Newest Party Lake on the Border

Saturday, 20 February 2010 05:58

As it gets warmer out, more and more people will flock south to the border.  It may not look like much now, but at Peña Blanca Lake, near Nogales, Ariz., you'll soon find a revamped lake and recreational area. The 20 acres surrounding the lake will be undergoing some construction and design so that tourists and locals from other border towns will want to spend their afternoons partying there.  Thanks to the heap of rainfall in the past couple of weeks, the lake is full of water and ready for action!

 The U.S. Forest Service says they want to build facilities "that will compliment the Hispanic culture of recreation." 

The vision they're looking to create is to grow out the grass, pave parking lots, construct ramadas with picnic benches put in, and make handicapped and senior-accessible entrances to the lake.  It would be a place where Hispanics would love to spend the day outside with friends and family, Mexican music blaring in their parked cars, just enjoying the sun and the water, explained Kent Ellet, district ranger for the U.S. Forest Service. 

As recently as this January, the 50-acre lake was not available to visitors, though.  It was closed from September 2008 to January 2010 because the state had to drain the mercury-poisoned water in order to clean the lake up and bring it back to life.  The lake was empty and without visitors for nearly a year and a half.  During that time, the state removed all the toxic sediment and has been testing it to make sure the mercury stays out.  Thanks to natural rejuvenation from the finest Arizona rain, people are welcome to go to the lake now, and the government will continue to test the water so it's safe and mercury-free, Ellet said.

Take a look at the lake in 2008 before it was closed:

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"We expect that once we have the facilities in place, it'll be a popular destination spot," Ellett said.

The area around the lake has both water and electricity connections, so building new facilities there will be easier.  Plans for the lake are in the design stage right now, and Ellett says they'll have a rough schematic in March or April and a final design by summer.

He said by Easter weekend, the lake will be busier and people will be spending their holiday outside.  The forest service's first priorities are to pave the parking lot and rebuild the boat ramp so it will be easier for people bring their boats and get them in the water.  Then, the grass will come so people can throw Frisbees or play catch around the lake.

Fishermen's lines are also starting to catch in the lake.  The Arizona Game and Fish Department unloaded the first group of rainbow trout into the lake early February. 

"The lake's going to be a lot better because it's so much deeper now," Jason Kline, fisheries specialist of the department said.

For the past few weeks, people have been canoeing, fishing, and just hanging out during the day. Saturdays are the busiest, even though the life underwater remains somewhat at a standstill, minus the rainbow trout.

"It'll take a while for the ecosystem to start again," Kline said.

Once it gets warmer, the lake will be more desirable for people and for the fish too.  Plankton will start to grow and the fish will have food to eat.  Then the game and fish dept will be adding bluegill and redear sunfish.  Eventually, they'll add some predator fish like largemouth bass and black crappie, Kline said.

Ellet said what's also on the agenda for the lake are floating docks and smoother trails leading right to the shoreline, providing more opportunity for seniors and handicapped people to get in on the action at Lake Peña Blanca.

Funds for this project will come from the U.S. Forest Services, with the help of the Arizona Game and Fish Department, as well as other grants and cooperating partners' funds.

Border Patrol also said the lake should not influence the amount of patrolling they'll have to do in that area.  Their job patrolling illegal immigrants won't be affected by the influx of people now going to Peña Blanca Lake.

View Peña Blanca Lake in a larger map

Written by Nikki Helms You are reading Newest Party Lake on the Border articles