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construction sediment is pollution


rebelman

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I'm sick of all the construction sites ignoring any sort of best management practices. Also cattle farms refusing to establish riparian buffer zones. Every where I look on Spring and SouthFork Rivers harsh construction is dumping tons of clay mud into these extraordinary resource waters. Cattle farmers and landowners refuse to implement erosion control measures. Canoing on a rainy day shows much abuse. "Land use committees" never seem to mention erosion control, wishing to do away with any controls, perhaps fearing they will actually be enforced.

I went to a hearing on the Strawberry Darter, a fish found only in Strawberry River and tributaries. The young wildlife bioligist explained reasons for it's demise, non-point source sedimentation, point source sewage, and runoff from animal farms. An attractive red haired lady stood up and took issue with any suggestion the cattle industry had any negative contribution to rivers and water purity at all. She disrupted, argued, confused... The biologist told me she was a frequent "guest", a paid lobbyist.

Then you got Mike Beebe, suing Oklahoma for suing big chicken. He says the important thing is rights of arkansas business owners. I say the important thing is clean water.

Thanks for letting me rant OzarkAnglers

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Keep it up, we can't do enough to stop this in every state.

I find it crazy that here in the St. Louis metro area runoff from construction is a big deal and closely monitored but in these areas where our real gems are, people don't care or are more interested in the dollar than the long term health of our best waterways. You can't do any more damage to streams around here that hasn't already been done for 150 years.

The creeks in this area have long been polluted and disturbed beyond repair but we still see that runoff will eventially make it to the big rivers and cause more damage. See what happens when construction runoff flows into somebodies backyard around here.

Our local stay at home moms have more backbone than any of those "committies" or local politicians in charge around our best natural resources. What a joke that Overlook Estates debacle has become. Maybe we should pay some of these stay at home moms to go down there and take care of it.

Snagger.

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As far as I am concerned you guys are preachin to the choir and I appreciate your comments. We certainly need to be proactive at this point. As to politicans and officials who should be watching the store I don't put a lot of faith in them at this point. For example I, along with several here wrote scores of letters and emails to them to protest the expansion of dredging on Taneycomo. I did not receive one acknowledgement back from anyone. I would venture to say very few if any did get comments back from the powers that be.

Dano

Glass Has Class

"from the laid back lane in the Arkansas Ozarks"

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The "popularity" contests we call "elections" have made it almost impossible to get anything really "done" unless you have a vast amount of money to contribute to a campaign. The lobbyists control what's going on... and the lobbyist with the most money wins every time.

You know, it's strange in a way... Construction jobs are going to the "green card" workers, the family farm is almost extinct, and our rivers and streams are on the demise... What's wrong with this picture?

I still believe in the political process... We just need to be more informed and not entertained voters.

TIGHT LINES, YA'LL

 

"There he stands, draped in more equipment than a telephone lineman, trying to outwit an organism with a brain no bigger than a breadcrumb, and getting licked in the process." - Paul O’Neil

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but sometimes it feels good to vent even if it is to the choir. Snagged.

You got it Snagged and the choir should rehear the message every once in a while..keeps us on our toes.

Thanks for reminding us....Dano

Glass Has Class

"from the laid back lane in the Arkansas Ozarks"

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Dano & Snagged in Outlet 3:

Here is what is really strange about the Norfork situation. I wrote an e-mail to the Governor of Arkansas about the Norfork situation and up front told whoever received the e-mail that I lived in the state of IL. but fished that area 3/4 times per year! Guess what? I received a reply from someone speaking for the governor {Yea Right}telling me the state of Ark. was concerned and working to solve the problem {Right}.

Now! Why did they answer joe blow in IL. and not Dano a resident {I think} of Ark.? Sorry Snagged didn't notice where you lived!!!!

Now Terry is right on, if you need a job and live in IL. all you need to do is make a sizable contribution to the winning candidate for govenor and you WILL get a job whether you are qualifed or not, just don't pick the wrong person! Could become expensive, then you will need two jobs. Or {now get this} give money to the governors son/daughter for a birthday present seems to have a positive affect also! These comments are not directed at any particlar party it is what politics have become, and the picture is wrong! DEAD WRONG!!!!

