COLUMBUS, OH - Boaters now have improved access to the Ohio River with the completion of the K. H. Butler Fishing Access, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resource (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. The new public motorboat launching facility on the Ohio River is approximately 10 miles south of Gallipolis, in Gallia County.
This project provides a new public boat launching site in an area where boating access facilities have been limited, said Jim Marshall, district manager for the ODNR Division of Wildlife.
State wildlife officials purchased and developed the site along SR 7 in a cooperative effort with the ODNR Division of Watercraft and with the U.S Fish & Wildlife Service through the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Program (Dingle-Johnson Fund). Total cost for land acquisition, consultation, and construction of this facility was $2.07 million, which included $1 million from the states Waterways Safety Fund that is administered by the Division of Watercraft.
The new boat launching facility features a three-lane concrete boat launching ramp with fixed tie-up docks, lighting, paved parking for 75 cars/trailers, and car-only parking spaces. The project was designed to improve access for individuals with mobility impairments. These features include an accessible loading area, open relief curbs, designated parking spaces and placement of portable latrines.
The ODNR Division of Wildlife will operate and maintain the site using monies generated from the Motorboat Fuel Tax Fund and from Ohio's licensed anglers and hunters as a part of its statewide commitment to improve motorboat access within Ohio.
For Further Information Contact:
Jim Marshall, ODNR Division of Wildlife
(740) 594-2211
-or-
Andy Ware, ODNR Media Relations
(614) 265-6882