Minimum Flow

[IzardCountyRainbow]

How many inches do you guys think the minimum flow will add to the water height on the Norfork? And how much boat traffic will it add? And do you agree with Smith in the Baxter Bulletin? I would like to hear what you guys that fish it quite a bit think. What kind of boating restrictions will be needed?

http://www.baxterbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dl.../608140315/1002

Smith said more than 20 boats are destroyed each year by fishermen trying to get their boats up the river. He said more water in the river could lead to boaters showing no regard for wading fishermen.

"If you're going to generate 8-10 inches of water on the North Fork River, you're going to endanger people and you're going to wipe out fly fishing," he said. "I guarantee that every boat that is rented at the dam and confluence will run all the way to the dam and float down."

[RiverRunner]

I think that the proposed minimum flow for Norfork is about 300 cfs (correct me if I am wrong). With that flow, it will still be extremely difficult to boat all the way to the Dam in a prop-driven boat. I am extremely reluctant to run my 20' jon boat above the handicapped access when they are running less than 2 units. The Norfork is a dangerous river to run-high or low. There are several places(esp. Mill Dam Eddy) that can sink a boat is seconds. With the increasing popularity of jet drives, more and more people are attempting to run the Norfork at all levels.

I don't think that it will destroy wade & fly fishing on the river. It seems that an increasing number of people are opposed to minimum flow because it represents something that they are opposed to: Change. For my 10 cents, I am all for it, I fish from Norfork Dam to Calico Rock almost exclusively. Minimum flow will do wonders for that stretch in regards to high water temps. In 2000, a lot of our fish were wiped out because of high water temps during that drought. I still haven't seen the big browns in numbers that we had before since then. If we could have a constant, cold flow even in drier years, it would help our fishing a lot, since we already have a high forage base in that area. I just wish that we could get more vocal supporters. I hope that we don't lose this on the verge of getting it done.

Also, what is it going to take to get this travesty of a development that is destroying the river stopped?

[Danoinark]

I agree with Riverrunner. I think it is proposed at 300 cfs. I am for it personally. I can understand the dock owners on the White and Norfork Lakes because of the uncertainty of what it will do to the Lake levels.

As to what can help clear up the problem with Oulook Estates...?? Probably politics.

Dano

[IzardCountyRainbow]

I fish b/t Calico and Norfork confluence most of the time and couldn't agree more about the improvement it will have on this stretch. One thing about the jet props.......we are seeing more and more of them, but with the minimum flow I think the popularity will dwindle.