Improvements Planned Below Beaver Dam

[Zack Hoyt]

THE FLIP SIDE: Tailwater Benefits From Stimulus CashIMPROVEMENTS PLANNED BELOW BEAVER

DAM

By Flip Putthoff

Thursday, March 11, 2010

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LITTLE ROCK — Some federal government stimulus money is on its way to stimulate the trout fishing below Beaver Dam.

The Arkansas Game & Fish Commission received $110,000 in stimulus money for habitat and shoreline work on the White River below the dam.

That’s the word from Melissa Jones, cold-water coordinator with the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission.

That money will be used to repair habitat and shorelinedamage that occurred in 2008 when the floodgates were opened at Beaver Dam. Record flows surged down the White River damaging homes, campgrounds and the shoreline.

Tim Burnley, Game & Fish trouthabitat manager, said the project involves placing root wads and boulders in the stream. Four Jvanes will be built. These are rock jetties that are angled upstream to push the current toward the middle of the stream. That deepens the channel and benefits trout.

An additional access will be built between Parker Bend and the Bertrand launch ramp.

Boulders and root wads provide shelter for trout and stimulate aquatic insect growth.

Work has already started.

Repairs are being made to the fishing access at the first campground downstream from the dam.

The project should be finished sometime this summer if water levels cooperate.

Trout Unlimited’s Arkansas chapter has offered some ideas for the project. Conservation Chairman Bruce Ritter said another improvement will be blazing a better trail to the river where the road dead-ends about a mile below the dam.

This path will lead to a shallower spot in the stream that is easier for wade fishermen to cross.

Hopefully your tax dollars at work will be a benefit to our backyard trout stream.

FLIP PUTTHOFF IS OUTDOORS EDITOR.

Outdoor, Pages 9 on 03/11/2010