Facing cutbacks, Army Corps of Engineers curtails rec at sites across Mass., including at canal (2025)

HUNTINGTON — The Army Corps of Engineers is warning potential visitors of curtailed recreation opportunities at parks like Littleville Lake and Knightville Dam here or Conant Brook Dam in Monson, because it’s highly unlikely rangers will be available this summer.

There will be reduced hours, limited access to facilities and significantly reduced services this summer at all Army Corps sites, including its 12 in Massachusetts, the Army Corps posted on its website and social media accounts this week.

The list also includes the Cape Cod Canal.

“We are doing the best we can to inform people, New England families, who are used to coming to us to enjoy the outdoors,” said T.J. Atwell, media relations director for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers New England District. “Really to give them space to plan their summer vacation.”

According to an Army Corps of Engineers report from 2021, the Corps’ Massachusetts sites drew 4.2 million visitors that year. Knightville drew 14,900 visitors, and Littleville, 20,000.

According to state statistics, the Massachusetts outdoor recreation economy generated $13.2 billion for the state in 2023 and created 103,600 jobs.

The Army Corps doesn’t know exactly how or where it’ll have to cut back, Atwell said. But he warned that the biggest effects will come at Army Corps locations that have swimming beaches requiring lifeguards, like the popular Buffumville Lake in Charlton.

Buffumville drew more than 4,000 swimmers in fiscal 2021, according to the report.

The “fork in the road” resignation program for civilian employees within the Department of Defense, which includes the Army Corps of Engineers, closed only on Monday, and it’s unknown how many employees will end up leaving.

Also, Atwell said a hiring freeze put in place by the Trump administration meant the Army Corps couldn’t hire the 60 to 70 temporary summer rangers it generally brings on each year across all of New England.

Hiring usually starts in January, and those summer rangers are trained and ready in every year but this one by April 15.

“Without those summer hires in place, there is definitely going to be some effects,” Atwell said.

The Army Corps’ permanent staff have a primary duty operating the flood control dams at these sites.

“We are prioritizing safety,” he said.

In the flood-control mission, the Littleville and Knightville facilities coordinate each year to release water for the annual Westfield River Wildwater Races.

The exact effects at each location are hard to predict, because the number of available rangers is as-of-yet-unknown, and each site has different staffing requirements to begin with.

“Not all of our campgrounds are staffed,” he said.

At Knightville Dam, reservations are still being accepted for the Indian Hollow Group Campground, according to its listing at recreation.gov.

But potential visitors should check websites and Army Corps social media regularly, Atwell said.

At Tully Lake in Royalston — in the North Quabbin region and an hour-and-a-half from both Springfield and Boston — the campground is owned by the Army Corps of Engineers and managed by The Trustees of Reservations.

“We are aware of potential cutbacks at the Army Corps facility at Tully and really value our partnership with them, but we don’t foresee any immediate impacts on our operations there,” wrote Trustees spokeswoman Mary Detloff in response to questions.

Other Army Corps of Engineers’ sites in Massachusetts include:

• Barre Falls Dam, Hubbardston
• Birch Hill Dam, Royalston
• East Brimfield Lake, Fiskdale
• Hodges Village Dam, Oxford
• West Hill Dam, Uxbridge
• Westville Lake, Southbridge