The Folsom Lake State Recreation Area spans three counties and covers both Folsom Lake and Lake Natoma.  It’s also the site of a LOT of different recreational activities.  Jim Micheaels with California State Parks says it’s important to find room for everyone.
 
Micheaels: “Hopefully the plan provides some opportunity meets the needs of this whole array of diverse recreation users.”
 
For example, when officials started looking for improvements, Micheaels says a lot of people proposed a one day a week quiet zone on Folsom Lake – that is, no motorboats.  That led to an idea in the general plan to add to the area that’s currently under a 5 mile-an-hour speed limit – to slow down motorboats, but not kick them out completely. 

The General Plan and EIR

The federal and state agencies that own and manage Folsom Lake State Recreation Area have released a draft general plan and environmental impact report that would guide future growth and management. 
 
Micheaels says he hopes the changes will improve the area for uses as varied as hiking, boating and fishing.
 
Micheaels: “Folsom Lake State Recreation Areais a pretty well developed park unit already.  There’s lots of facilities and uses, and the plan isn’t gonna propose drastic changes from the existing situation.”
 
Micheaels says the plan’s goal is to protect the area’s natural and cultural resources – from the lake and American River to former mining communities that date back to the gold rush.
 
The public has 45 days and two upcoming public meetings to comment on the plan; Micheaels expects to finalize it later this year.