Meramec Dam Project

[hank franklin]

I live in Franklin County and was 12 the year of the vote. Most of my family was for it because of the supposed economic development potential. I was against it mainly because I didn't think we needed to be LOZ east. I didn't really thoroughly understand the value of the river resource but I did understand how the development would change the character of the region, and I basically thought we were fine they way we were. The visions of economic development grandeur I thought were snake oil.

Going forward I now see it for the massive government intrusion that it was. Buying up property and destroying high value environmental resources for what purpose exactly? Flood control? Buy up the properties that might get flooded instead. Recreation? The river is a recreation mecca. Hydroelectric? Good luck with that.

Flood control is probably the worst justification of all. Ask people in Northwest Missouri how the Corps' Missouri River Flood Control is working. It's terrible policy and a great example of how we think we are bigger than nature. Go tell the river that we can "control" floods. The river will laugh at you, time and time and time again.

[MoSportsmen]

This is a interesting discussion. Almost 49 years old here so it all ended about the time I graduated high school. Admittedly, I was probably a pro lake guy back then, grew up in Chesterfield.

I am happy to have Mark Twain now, saw that lake fill, of course all that was lost on Mark Twain was muddy ole' north Missouri rivers. I am surprised that Mark Twain has not been developed more than it has been. Seems to me it suffers from poor marketing. Of course no modern lakes can be developed the way LOZ has been because of lack of private lake shore land ownership.

Glad to still have the Meramec river too. I found me a copy of the book mentioned . I want to put it in my collection. Great Missouri history story no mater what side you are on now or what side you were on then.

Tom

[skeeter]

Actually and factually, the authority for dam building along tributaries of the Mississippi River came from "

The Flood Control Act of 1928 (FCA 1928) (70th United States Congress, Sess. 1. Ch. 596, enacted May 15, 1928"

That pre-dated FDR's election to the White House by several years. Herbert Hoover was the President who signed the bill into law and now we will hear about what a horrible President he was....!

I would have bet $100 on the opinion "sour grapes" being expressed. The Anti's never were happy unless they managed to denigrate their oppostion with personal attacks and I see that habit prevails. Remind you of anything taking place in politics today by a certain group begiining with the letter "L" ? Ha !

Stating proven facts always ticked off the nay-sayers. They responded with half-truths, which are far more dangerous than lies. Like stating that the charlatan Rimbach was ultimately proven correct. Really ? By whom pray tell ? Prove it......and you better be able to quote Professional sources...not half-baked "opinions" by unqualified individuals pretending to be an "authority" like Rimbach did. Moving those high water markers in Onondaga cave prior to Congressman Symington's visit should have resulted in Rimbach's prosecution and prison time but Symington was so embarrassed after his office was informed by the Corps how he had been "had" that they hushed it up. Re-election time was coming soon and he didn't ever want to admit an error.

As far as cost overrruns...they were fully and willfully caused by the Lake opposition dreaming up new objections while the Corps laboriously and slowly responded to their previous objections. They had planned all along to drag the project out until costs escalated via the horrible Inflation of those days and public opinion could be swayed by their readily available "speakers" they could trot out at a moment's notice because not too many of them, somehow, seemed to be regularly employed.

Massive Government intrusion ? Sure it was. But wouldn't that be the same thing you propose by "buying up" established properties in the flood plains Mr. Franklin ? Would you give those current property owners a choice whether to sell or not ? And then who would own that "bought up" land and what would you propose to replace the lost taxes on that land that goes to support local services and schools ? See....there is no simple answer, as we all discovered years ago, and that same R.E. tax issue surfaced when the COE began it's eminent domain acquisition of the Meramec Lake properties.

As I said in my original post....where to begin. There are two sides to every issue and I was stating facts, not opinions, as I and other simple anglers experienced and learned them as we encountered a well-organized and well-funded opposition. If the "pro" side was heavily funded as stated in Agnew's post, I sure would have enjoyed seeing some of that monetary support.

[Smalliebigs]

I have to applaud both Al and Skeeter. Interesting takes with different views. I'm 53 years old and don'tremember any of this happening. I have to agree with one thing Skeeter says, the victors always seem to write the history, and as we all know, what we have read in our history books throughout our lives isn't always the whole truth. I will stay out of this debate because I don't know all the facts. But it think itwas great to hear the truth from 2 different knowlegable people. A good point for all - just because you read it somewhere doesn't always make it true.

Mark, I couldn't agree more, it's always nice to hear both sides of the issue and we will get blasted on here for feeling that way.

" A good point for all - just because you read it somewhere doesn't always make it true." ..............................oh, soo true

[Smalliebigs]

I would have bet $100 on the opinion "sour grapes" being expressed. The Anti's never were happy unless they managed to denigrate their oppostion with personal attacks and I see that habit prevails. Remind you of anything taking place in politics today by a certain group begiining with the letter "L" ? Ha !

Skeeter, you are very correct with that statement there.

[exiledguide]

You guys should stop calling Liberturdians names.

[hank franklin]

Mr. Skeeter, I wouldn't advocate buying up any property, period. In hindsight I question why the government was involved at all. For what purpose?

[eric1978]

Good read here...until Skeeter dragged the L word into it. Luckily the L words were there to protect that river from you C words so my kids and I can still enjoy it. Thanks for adding your side of the story anyway.

But it doesn't matter now...the right thing was done and we still have a beautiful, ageless flowing river instead of some boring, stagnant blob. And imagine what a cesspool it would be by now. Yuck...you thing Lake O is bad. Your flesh would melt off in the toxic waste it surely would be.

[ozark trout fisher]

But it doesn't matter now...the right thing was done and we still have a beautiful, ageless flowing river instead of some boring, stagnant blob. And imagine what a cesspool it would be by now. Yuck...you thing Lake O is bad. Your flesh would melt off in the toxic waste it surely would be.

Yes, this is pretty much what I was thinking. The Meramec is a gem, and it would have been a tragedy to have lost it. And even if you don't care about the value of undammed, free-flowing rivers, can you imagine what a big reservoir that close to STL would be like? The whole thing would be Party Cove.

Anyway the country around the part of the Meramec that would be dammed is some of the prettiest anywhere in the Ozarks, heck, anywhere in the midwest....Once again, even if you don't care about free-flowing rivers, it would be a terrible shame to see all that under water. All I can say is thank you to those that put in so much work to help defeat it.

[Al Agnew]

I ain't arguing with Skeeter anymore...I suspect, as is almost always the case in these types of disputes, the real truth lies somewhere in between the black and white "facts" of either side. The only real "fact" that remains is that one side won, one side lost, and the river remains. I just spent a day on it today, downstream of the dam site, with Mitch. Caught a bunch of bass, a couple of big ones. Had the lake been there, and had the Corps gone ahead and put in the power generation feature, I either would have been fishing for trout (ugh) or I'd have been catching nothing but spotted bass, such as is the case below Clearwater Dam, Pomme de Terre dam, Stockton Dam.