MAKANDA, Ill. -- The Little Grassy Lake Campground & Marina announced its upcoming closure on Saturday.Â
The campground took to  to let residents know of the situation surrounding the space. According to the post, the campground is currently slated to close at the end of 2024.Â
The post said the last 15 years of the business was part of a contract with Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge. The most recent renewal occurred in 2020 with renegotiation scheduled for this year. However, Little Grassy says Crab Orchard management made the decision to close the campground.Â
The Facebook post went on to describe the environmental reasons management cited for the closure. According to Little Grassy, the water levels on the lake have dropped in recent years to allow for an assessment of the lake's dam. Little Grassy says the Army Corps of Engineers conducting the assessment plan to further draw the lake during dam construction after the assessment period.Â
Officials with Little Grassy hope to reverse Crab Orchard's decision, though. The post says Little Grassy has issued an appeal to the announcement, saying the lake is still deep enough for boaters and fishers to use.Â
"We are hopeful that they will consider our plea and allow for at least an interim or shorter-term contract," wrote Little Grassy.Â
For now, the campground plans to host summer activities as normal before a closure in November.Â
For more information, Little Grassy says to contact the Refuge Headquarters in Marion or the USFWS Region 3 Headquarters.Â