KANSAS CITY, MO – Officials from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District, announced that some campsites at Slough Creek Park at Perry Lake will be closed due to the recent discovery of a pair of nesting bald eagles. All campsites and activity on Locust Loop will remain closed until at least July 15, 2021. All other areas in Slough Creek Park are unaffected and remain open.

Bald eagles, previously on the Endangered Species List, have increased in population significantly, but are still protected by multiple laws and regulations. Corps natural resource staff have coordinated with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and taken actions for compliance with the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.

Corps rangers have established a 330-foot no-entry buffer zone around the nest for compliance with Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act guidelines. The buffer zone gives the birds time and space to raise their young without disturbance.

“This is a new nest this year and the birds chose a spot right on the campground’s Locust Loop,” said David Hoover, conservation biologist. “Our natural resource management staff spotted the nest when preparing Slough Creek for the spring opening. Unlike more remote areas on the lake where the disturbance potential is low, Locust Loop is a high-activity area due to campers and boat launch traffic.”

The closure may extend past July 15 if the eagles are still actively using the nest.

Information thanks to USACE.