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Not........
What about the native warm water species........This stream was.....before the dam a warm water somewhat silty stream at high flows and a clear very warm stream in the summer months. While sedimentation has most likely increased from surface disturbances, including but not limited to, mining, timbering oil and gas extraction, urban development, elimination of the riparian zone from highway and home construction and industrial development, the water is much cooler than it would have been without the dam......One could easily verify this by taking temperature readings at the confluence of the Russell Fork and Pound rivers in the summer. Me I just park my boat at the warm/cold water interface and stick my hands in the water......This effect is exacerbated by the fact that the ACOE has a minimum release mandated for different times of the year that is unflexible. The minimum release from the dam often exceeds the flow of the RF making the water much cooler in the summer than would naturally exist. I'm no fish scientist but I can't imagine this helps out the native species.
The plan I mentioned earlier in an earlier post is much more workable and most likely within the discretion of the ACOE, would give coldwater to TU, give water to boat on the weekends when most people can boat, would give people a minimum of a day or two notice, and could probably be worked into the ACOE release protocols without doing a study. Basically you would get to paddle the river on the weekends from having a a small rainfall event anytime in the prior five days with out any cockamaime plan involving an excruciating multi-year study and senators and congressmen making promises they can't or won't keep. We've been hearing about this so called study for years and nobody's came through.
After a rainfall event, the water has to be released from the dam anyway to maintain pool if you could get them to agree to hold 6 inches of water for a few days that seems to me a much more workable plan. The minimum summertime flow is 50cfs, while I think this impacts the native species by making the water cooler than is the natural condition it does maintain water quality downstream for the people of Eastern KY. I just don't think anyone is going to convince any congressmen or senators to reduce the water quality to their constituents.....of course.....Gene lives upstream of all this.....upstream is where all the garbage that is piled up in the gorge has come from.......think about it!
MB |
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Now that makes sense............ New 
BoaterTalk 
