During the pandemic, the popularity of lakes, parks, rivers, and trails skyrocketed. This trend has continued, with many areas experiencing historically high attendance levels. For instance, it's not uncommon for weekly floating parties to attract 300 large yachts and an additional 1000 people. During holidays, lakeside gatherings can bring in as many as 45,000 people, causing the Fire Marshal to close local waterways due to overcrowding. Paddleboarders and kayakers may find themselves in contaminated areas, while hikers may disturb sensitive nesting areas for Bald Eagles and Osprey and face attacks from the birds. Additionally, there have been instances where people have been caught in the path of dangerous dam releases due to a lack of publicly available information about releases.

The newly opened Texas Paddle Trail runs from the top of Texas to the shorelines on the Gulf of Mexico. It presents a huge safety issue not only for paddlers but to Emergency Mangement all over Texas. Recently paddlers have been caught in the middle of wildfires, flash floods and even time-sensitive cold-water situations on remote sections of the trails.

Warning Flags are time consuming and labor intensive when used properly but often are the only way to 'get the message out'. Geo-fencing offers a unique method and manner of delivering time-sensitive information directly to the cell phones of people inside specific parks, recreation areas, lakes, rivers and trails.

Link to proposed state legislation for mandatory beach/lake/river warning flags presented to former State Representative Pat Fallon more than 6 years ago. I propose this be amended for laws requiring geo-fencing electronically sending beach/lake/river warning flags and incentives including insurance reductions for parks implementation.

Geo-fencing Applications
(OpenAi)

Geo-fencing is a technology that allows the creation of virtual boundaries around a specific geographic area. When applied to lakes, rivers, state and national parks, it provides numerous benefits to emergency management, rangers, law enforcement, and other official agencies. The ability to use push notifications for important information such as emergency weather statements, trail and water conditions, and technical water flags is one of the most remarkable benefits of geo-fencing these areas.

Geo-fencing allows emergency management and law enforcement agencies to quickly respond to emergencies within these areas. By having real-time access to the location of park visitors, emergency personnel can be dispatched quickly to the site of an incident, reducing response time and improving overall safety. This is especially important in remote areas where it can take longer for emergency services to reach an incident site.

Another benefit of geo-fencing parks is the ability to provide real-time trail and water conditions to park visitors. This can be done through push notifications, which can be sent to park visitors' smartphones. This information can be critical for ensuring the safety of park visitors and allowing them to make informed decisions about their activities. For example, if a trail is closed due to inclement weather or a waterway is deemed unsafe for swimming, park visitors will be immediately alerted through push notifications.

Geo-fencing also benefits rangers and other park officials by providing them with real-time information about park activities and visitor behavior. This information can be used to improve park operations and ensure the safety of park visitors. For example, if a large number of visitors are entering a particular area, park officials can deploy additional rangers or take other measures to ensure visitor safety.

Finally, geo-fencing allows for the enforcement of park rules and regulations, such as technical water flags. These flags indicate the level of water safety for different activities, such as swimming, boating, and fishing. By using geo-fencing, park officials can ensure that park visitors are following these regulations and are engaging in safe activities.

In conclusion, the benefits of geo-fencing lakes, rivers, state and national parks are numerous and far-reaching. By providing real-time information to emergency management, rangers, law enforcement, and other official agencies, geo-fencing improves visitor safety, enhances park operations, and promotes responsible park use. The ability to use push notifications for critical information, such as emergency weather statements, trail and water conditions, and technical water flags, makes geo-fencing an invaluable tool for park management.

• National Park Service. (n.d.). Geo-fencing in National Parks. Retrieved January 31, 2023, from https://www.nps.gov/articles/geo-fencing-in-national-parks.htm
• United States Forest Service. (n.d.). The Benefits of Geo-fencing in Parks and Forests. Retrieved January 31, 2023, from https://www.fs.fed.us/recreation/programs/geo-fencing
• American Park Network. (2021). The Benefits of Geo-fencing in Parks and Outdoor Spaces. Retrieved January 31, 2023, from https://www.americanparknetwork.com/the-benefits-of-geo-fencing-in-parks-and-outdoor-spaces
• National Park Foundation. (n.d.). Geo-fencing and Park Management. Retrieved January 31, 2023, from https://www.nationalparks.org/connect/blog/geo-fencing-and-park-management.