The Scotton Landing boat ramp and fishing pier on the St. Jones River will be closed starting Nov. 7 while DNREC reconstructs the facility with a new ramp and courtesy dock expected to be in use spring 2024. /DNREC photo

New Ramp, Courtesy Dock and Repaved Parking Lot Coming Next Spring

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced today that the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife boat ramp facility at Scotton Landing (also known as Barkers Landing) on the St. Jones River, and located off Trap Shooters Road near Magnolia, will be closed for reconstruction starting Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023.

The Scotton Landing project is anticipated to be completed by April 1, 2024, weather notwithstanding. The project includes a new boat ramp, a new courtesy dock, and a repaved parking lot. The fishing pier at Scotton Landing also will be closed during this reconstruction project.

Design features of the new ramp include extending the ramp into deeper water to aid boaters launching at low tide, supporting the ramp with timber piles, and protecting the ramp from scouring with steel sheet piles. In addition to the ramp, a new L-shaped courtesy dock, which allows for easier maneuverability in the river for launching and temporary mooring while boaters retrieve their vehicle, will be installed.

The nearest tidal boat ramps that may be used alternatively during the Scotton Landing closure are the Lebanon Landing (also on the St. Jones and in proximity to Magnolia) and Bowers Beach Boat Ramps.

For more information related to the Scotton Landing closure, call the DNREC Fisheries Section at 302-739-9914.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife conserves and manages Delaware’s fish and wildlife and their habitats, and provides fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing and boating access on nearly 68,000 acres of public land owned or managed by the Division of Fish and Wildlife. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Joanna Wilson, joanna.wilson@delaware.gov; Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov

###

A breach in the exterior dike of the West Impoundment on DNREC’s Little Creek Wildlife Area east of Dover will likely mean partial closures of the wildlife area and include limited access for hunters during Delaware’s early waterfowl season, which starts Friday, Oct. 27 /DNREC photo

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control today announced that partial closures of the Little Creek Wildlife Area east of Dover are a likely occurrence as emergency repairs are made to the breached exterior dike at the area’s West Impoundment.

In late September, impacts of Tropical Storm Ophelia weakened a portion of the dike at the impoundment along the tidal Little River. The weakened portion – combined with extensive coastal flooding earlier this month – has resulted in a breach of the dike of the West Impoundment to the extent that the impoundment now acts as a fully tidal body of water, limiting both habitat benefits for wildlife and access for recreational users.

While actively looking for solutions to repair the breached dike, the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife, acting in the interest of public safety, has restricted access to the West Impoundment, effective immediately. Future closures of the access road to the impoundment are also necessary to allow for construction work to repair the breached dike.

Because of the breach, navigational hazards that now exist within portions of the West Impoundment require the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife to restrict boating access for waterfowl hunters. The DNREC Wildlife Section anticipates that waterfowl hunting will be limited or closed within the Little Creek West Impoundment (where waterfowl blinds numbered 7, 9, 50, and 51, all walk-in blinds, are located). Additionally, the road and boat ramp providing access to these waterfowl blinds on the West Impoundment may also need to be closed for construction work on the dike.

Should waterfowl hunting be permitted in the West Impoundment while it has been breached, information will be available at the Little Creek Lottery Station off Route 9 throughout the waterfowl season, which begins Friday, Oct. 27. Hunters also will need to be aware that because the impoundment is now fully tidal, it will go dry at low tide.

For more information about the Little Creek Wildlife Area regarding the West Impoundment, call the DNREC Wildlife Section, 302-739-9912.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife conserves and manages Delaware’s fish and wildlife and their habitats, and provides fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing and boating access on nearly 68,000 acres of public land owned or managed by the Division of Fish and Wildlife. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov; Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov

###

The DNREC-owned Newport Boat Ramp off Thoms Way is an alternative launch site for recreational users to include anglers, boaters and waterfowlers while the nearby Churchmans Road boat ramp is closed for repair of an Artesian Water Company main /Google Earth photo

The Churchmans Road boat ramp on the Christina River is temporarily closed due to repairs associated with a water main break, ramp owner Artesian Water informed the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control late Monday afternoon. Artesian noted that repairs to the broken water main are expected to take six weeks, dependent on the weather.

The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife cooperatively manages the Churchmans Road boat ramp and adjacent parking lot with Artesian for recreational activities. Anglers, boaters and waterfowl hunters who need to launch a boat in the area can alternatively use the Newport boat ramp on Thoms Way in Newport. For more information regarding the Churchmans Road boat ramp closure, contact Artesian customer service at (302) 453-6930.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife conserves and manages Delaware’s fish and wildlife and their habitats, and provides fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing and boating access on nearly 68,000 acres of public land owned or managed by the Division of Fish and Wildlife. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov; Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov

###

The Garrisons Lake aluminum fishing pier on the north side of the lake is to close Monday, Oct. 16 for repairs after having been damaged by a fallen tree during a recent storm, the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife announced today. Repairs are expected to be completed by end of week but are weather-dependent.

Garrisons Lake’s South Boat Ramp, pond, and shoreline fishing are unaffected by the pier’s closure and will remain open while repairs are made to the pier.

For more information about the fishing pier closure, please call the DNREC Fisheries Section at 302-739-9914.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife conserves and manages Delaware’s fish and wildlife and their habitats, and provides fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing and boating access on nearly 68,000 acres of public land owned or managed by the Division of Fish and Wildlife. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Joanna Wilson, joanna.wilson@delaware.gov; Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov

###

View of the main impoundment on DNREC’s Little Creek Wildlife Area from the wildlife observation tower – the observation tower with its sweeping views remains open while the impoundment undergoes a dike restoration project starting Aug. 1 /DNREC photo

Wildlife Observation Tower to be Accessible on Weekends, Off-Hours

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced today that restoration work within the Little Creek Wildlife Area on the main impoundment’s exterior dike is set to begin on Aug. 1 – which will require closure of the impoundment for public use until the project’s completion, expected in early fall.

The access road to the Little Creek main impoundment off Pickering Beach Road east of Dover also is to be closed to public access for the duration of the project due to construction equipment and heavy truck traffic entering and exiting the wildlife area.

During the dike restoration project, the road leading to the Little Creek Wildlife Area’s popular observation tower also will be closed. However, that road is expected to reopen on weekdays at the end of working hours (approximately 5 p.m.) as well as on weekends – though the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife advises that construction workday hours are dependent on weather conditions. At all times, but particularly when the dike restoration project is under way, wildlife area users should drive cautiously and obey all road signage.

When completed, the dike’s restoration will enable improved water management and strengthen resiliency of the Little Creek main impoundment against damage from coastal storm events. Impoundments provide a unique and important habitat for many species of shorebirds, waterfowl, and other waterbirds. Proper water management is critical for wildlife, vegetation growth, mosquito control, and public access for outdoor recreation.

For more information about the Little Creek Wildlife Area impoundment dike restoration project, call the DNREC Wildlife Section, 302-739-9912.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife conserves and manages Delaware’s fish and wildlife and their habitats, and provides fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing and boating access on nearly 68,000 acres of public land owned or managed by the Division of Fish and Wildlife. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram,  Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov; Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov

###