Water Resources Development Act of 2016

[Phil Lilley]

Gary Haupt is a retired Missouri Water Patrolman.  He called me last night and we visited about this issue, one that I had not paid much attention to honestly.  But I know there are a lot of you readers and members who frequent Table Rock Lake that should be interested and may want to act on this information.

Shoreline Management Project revision process

As you know, the USCAE has been holding workshops for about a year and a half regarding the shoreline plan for Table Rock.  There's been a moratorium on new dock permits until the plan is finalized but there's legislation pending that would lift this moratorium.

Gary explained to me that developers have lobbied Long and Blunt and succeeded to convince them that there was good reason to open up the lake to more community docks.  He points out that these docks will put more boats on the lake, especially large boats.  He believes Table Rock will become like Lake of the Ozarks very fast if this happens.

Even if dock permits are allowed for a year or two, developers will flood the permit process and acquire as many dock permits as possible before it is closed again.... that is my understanding.

Some of you guys may be able to expound on this subject better than I...

I've attached a couple of letters Gary crafted to send to Long and Blunt so that they will withdraw their bills and let the process proceed as planned.

Gary has no personal gain in this.  He's an avid angler and loves the lake and doesn't want it to become overrun by big boats and big docks like LOZ.

Letter to Representative Long_ Oct. 2016.pdf

Letter to Senator Blunt_ Oct. 2016.pdf 

[MOPanfisher]

Phil you and the Capt. don't donate nearly enough money to either Long or Blunt.  I heard about this earlier, some folks make complaints and basically the legislators decided that the Corps was letting the people do what they wanted to do and was trying to force the opening of dock permits/zoning.  Not quite sure how the legislator goes around the multiple Nationwide regulations that apply to the program.  Although I do try to watch occasionally as it will affect me as well. 

[Phil Lilley]

Some points Gary sent me:

Table Rock Lake is already inundated with more personal docks than over 90% of all Corps of Engineers Lakes in the United States, and is the only COE lake with the community dock program (minimum 12 stall docks/maximum 20 stalls).

The current policy of allowing numerous large community docks has led to many problems: Private docks - 13,214 boat slips! Resorts and Marinas – 7,132 boat slips

o More boating density in the areas that these large docks are present o Encouraged and facilitated the opportunity for more “big” boats which would not normally be as prevalent on a COE lake, because those types of boats are much more difficult to trailer and launch. Those boats still exist on other COE lakes, but they are moored at major marinas. That means that they exist on a much more limited basis than on Table Rock Lake with the higher availability of dock slips that can accommodate those larger boats. The prevalence of these bigger runabout boats has led to much choppier water and adverse effect on the quality of the boating experience for the general public not able to afford a bigger boat.

o Each of these larger 12 or 20 slip docks cover up a lot more of the lake surface, limiting usage for fishermen and recreational boating. Every time another dock is approved and placed on Table Rock Lake, another fishing spot is covered up by that dock.

o These large docks often create “funnels” in narrow coves, which limits navigation by virtue of Missouri State Law (idle speed required within 100’ of any dock). In some cases, those funnels effectively converts entire coves to idle speed.

o It is inappropriate that the placement of private docks is allowed on a Corps of Engineers lake that is owned by the general public, especially when those docks have a negative effect on navigation and public safety.

 

[Phil Lilley]

Blunt and Long said they acted because of over 800 emails they received from their constituents but most if not all of the emails came from developers.

Seems to me if OAF has over 10,000 members, we could send them more emails and get them to resend their bills.

All we'd be asking for is that they (Long and Blunt) not step in and circumvent the process.  Let the process continue and then see how it comes out at the end.

[Terrierman]

Hope the effort is successful, but I have serious doubts.  Table Rock Lake is too popular for its own good.

[Phil Lilley]

This is in the letter:

This amendment would also completely circumvent and undermine the ongoing Table Rock Lake SMP revision process.  You are contending that this amendment is your response to public input generated by the “Save Table Rock Lake” website.  That website provided a prefabricated email which was sent en masse by special interests (developers, realtors, and dock builders).  That was their skewed attempt to sway your influence and was not an accurate reflection of the overall interests or concerns of the general public.   

[Phil Lilley]

Does anyone have an email address for Blunt and Long?   Their online contact forms limit the length of emails and these letters are being rejected.

[Phil Lilley]

ashley.sivils@mail.house.gov This is a good email address for Billy Long.

[Terrierman]

I just e-mailed this to both legislators:

Please do not circumvent the COE shoreline planning process on Table Rock Lake.  There are already too many docks on the lake.  We do not need to repeat the debacle of Lake of the Ozarks on Table Rock Lake.

[Phil Lilley]

I sent out a bulk email to all OAF members.  Last email I sent out was 9/2014.