Fishing and Boating Ban

[DaveS]

For your reading pleasure...

 

http://www.facebook.com/#!/TennesseeWildlifeOfficersAssociation

 

Dave S

[JAB]

Clicking the link brings up a screen to log in to Facebook.  I don't belong to FB and have no intentions of joining.  Give us the high points?

Edited December 12, 2012 by JAB

[KahrMan]

From the facebook page of Tennessee Wildlife Officers Association

 

 

 

The US Army Corps of Engineers is presently trying to shut down all recreational boat traffic above and below their dams meaning the sportsmen will no longer be able to fish for catfish, stripe, trout, etc around those prime fishing areas. They are trying to do this without even a comment period from the public and are not at all working with our agency or anyone else to back up their reasoning or come to a compromise. Please contact your local congressman or woman and tell them that this is not right and that sportsmen make up a huge percentage of the people in Tennessee.

[Lumber_Jack]

I'm not sure I buy this.  What would be their reasoning?

[jtmaze]

DHS fearing a terrorist attack on the dams. It would be catastrophic. Just the loss of power alone would be bad. My parents live on the river out of Decaturville and their house would be gone and it is 12 feet off the ground and 2 feet above the 100 year flood plane.


JTM
Sent from my iPhone

[Lumber_Jack]

DHS fearing a terrorist attack on the dams. It would be catastrophic. Just the loss of power alone would be bad. My parents live on the river out of Decaturville and their house would be gone and it is 12 feet off the ground and 2 feet above the 100 year flood plane.


JTM
Sent from my iPhone

 

Right but this wouldn't prevent a terrorist attack.  There is still navigable water up to the dam.  Are they going to build a wall to prevent all boats?  

[Motasyco]

I'm glad I sold my boat and bought an old farm.  They'll have a tough time taking that away from me.

[DaveS]

From the facebook page of Tennessee Wildlife Officers Association

Thanks for posting!

 

Dave S

[whiskey]

Saw this on FB this morning. Got to do some research. Sure sounds crappy.

[Dolomite`s Breezy]

right after 9/11 they put Hesco`s up at teh Dam`s.. because of it... kinda useless .. really..

[DaveS]

Saw this on FB this morning. Got to do some research. Sure sounds crappy.

I can tell you this for sure, don't enter the canal at the steam plant in a boat! Hell, everybody but theUS Navy showed up for that deal!

 

Dave S

[Lumber_Jack]

Saw this on FB this morning. Got to do some research. Sure sounds crappy.

I can tell you this for sure, don't enter the canal at the steam plant in a boat! Hell, everybody but theUS Navy showed up for that deal!

Dave S

Well to that point, I thought there was a "no boats" buffer above the dams anyway. I know TVA does. It's a safety issue.

[DaveS]

You are allowed below most dams. Wading, bank fishing and in boats. News Channel 5 had the story on this morning. As soon as they post the information on their website, I'll put the link up. I hope this doesn't mess up our fishing at Norris/Clinch and the Center Hill/Caney Fork.

 

Dave S

Edited December 13, 2012 by DaveS

[Lumber_Jack]

You are allowed below most dams. Wading, bank fishing and in boats. News Channel 5 had the story on this morning. As soon as they post the information on their website, I'll put the link up. I hope this doesn't mess up our fishing at Norris/Clinch and the Center Hill/Caney Fork.

Dave S

All of those are TVA dams. No way they are shutting down all downstream fishing. They may put a no boats buffer around the physical dam but they don't own the river or the lake. Hell you can drive a car over most of them, Norris and Center Hill specifically.

[Lumber_Jack]

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20121129/SPORTS11/311290030/Restrictions-near-dams-concern-area-fishermen?nclick_check=1


This article seems to address only Corps operated water and sites safety as the concern. I think it's BS. Definitely need to voice opinions to representatives.

I've heard a cumulative 20 miles of lake and tailwater could be closed to boats. That's probably a relatively small buffer over all the dams.

[Lumber_Jack]

Since 1970 14 people have died below Corps dams an 868 on the reservoirs..... That's a really small number, especially considering how many miles of lakes and streams that covers.

[JWC]

Fishing below dams is perfectly safe if you have any sense at all. I liken it to driving on a road, you wouldn't want to jump right on the interstate if you had never driven before. But taking the time to learn a little bit its as safe as boating anywhere else on a normal day. Their idea to close beliw the dams is pretty dang stoopid. And they have not released a reason nor will discuss it. Which looks pretty dam shady IMO. How many terrorists are gonna hop in a jon boat and run up below a dam to do harm? If they allow boating there should be plenty of fishermen to watch out and prevent an attack. Actually this is a better defense than closing them to fishing/boating. Guys fishing the boils usually watch out for each other.

[10-Ring]

This just in

http://www.lrn.usace.army.mil/pao/news/boating_restrictions_near_dams.htm

 

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District is finalizing plans to implement restricted waterborne access to hazardous waters immediately upstream and downstream of all Corps-owned locks and dams, flood control dams and multi-purpose dams along the Cumberland River and its adjoining tributaries in accordance to ER 1130-2-520, Chapter 10.  

