News Release Archive

New Melones Lake Activities for Summer 2016 Support the Department of the Interior’s Let’s Move Outside and Every Kid in a Park Initiatives

Media Contact: Shane Hunt, 916-978-5100, shunt@usbr.gov

For Release: May 20, 2016

SONORA, Calif. – The Bureau of Reclamation announces summer interpretive programs and activities at New Melones Lake, located in Calaveras County. All activities are at the Amphitheater at the Glory Hole Recreation Area, are free of charge, are suitable for all ages and do not require reservations. Please wear sturdy shoes and appropriate clothing for weather conditions. Children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

New Melones JEOPARDY! Saturday, May 28, 7:30 p.m. Come to the Amphitheater and participate in one of America’s favorite games – JEOPARDY! For our version, we will divide into teams to test your group’s knowledge on the history and wildlife that makes New Melones unique. Prizes will be awarded!

Dangerous Creatures, Sunday, May 29, 7:30 p.m. Join Park Ranger Hilary and learn about some of the creepy creatures at New Melones Lake. Learn how to avoid being injured and what to do if you are. Develop a better understanding of these creatures and how important they are to our own survival. Fun activities begin at 7:30 p.m. and a PowerPoint presentation at 8 p.m.

Nocturnal Happenings, Saturday, June 4, 7:30 p.m. Join Park Ranger Mike and discover what travels by “dark feet and dark wings.” Learn about bats, owls and other nocturnal critters that call New Melones home, and experience the night-time world using all your senses. The program will include a walk on the Gold Rush Trail, an activity or two and storytelling. Please wear sturdy shoes appropriate for hiking. A headlamp or flashlight is required.

Water Safety, Saturday, June 11, 7:30 p.m. What do you like to do around New Melones Lake? Swim, boat or fish? Join us to learn how you can be water safe. Play the Life Jacket Relay and Save the Ranger games. Learn how to protect yourself and your loved ones this summer at New Melones Lake. Activities begin at 7:30 p.m.

Hanging with Bats! Saturday, June 18, 7:30 p.m. Bats can be dark and mysterious creatures that scare many people, but don’t be afraid! Join Park Rangers Matt and Ryan and learn the important role that bats play in nature and why bats are really your buddies!

Campground Feud! Saturday, June 25, 7:30 p.m. How well do you think you and your neighbor knows New Melones Lake? “Survey says” this will be an exciting, fast-paced event on what the majority of people think about New Melones! Come to the Amphitheater to find out. Fabulous prizes will be awarded!

Wheel of Wealth! Saturday, July 2, 7:30 p.m. Come to the Amphitheater to spin the Wheel of Wealth! Will your team go home bankrupt, or will you win the grand prize? Spin the wheel just right and solve word riddles to find out! This is a fun way to learn about New Melones and the great outdoors! Let the games begin at 7:30 p.m.

Eat a Bug Club! Sunday, July 3, 7:30 p.m. Join us for an evening to discuss creepy crawlies and their role in the ecosystem. Join the club by crunching down some crispy critters! Arts and crafts begin at 7:30 p.m. and a presentation at 8 p.m.

Wildlife Wonders of New Melones! Saturday, July 9, 7:30 p.m. Join Ranger Diana to find out about some of the critters that call New Melones home! Learn about their behaviors, habitats and how we can coexist peacefully with them. Arts and crafts begin at 7:30 p.m. and a presentation at 8 p.m.

Skins, Scat and Skulls! Saturday, July 16, 7:30 p.m. Come see a great collection of skins, scat and skulls! Feel a bear’s fur, examine real skulls and identify tracks and scat. Match up the skin, scat and skull of the creatures and win a prize! Arts and crafts begin at 7:30 p.m. and a presentation at 8 p.m.

Outrageous Osprey, Saturday, July 23, 7:30 p.m. Join Ranger Shelly for an insightful look at the Ospreys of New Melones. The Osprey or “fish hawk” possesses talents no other raptor can match! Discover what makes them unique and why we should protect them. Arts and crafts begin at 7:30 p.m. and a presentation at 8 p.m.

There’s Gold in Them Thar Hills! Saturday, July 30, 7:30 p.m. Experience the thrill of finding GOLD like a gold rush prospector! We will explore the lifestyle of early California miners and the towns they lived in, including Melones now submerged beneath New Melones Lake. The evening will offer the opportunity to pan for some of the precious dust they were after! Join Rangers Max and Geoff for a darn-tootin’ time!

Planet Party! Saturday, August 13, 8 to 10 p.m. Come down to the Amphitheater and enjoy the planets that share our solar system! We will have spotting and telescopes set up on the planets that are visible! Before nightfall, join a Ranger to learn about outdoor safety. Learn how to prepare before you go out and take away some hints that will keep you safe. Safety presentation starts at 7:30 p.m. with the Planet Party to follow at nightfall.

People and Plants, Saturday, August 20, 7:30 p.m. Join Ranger Josh to discover how Native Americans in our region relied on natural resources. Learn the traditional uses for trees, shrubs and herbs found around New Melones Lake.

Watershed Down (Hill), Saturday, August 27, 7:30 p.m. Gold Country icon, Mark Twain, has been credited by some as saying Whiskey is for drinking and water is for fighting over. Join Ranger Robert to discover the world of water. Learn what a watershed is and how the management of water both above and below ground determines life in our semi-arid State.

Calaveras Community Band! Saturday, September 3, 6:00 p.m. Come celebrate the end of the summer with us! The Calaveras Community Band will be playing all your favorites until the sun goes down. Get up and dance, clap, and sing or just sit back and enjoy the music. Bring the family and enjoy one last summer night! Music begins at 6 p.m.

Ranger-led activities support the Department of the Interior’s Let’s Move Outside initiative which encourages children and their families to enjoy outdoor activities that abound in every city, town and community. For more information, please visit http://www.letsmove.gov/lets-move-outside.

To help engage and create our next generation of park visitors, supporters and advocates, the White House, in partnership with federal land management agencies, launched the Every Kid in a Park initiative. The immediate goal is to provide an opportunity for every fourth-grade student across the country to experience their federal public lands and waters in person throughout the 2015-2016 school year. For more information, please visit https://www.everykidinapark.gov/.

If you would like to participate in a program and need accommodation, please contact Park Ranger Hilary Maxworthy at 209-536-9094, ext. 221, or email hmaxworthy@usbr.gov at least 14 days in advance.

The New Melones Visitor Center and Museum is managed by Reclamation’s Central California Area Office. Hours of operation are daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For additional information on activities, directions, pet restrictions or other questions, please call 209-536-9543 (TTY 800-877-8339) or visit the website at http://www.usbr.gov/mp/ccao/newmelones/index.html.

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The Bureau of Reclamation is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of the Interior and is the nation's largest wholesale water supplier and second largest producer of hydroelectric power. Our facilities also provide substantial flood control, recreation opportunities, and environmental benefits. Visit our website at https://www.usbr.gov and follow us on Twitter @USBR; Facebook @bureau.of.reclamation; LinkedIn @Bureau of Reclamation; Instagram @bureau_of_reclamation; and YouTube @reclamation.