LAS VEGAS, N.M. (KRQE) – Just in time for Memorial Day, the boat ramp at Storrie Lake State Park, near Las Vegas, New Mexico, is open.
The ramp had been closed off for two years. That wasn’t due to ramp issues, it was due to dangerously low water levels, according to the State Parks Division of the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department (ENMRD). But now, the water is back.
“We’re looking forward to a great summer on the water,” Wendy Mason, the New Mexico State Parks marketing and public relations manager, said in a press release. “The melting snowpack is expected to give us about another month of runoff in Northern New Mexico, and the recent rainstorms are a bonus.”
The lake has risen by about 12 feet compared to this time last year, ENMRD says. So, the boat ramp is open to all types of watercraft.
It’s not just Storrie Lake that has seen rising waters. Around New Mexico, lakes and rivers have seen an influx of water from snowmelt.
But with rising water comes the need for safety. May 20 to May 26 is National Safe Boating Week, and New Mexico State Parks reminds visitors to follow the law and remain safe.
State law requires lifejackets on canoes, kayaks, and rafts. Children 12 and under are required to wear a lifejacket on all boats. People born before Jan. 1, 1989, are also required to take a Boating Education course to pilot both motorized boats and sailboats, ENMRD says. For more info on free boating classes, check out this KRQE News 13 story.