Best described as industrial areas, the hazardous water areas above and below dams in the Nashville District pose a high level of risk for the public because of the Hydroelectric, spilling, sluicing and lock operations that are often present or begin with little or no notice.  Turbulent boils and powerful currents are capable of swamping, capsizing, and even trapping boats and people in turbulent waters. Also during instances of emergency boater distress, project employees are not always immediately available to respond.  This places emergency responders and other boaters at risk of a life-threatening situation during rescue attempts.  Lock, hydropower, spilling and sluicing operations are disrupted after and during any emergency response effort.  These incidents have far reaching impacts; the most important of which are families that have to deal with the loss of a loved one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since 2009, three fatalities, one serious injury and ten near misses/rescues have occurred in hazardous waters immediately downstream of dams on the Cumberland River and its adjoining tributaries.  Life jacket wear has been ineffective in these areas, since all of the victims who drowned wore a life jacket. 

In order to increase public safety and address physical security issues, the Nashville District reevaluated the District’s policy and made the decision to fully implement the existing U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ER 1130-2-520, Chapter 10.  The Nashville District will inform the public prior to the installation of signs, buoys and physical barriers based on the respective restricted area boundaries at Barkley, Wolf Creek, Laurel River, Martins Fork dams in Kentucky, and Cheatham, J. Percy Priest, Old Hickory, Cordell Hull, Center Hill, and Dale Hollow dams in Tennessee.

The restricted areas will be the minimum area allowed per Corps regulations upstream and downstream of locks, dams, and power plant facilities.  All forms of water access within the restricted areas will be prohibited including boating, swimming and wading.  The Corps continues to promote bank fishing in all areas that were previously approved, including areas adjacent to some restricted areas.

Public information meetings are planned for Paducah, Ky. Nashville, Tenn., Cookeville, Tenn. and Somerset, Ky. in January 2013.  Detailed information for each meeting’s time and location will be provided to the public as soon as they are finalized.

 

 

To me it looks a lot like big brother protecting us from ourselves, BS.

Edited December 13, 2012 by 10-Ring

[Lumber_Jack]

Well I was wrong about Center Hill not being a Corp dam. I will be attending the meeting in Cookeville if I can. If anyone hears definite info about these meetings post it here.

If its a reasonable distance I can understand but that is yet to be seen. I'm a wade fisherman so I don't want to be too close to the dam anyway, but I know boaters do, seeking those big fish that feed at the generators.

[DaveS]

All the dams are owned by the Corps of Engineers and most are managed by TVA. Get a grip folks, bad times are coming!

 

Dave S

[Lumber_Jack]

All the dams are owned by the Corps of Engineers and most are managed by TVA. Get a grip folks, bad times are coming!

Dave S

I honestly think this won't affect much. Unless you're one who likes to get right up to the dam. I don't see any way they can justify a large area shutdown down stream. If its anything over 500ft, then I'd say its time to get pissed.

Also notice they didn't mention Norris, south Holston or Watauga.

[DaveS]

We'll have to wait and see which dams it effects!

 

Dave S

[Classic WBY]

for those who catfish,rockfish and troutfish..................below the dams it hurts.     for those of us who bowfish ................it also takes away prime water.....i havent read all the rules...........but, if they still alow shore fishing besides the dam...................then the terrorist threat doesnt hold much water  (no pun intended). We most likely will adapt to this situation........it will definitely economically have an impact on the motels/cottages and small stores that exist close to the some of the dams.  More fishing is done in these tailwaters then the rest of the river/lake.....because that is where the fish are most abundant.  I am  a firm believer that this will happen....against all the gripes and complaints from the sportsman.  I am also a firm believer that TWRA will do nothing positive on belhalf of the sportsman.  I hunt several states where sportsman have a voice on rules and regulations............TN my home is not one of them.   The introduction of the crossbow allowance during BOW season was a prime example of non consideration for the thousands of bowhunters in TN.  Writing or calling anyone in office about the dam issue ,is also a run around................some have tried....the results were the brush off.....corpse of engineers we have no control over etc.  etc.   My advise is to fish em while you can......and remember the good times you have had and tell your kids and grandkids how it used to be in the good old days.      

[DaveS]

  The introduction of the crossbow allowance during BOW season was a prime example of non consideration for the thousands of bowhunters in TN.  

 

 

What is wrong with Crossbows? I hunt with crossbow, and I'm at a disadvantage with it. I can't recock mine while in my climbing stand with a shooting rail, I cannot manuaver around the tree as easy as I could with my compound bow, and I have no real greater range than regular bow. Allowing more hunters into the woods during bow season was one of the best things to ever happen to archery hunting by allowing Crossbows!

 

Dave S      

[Classic WBY]

enjoy your crossbow dave...............as i enjoy my recurve......which is a stick and a string...............but do a little home work on the range/ and advantages and disadvantages of both.   and crossbows may be the best thing for you....but not for bowhunters................which crossbow hunters are not.............either way have a great xmas...or holidays if you so prefer.