Fish Habitats in Ozarks

[Rolan Duffield]

This article was published in the Kansas City Star March 18,06

Can anyone tell us what is planned? Does this refer to minimun flow in Taney?

Fish habitats in Ozarks to be restored.

SPRINGFIELD --- The Ozarks Table Rock lake and adjacent waters willbe a test case for a national plan to save fish stocks from deteriorating habitat and water conditions.

The project will be funded in part by Springfield based Bass Pro Shops, the company and conservation officials announced Friday.

The nonprofit National Fish and Wildlife Foundation said Bass Pro Shops will contribute $5 million, which will be matched by money raised by the foundation, over 5 years for a national campaign to preserve and restore fish habits.

Half of the $10 million will go projects at the 52,300 acre Table Rock Lake, neighboring Lake Taneycomo and the White river watershed on the Missouri-Arkansas border.

Bass Pro is the first corporate sponsor of the foundations More Fish campaign.

[Wayne SW/MO]

It is a progranm to enhance and restore the habitat, as was said. Of course I have to question it, I'm not normaly negative, but I'm having trouble understanding how you enhance and restore fish habitat on or in something that was dry land? If they were going to concentrate on the James, the portion or the White that is still below the dam, Flat, Roaring etc, I could understand that because there is certainly a need.

I'm just not sure what is missing in TR.

[D3BPS]

It hasn't been so bad since water's low the past few years, but I thought Bull Shoals used to be mismanaged badly. It seemed like the strategy was to keep Table Rock relatively stable and hold as much spring runoff as possible at Bull Shoals. The fish would move up into the flooded brush and rock banks to spawn. Then they'd open her up and drop the lake level rapidly and ruin that year's class. I wasn't down there every year, but it seemed like it happened an awful lot.

Are there many White River tributaries that need clean-up efforts? Do you think some of this money will be to try to buy private land to create more public access points?

[Wayne SW/MO]

D3BPS, its my understanding that the money will be used in the lake. aside from water quality, I'm not sure what the fish habitat problem is in TR.

As far as Bull Shoals goes, it is in an area with a lower economic status and smaller population, so it gets water. Table Rock is responsible for a much larger watershed than any of the other lakes, so there is some common sense in keeping it capable of absorbing a large influx of water.

I do think BS could be managed a little better with species and habitat work. It would probably respond to some habitat work aimed at being viable during various lake levels.

[MoCarp]

if its a native fish movement---say good by to all the small dams on the tributaries

[jeff]

I think it's interesting that the Bass Pro in Branson will be opening soon, and Bass Pro donates a bunch of money to improve Table Rock Lake and Taneycomo. It seems like a smart investment to me.

[Wayne SW/MO]

It would be smarter in my opinion if they would put the money into natural fish habitat, habitat that is sorely in need of it rather than artificial ones.

I speaking of our rivers and streams, the only natural fish habitat we have in Missouri and the only areas that are really hurting.

[All_Tangled_Up]

It would be smarter in my opinion if they would put the money into natural fish habitat, habitat that is sorely in need of it rather than artificial ones.

I speaking of our rivers and streams, the only natural fish habitat we have in Missouri and the only areas that are really hurting.

Ditto! But Bass Pro will reap more benefits form TR and Taneycomo. There's not as much of a chance someone vacationing in Branson and fishing up on the Finley or the upper parts of Swan and Beaver creeks.