around Lake Mohave to give visitors options for proper disposal. Garcia said a toilet installed at the mid-basin in July helped reduce trash and waste.
More toilets are planned for an area that’s currently closed: Government Wash.
FOX5 reported on the closure of Government Wash, due to the high call volume for law enforcement and emergency responders for incidents, and the excess trash, waste and debris across the landscape.
Officials told people who attended a Thursday quarterly virtual meeting that overnight camping will one day return.
“How to best improve this area and get it reopened. That’s the real key for us here, is to designate a couple roads that we can maintain, establish some camping opportunities, install some restrooms, and really make it a place that’s much more family friendly, fun, safe and enjoyable,” Gauthier said.
Trash clean-up volunteers have gone to Government Wash, Lake Mohave and beyond.
More than 1,000 volunteers have cleaned up 31,334 pounds of trash from Lake Mead to Lake Mohave, moving from popular parts of the park to other areas.
The “OZ” volunteers travel by boat to more remote areas, and 75 people have picked up 4,000 pounds of trash, accessing Government Wash, Sandy Cove and 33 hole.
September 28 is National Public Lands Day. Volunteers can sign up for cleanup of the Nelson’s Landing area. Volunteers will receive a coupon voucher for a visit on another day to either Lake Mead or any of the other federal public land areas.
For information on how to sign up, email [email protected]
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