Reply With QuoteYea, I did.
The Corps of Engineers presented a well thought out opening presentation briefed by the Nashville Corps District Commander. In the brief, they showed:
1. A matrix that showed what the original intent was the US Congress provided funds for dams and lakes as we know them. Example, Cumberland and Wolfe Creek originally authorized by Congress for flood control and for hydroelectric power. Years later congress authorized funds to support local recreation including fishing.
2. Security is an issue at the dams. Remember 9/11? Who would have thought a terrorist would have taken a plane into a tower. Corps noted it's not the overriding concern, but also that an attack on a major dam could have disasterous results for all down stream Wolfe Creek Dam to Nashville.
3. Safety was a focal point. Corps noted Title 33 of the Code of Federal Regulations that Congress approved into law required the Corps to establish restricted areas above and below dams. Corps in Nashville has not done that, and is now getting into complinace with federal law, given safety concerns, given security concerns, and given one other key concern. Folks that don't play by the rules and fish in dangerous water, even after they ignore signs, fail to wear life jackets, and ignore the warning lights, and horns, and sirens, when injured still tend to file lawsuits against the Corps. If the Corps fails to do as Congress required them to do, then they may be held liable if an angler gets hurt in an area that should have been restricted. And that means the govt may pay a big lawsuit, and that means us taxpayers will pay for it with our tax dollars.
KY had KDFWR Director there, state representative staff members, and representatives of US Congressional State Representatives. In general, their arguments were that the restrictions imposed would hurt the economy and deny recreation/fishing. They noted they opposed the federal govt looking our for individuals safety by restricting access when the number actually killed was statistically low. While they questioned Corps numbers of incidents, that could not, when asked provide their own documented records of incidents. The KDFWR had about 12-15 KDFWR law enforcement officers there, and KDFWR noted that if the areas were left open, they would be on site to get the violators under control, rather than restricting the area. I wondered why KDFWR, who said they were concerned about public safety, decided to take that many officers off the beat protecting people to have a show of force at a meeting. Priorities? I think they showed the Corps they could make promises, and were will to take officers out of their duties to do what they said they would do.
KDFWR, state reps, and congressional reps all noted economic impacts, exaggerated the impacts, and yet could not provide the corps with a copy of any actually written analytical study they did to prove their point. Yet all those same folks wanted the Corps to do a study to figure out their point of view and the state's impacts. My oppinion, state and local govts have to prove their point of economic impacts before a congressional mandated law can be avoided by the Corps of Engineers. Documnet your complaint to make it more valid and stand a better chance of having a valid study recognized.
Last part was questions and answer period. Most questions and concerns had to do with impacts to local guides that fish in these area. Biggest point was a often repeated request to reduce the restricted area from 500 feet below Wolfe to 250. Corps said they would propose that, but did not have the authority to decide it at the meeting. So more to come on that.
KDFWR and state reps questioned Corps statistics on life lost below the dam. Given the deaths of KY citizens occurred in their jurisdiction, they, the KY reps, could not provide conclusive documented evidence that the corps statistics were wrong. Again, KY, if its your jurisdiction to police, and to save lifes here, you really ought to have a set of statistics and records of the lifes that were lost here.
Overall the meeting was civil, some pointed questions, and all concerns raised were responded to. There were no commitments made at the meeting, as the intent was to share information, and to get input from those concerned first hand.
Corps will start putting up barriers to restricted areas Mar-Apr this year, with first priority of effort to dams with locks, then large dams, then small dams. Wolfe Creek Dam will probably not see the barriers until May-June this year.
Grand total I'd say 50-60 anglers showed up. The Coprs had 7-8 military and civilian folks there, KDFWR about 12-15, and about 6 reps from KY State and US Congress reps.
Last point: The Corps has NOT BANNED FISHING. They have restricted boat access and made the point that fishing from the shoreline into the restricted areas is still just fine. And boating up to the restricted area limit and casting in is still fine.
In my own opinion, the Corps was professional, informative, willing to listen, and willing to discuss. By contrast, the KY State reps, and representatives, came off more antagonistically, made accusations they failed to support with fact, displayed emotion, but did not come prepared to offer documented evidence of either bad incident statistics, or come prepared with documented written reports of actual economic impacts. The fisherman and boaters that made comments, actually did far more by raising a concern, then offereing suggestions as to how the Corps and local fisherman could meet in the middle, and still increase safety while reducing fishing impacts. It was an angler, not a state KDFWR or state rep, that offered the 250 foot limit vs the 500 foot limit that the Corps is considering.
Originally Posted by DaveStewart