Well! That felt good!!!

"God gave fishermen expectancy, so they would never tire of throwing out a line"

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Not to inject politics any more into this discussion, but the campaign finance system we have now is nothing more than legalized bribery. And I'm talking all politics, local, state, & national. Anyone looking to run for office has to rely on donations from business, farming, and etc. So guess what, the big cattle or chicken farmer gets their voice heard much more than you or me that did not donate anything to his/her campaign. So unless everyone puts their life savings together and buys a politician just like the big business and farming interests do, our chances of getting any help from the politicans are slim. That is why publicly financed campaigns are a possible solution. Just my two cents though. . .

Also, I have nothing against farmers, without farmers, we don't have any food. But I am tired of the farming interests in this state using their power to get whatever they want. In Arkansas, it seems that the most environmental destruction I have seen is the result of farming. At one time, their were a lot of creeks and sloughs that flowed year round near Jonesboro that supported viable sport fish populations. But now, due to channelization and relift pumps, many have silted in to the point that they run dry most of the year. Also, there used to be a good quail population around here, but now, farmers plant all the way from fencerow to fencerow, leaving no brush that is the primary habitiat for quail. Also, due to ag chemicals, what water is left is so polluted that their is no life at all. Frog gigging used to be a popular pastime around here. Nowadays, the only place people gig frogs is in commercial catfish ponds. The ditches and sloughs are too polluted. I used to think that my favorite Ozark streams were immune from this type of pollution, but with tons of chicken litter being dumped on pastures, it looks like big-time farming will take their toll on those streams as well. Like I said, I have nothing against farmers, they are just trying to make a living. But a lot of the problems are associated with the demise of the family farm. Almost a lot of farms nowadays are huge, "factory farms" It used to be that farmers were among the best conservationists around, because they depended on the land to produce and feed the family for generations. When farming quit being a way of life and became a business, that all stopped.

These people have all of the politicans around here on their side. Just look at the White River irrigation project (halted by a fed. judge) down on the lower White that will likely destroy the largest hardwood bottomland left in the lower Mississippi valley. It is being done at the behest of 5 major rice growers with political connections who have pumped the aquifers dry and now are in need of new water sources. You can bet your bottom dollar if they wanted the water releases from the White River Reservoirs to be determined by their water needs, they would get it.

I did not mean to rant, but I had to I guess. Apologies in advance if I offended anyone.

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River Runner

No complaints here. I think you are spot on with words well spoken. I grew up in East Arkansas and know what you are talking about. I have spent many afternoons walking those rice ditches hunting snakes and turtles, finding a covey of quail or even rabbits at the end of a fence row. You are right it doesn't happen today. When I first moved to the Ozarks in 81, I think you could have taken a drink from some of the streams I would fish. It all changes quickly...Dano

Glass Has Class

"from the laid back lane in the Arkansas Ozarks"

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I agree with everything you said except a couple of points... 1... it's not the chicken farmers... It's the big famous chicken "processor" that has the politicians in his pocket. Most chicken farmers I know are not driving Escalades and living in plantation style homes (like the cotton/rice/bean factory farms you are referring to.) and 2... you say "our chances of getting our voice heard is slim"... All we really need to do ("all" being easier said than done) is combine the "forces" of TU, FFF, and numerous other organizations into ONE voice that will be heard with a lot of support.

The "chicken - trucking - big retailer" connection in NW AR is a few voices with big dollars. The cattle industry is a LOT of voices ($s) all rolled up into ONE PAC (recall the commercials with the famous cowboy voice telling us "Beef... it's what's for dinner..."

The problem here, in my humble opinion, is that we have several different organizations with one end goal in mind but going in 100 different directions. FFF is looking at it from one stand point. TU another. So on and so on. Maybe if we put TU, DU, PF, FFF, NWTF, etc. etc. under one umbrella called "The Wildlife and Wilderness Council" and funnel our efforts, maybe then we could do better...

JMHO for what it's worth... and that ain't much.

TIGHT LINES, YA'LL

 

"There he stands, draped in more equipment than a telephone lineman, trying to outwit an organism with a brain no bigger than a breadcrumb, and getting licked in the process." - Paul O’Neil

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