Battles over Lake Mead use set to heat up

This Fourth of July holiday fireworks at Lake Mead may not be in the air, but on the water.

A conflict between people who use personal watercraft (PWC) and just about every other class of water user has been increasing in number and intensity that corresponds with the increasing density of crowds at the lake.

Last year more than 250,000 visitors went to the lake during the July 4 holiday, compared to 190,000 five years earlier.

The conflict at Lake Mead is deepened by the area's population explosion.

Guns have been drawn, fingers and voices raised and rocks thrown.

"Fishermen have even thrown their lures, trying to snag one of them (PWC riders)," said Karen Whitney, NPS spokesman in Boulder City.

A 1993-1994 survey done for the park service reflects a widening gap between the pesky little vessels and fishermen, divers, swimmers, skiers and boaters.

The survey will be used as a guideline to map out a plan that officials hope will ease the tension among the various groups.

PWC users are accused of making too much noise, of using scuba diving markers for racing buoys, of getting too close to boats and swimmers and of generally being too reckless and careless.

According to the National Transportation Safety Board the number of deaths involving PWCs more than tripled nationwide in a four year period between 1993 and 1997 -- from 26 fatalities to 83.

According to one statistic, PWCs make up 11 percent of the watercraft on the nation's waters but are involved in more than 35 percent of the accidents.

Almost 44 percent of the boating injuries in 1996 involved PWCs, according to the NPS. The majority of the accidents were due to rider inexperience, excessive speed, alcohol and conflicts with other vehicles in congested areas.

At least 34 states have implemented or are considering legislation to regulate PWC use. They have been banned from the Florida Everglades and in the year 2000 will be banned from Lake Tahoe.

"Personal watercraft" is the generic name for trademarks such as Sea-Doo, Kawasaki Jet Ski and Yamaha Waverunner.

The craft typically can hit speeds of 50 to 60 miles per hour and make sharp turns.

PWCs represent the fastest-growing segment of recreational boating in the country, accounting for a third of all new boat sales, according to the Bluewater Network.

The organization is a national coalition of boaters, scientists, marine industry experts and clean water advocates working to reduce the environmental impact of recreational boating. It says 200,000 PWCs are sold annually and that there are more than one million of them now in use.

The Bluewater Network says PWCs are "multiple impact machines," creating noise pollution, marine pollution, wildlife harassment and safety problems.

The National Park Service is proposing to ban PWCs from 13 of its parks and is leaving it up to 11 other park superintendents to come up with their own system of reducing the conflict.

Lake Mead officials are included in the latter category -- they are planning their own destiny.

Park planner Jim Holland said the park survey, which included interviewing 3,300 park visitors, revealed that the No. 1 problem is personal watercraft.

The NPS will host three open houses, each from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., to discuss the PWC issue as well as the park's management plan.

Meetings are set for:

* July 20 at the Alan Bible Visitors Center on Lake Mead.

* July 23 at Cashman Field in Las Vegas.

* July 30 at the Henderson Convention Center.

Whitney said the NPS wants to find out if it has outlined all the possible alternatives.

"If not, we want to include those before preparing an environmental impact statement," Whitney said.

It is clear that educating operators of all types of craft, including PWCs, will be a key to cooling tempers.

Bob McKeever, assistant chief ranger for boating and water activity, says there will be a percentage of reckless drivers no matter how well they are trained.

To a certain extent, says McKeever, many of the complaints launched against PWC owners may also be directed at boaters, who also can be reckless and careless.

McKeever believes in some instances boaters are over-reacting to problems, perhaps allowing their personal bias to control their emotions.

"Some complainers are just saying the PWCs are different than we are and they should act like us," McKeever said.

Only 4 percent of the lakes' 700 mile shoreline is of any use because of cliffs and rocks in the water.

Since water users tend to congregate in the general areas where they launch their craft, there are a lot of congested zones around the lake and congestion creates problems.

Diane Palmer, president of the Lake Mead Boat Owners Association, says people tend to treat (PWCs) like toys.

"They don't seem to realize they could be lethal weapons," she said.

Palmer agrees with NPS -- education is a key to abating some of the conflicts with PWCs.

"There is a general lack of knowledge and a lack of safety training," she said.

But, she says, there is a lack of knowledge on all sides.

"We try to promote safe boating," she said. "But not just (PWCs), all water craft."

Richard Rapone and Palmer agree on at least that one point.

"Boater education in general is the key factor in this issue," said Rapone, 41.

Rapone not only uses PWCs, he has been selling them since 1986.

An indicator of the growing popularity of the PWC sport is Rapone's progress in the business. He has had to move three times since buying his first store in 1986, each time to a bigger location.

Rapone owns Rip Cove High Performance in Henderson. With every PWC he sells he includes an operators manual, a safety booklet, the basic rules of boating and a 30-minute video tape on safety.

Rapone said there will always be a few people who are reckless and careless, boaters as well as those who use PWCs.

"How do you get people not to use poor judgment?" Rapone said.

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