The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will present a draft revision of the Beltzville Lake Master Plan during a public open house in January, beginning a formal public review process for a document that will guide land use and recreation management at the lake for the next 25 years.

The open house will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Jan. 7 at the Towamensing Township Volunteer Fire Company. The meeting will also mark the start of a 30-day public comment period that will run through Feb. 6.

“The public open house will cover the proposed changes to the current Beltzville Lake Master Plan,” the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers stated. “Team members will share instructions on how to submit comments and provide an opportunity for the public to ask questions and provide feedback.”

According to the Corps, written comments may be submitted at the open house, through a digital comment form on the agency’s website or by email.

Beltzville Lake was constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1971 as a multipurpose project authorized by Congress for flood risk management, water supply, low-flow augmentation, water quality and recreation.

The lake is surrounded by Beltzville State Park, which is managed by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and encompasses more than 3,000 acres.

Beltzville Dam operates as part of a system with Francis E. Walter Dam to reduce flooding in downstream communities along the Lehigh River.

The Beltzville Lake Master Plan is the primary planning document governing how federally owned lands and resources at the lake are managed. The draft revision represents the first comprehensive update since the plan was approved in 1971.

“The current Beltzville Lake Master Plan, last approved in 1971, needs revision to address changes in regional land use, population, outdoor recreation trends, and the USACE management policy,” the Corps stated.

The Corps defines the master plan as “the strategic land use management document that guides the comprehensive management and development of all recreational, natural, and cultural resources throughout the life of the water resource development project.”

“It defines ‘how’ USACE will manage the resources for public use and conservation,” the document states.

According to the draft executive summary, the revised master plan is intended to serve as a framework for land and recreational management decisions over a 25-year planning horizon. The Corps stated the original plan “has served well past its intended 25-year planning horizon.”

The draft revision was developed using updated geographic information system mapping technology to digitize land classification maps created more than five decades ago. As a result, acreage totals in the revised plan differ from those in the 1971 document.

“Due to this more precise measurement technology, discrepancies between the acreages documented in the 1971 plan and the recalculated acres were found,” the draft states.

The revised master plan addresses land use classifications, natural and recreational resource management objectives and recreation facility needs.

“Key topics to be discussed in the revised Master Plan include revised land use classifications, new natural and recreational resource management objectives, recreation facility needs, and special issues such as invasive species management and threatened and endangered species habitat,” the Corps stated.

Land use classifications determine how different areas of federally owned property may be managed. According to the draft, changes in acreage calculations reflect improved mapping accuracy as well as natural processes such as erosion and sedimentation.

The plan outlines management goals for lands designated for low-density recreation, which generally allow limited development such as trails, natural surface boat launches and unpaved parking areas.

Future management of those lands “calls for minimal development to maintain a healthy, ecologically adapted vegetative cover to reduce erosion and improve aesthetics,” the draft states.

The draft also addresses wildlife management lands, which are designated for stewardship of fish and wildlife resources and are managed by the Corps in coordination with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Management efforts focus on producing native wildlife food and habitat.

In addition to land use planning, the draft revision includes an Environmental Assessment prepared under the National Environmental Policy Act. According to the Corps, public participation is a key component of that process.

“Input into the Master Plan revision and related environmental concerns under the National Environmental Policy Act is key to developing a successful Master Plan for the lake project,” the Corps stated.

The Environmental Assessment documents agency coordination and public involvement, including a public scoping meeting held Oct. 10, 2024. The draft states comments received during that process were reviewed and addressed.

The Jan. 7 open house represents the next step in the revision process, introducing the public to the draft master plan and Environmental Assessment and formally opening the review period.

“The Master Plan revision will not address the technical and operational aspects of the lake related to flood risk management or the water conservation missions of the project,” the Corps stated.

Operational matters such as flood control, shoreline management and water level regulation are governed by separate federal authorities and manuals, according to the draft.

The Jan. 7 meeting is scheduled as an informal, drop-in open house rather than a formal presentation or public hearing. Corps staff will be available throughout the two-hour period to explain the draft plan and assist members of the public with submitting comments.

For those unable to attend in person, the Corps stated the draft master plan, Environmental Assessment, Finding of No Significant Impact and related materials will be available online beginning Jan. 7.

The public comment period will close Feb. 6.

Master Plan information is available on the agency’s website at https://www.nap.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Beltzville-Dam/Beltzville-Dam-Master-Plan/