State Boating Commission OKs $1M Grant for Launch Facility Improvements
March 4, 2013
Byline: Log News Service
SACRAMENTO (LOG NEWS SERVICE) — The California Boating and Waterways Commission approved a grant of $1.04 million to Imperial County Jan. 23, for improvements at its boat launching facility on Wiest Lake.
The grant, which will be provided by the Department of Boating and Waterways (Cal Boating) from the state’s Harbors and Watercraft Revolving Fund, will be used to demolish and replace the existing lakeshore shade structures. They are nearly 50 years old and suffer from dry rot.
The grant will also pay for resurfacing and expanding the existing parking area with a possible alternate exit, adding a new boater restroom, adding two new boarding floats with gangways, creating new accessible pathways and installing additional security lighting.
In fiscal year 1974-75, the commission approved a $50,000 grant to construct the original Wiest Lake Boat Launching Facility on the 45-acre manmade lake, which is located on the Alamo River a few miles northeast of Brawley. Wiest Lake is used commercially for irrigation of surrounding farms and recreationally for boating, waterskiing, kayaking, PWC operation, swimming and fishing.
Funding for the recreational boating facility projects, which are proposed by Cal Boating and approved by the commission, is derived from the taxes paid by boaters on the purchase of gasoline for the boats and the repayment of principal and interest on department-made loans.
