The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will host an open house to begin the process of revising the Beltzville Lake Master Plan.

The event will be held from 4-6 p.m. Oct. 10 at the Towamensing Township Volunteer Fire Company, 105 Firehouse Road, Palmerton.

The current master plan was approved in 1971, and defines how the Army Corps of Engineers manages resources for public use and conservation.

Revisions to the 53-year-old plan are needed to address changes in regional land use, population, outdoor recreation trends and the Army Corps of Engineers’ management policy.

There will be no formal presentation or public comment session, and people are invited to visit at any point during the event’s time frame.

Corps engineers will be stationed around the fire company and can provide information about the revision process, detail the general schedule and gather initial feedback from the public.

Stephen Rochette, a corps spokesman, said examples of land classifications might include high or low density recreation, property operations, wildlife management and future recreation.

“Some examples of resource management objectives may include: give priority to the preservation and improvement of open space in public use planning, design, development and management activities; or manage high density and low density recreation lands in ways that balance visitor use with benefits to wildlife,” Rochette said.

The revision might also focus on improvements or expansions at Beltzville Lake’s recreational facilities, including the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ day use area, boat launches and visitors center.

The revisions will not address the technical and operational aspects of the lake related to flood risk management or water conservation.

An initial 30-day comment period will begin Oct. 10 and end on Nov. 9; however, there will be future comment periods associated with the draft document.

The public can send comments, suggestions and concerns. Comments must be submitted in writing at the open house or digitally by using the comment form on the Master Plan Revision Web page:

https://www.nap.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Beltzville-Dam/Beltzville-Dam-Master-Plan/

State park

The land and lake at Beltzville State Park are owned by the Army Corps of Engineers for flood control and managed for recreation by DCNR and the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

The park encompasses about 3,000 acres and includes the approximately 950-acre lake, which is fed by Pohopoco Creek.

Beltzville State Park is a popular recreation destination.

In fact, it’s too popular at times.

This past summer, officials said that certain state parks and recreation areas were seeing “significant overcrowding” and were advising people to use other parks or areas.

Topping the overcrowded list was Beltzville.

DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn announced a number of operational changes to address safety related to overcrowding at the park.

The changes included pulling staff from other parks to assist with operations during overcrowding; installing barriers to prevent parking in undesignated areas; adding more dumpsters and giving trash bags to visitors; and placing signs detailing park regulations and courteous behavior.

Another change implemented was putting electronic signs on the Pennsylvania Turnpike informing people that the park was closed or near capacity.