Columbia County will reopen four of its six problem-plagued tournament boat ramps at Wildwood Park today after $450,000 in renovations designed to make the ramps usable during low water.

"We're glad they're finally repaired, and we hope we won't have any further problems," said Barry Smith, the county's Leisure Services director. "Now we just need to pray for rain."

The $1.1 million ramps, completed in 2003 with local option sales tax dollars, were closed in September when the lake's pool fell to 322 feet above sea level. The lake has since fallen five more feet.

In 2006, the county spent $105,000 on slide-in ramp extensions designed to enable boat launches even if the lake fell to 316 feet above sea level. Those extensions failed.

The current project, begun six weeks ago and completed Thursday, included poured-concrete extensions on all six ramps, Mr. Smith said.

One pair of ramps is now usable down to 312 feet, and a second pair is usable down to 314, he said. The third pair of ramps could be extended to be usable down to only 317 because of the grade of the area.

"So the ramps that are going to open are ramps one through four, and we'll have five and six roped off until the water comes up," he said.

The county had planned to finance the entire project but got a $400,000 grant from Gov. Sonny Perdue's "Go Fish Georgia" program, which is designed to finance fishing tournament facilities that will boost tourism and economic development.

The county will have to add only $50,000 to the grant, Mr. Smith said.

The ramps are critical to the county's ability to hold major fishing events such as the Bassmaster Elite Series, which will return in May for its fourth year.

The next tournament, the Top Six Championship, will bring 250 boats and more than 500 anglers to Wildwood in March.