Bagging Mead’s problems

Andy Holtmann

Friday, June 6, 1997 | 5:47 a.m.

Lake Mead, the nation's largest man-made lake, is faced with increasing pollution, but the National Park Service's program "Boat It In/Bag It Out" is one way of addressing the concern.

The program provides trash bags to boaters and shoreline users in an effort to remind them to dispose of the trash they create while at the lake.

The enormous amount of visitors who come to the recreation area each year have added to the amount of trash in the water and on the shoreline. Park Superintendent Alan O'Neill estimates 8 million per year use Lake Mead.

"Obviously, we cannot supply the total bags needed for all the trash folks may have," said O'Neill in a press release. "These bags are intended to remind folks to carry out whatever they boat in, and hopefully, to carry out whatever they may find that a thoughtless visitor left behind as well."

The effort is funded by 17 businesses from Nevada and Arizona that paid for the bags. Because of limited funding for the park service, O'Neill explained that the help received from the companies and organizations was beneficial to the program getting off the ground.

According to the park service, the rest of the effort is up to the public.

"With 550 miles of shoreline on Lake Mead, we need the assistance of every boater and shoreline user to keep it clean," O'Neill said. "The Boat It In/Bag It Out program is one of the ways that we hope to call attention to this need.

The National Park Service encourages all of its visitors to keep the area clean. There are ongoing programs to fight pollution such as "Adopt A Cove" and "Boat It In/Bag It Out" that the public can take part in.