Greetings and an early Happy Holidays wish to you and yours.
I have been “Radio Silent” for a bit which seems to be my usual mode of operation after I am done chasing the steelhead up on the Brule river. Today I am back banging the keys to let you know about a whole bunch of news that is happening in our local fly fishing community. 2014 has been a crazy year and it’s not over yet. A super frigid winter gave way to a spring and summer of high water events that killed a bunch of fishing opportunities for all of us. The Goat, under advisement from his financial advisor(my lovely bride), took on some additional employment to help make ends meet around the Rock Herding Ranch, here on the banks of Big River outside of Prescott Wisconsin. Now gainfully employed at Bergquist company on the weekends, I am excited about working with this world leader in the electronics industry. This employment will allow my continuation in the fly fishing industry since the mainstay of my guiding business, as most of you know, has occurred during the week. Weekday guided trips, I believe, provide anglers with the most meaningful experience on the water. By spreading out angler pressure, avoiding the high traffic of other recreational uses, and by letting you play hooky from work to enjoy the great outdoors, it is a win win for everyone. Guide days will be Tuesday through Friday, and I have started filling the 2015 schedule already.
Now, some news.
She’s a beauty, The Lower Dam
GOOD DAM NEWS
The process began in March of 2014. Pieces are beginning to fall into place. Every day more clarity is realized about the complicated process that goes along with relicensing or decommissioning the two final dams that impound the waters of the Kinnickinnic River. As a member of the conservation committee KLRT and a stakeholder group called The Friends of The Kinni, I have been involved in the process from the start. Many groups, including TU, The River Alliance, American Rivers, The National Park Service, Wisconsin DNR and others, have kept a close eye on the proceedings. You, the angling and outdoor community that recreate on this river, are as strong a stakeholder as any when it come to weighing in on the outcome of this process. Your help is and will be important as we continue to move forward towards the final goal of dam removal and restoration. The dominoes are continuing to fall, and official declarations/positions of the stakeholders have begun. Today the Kinnickinnic River Land Trust weighed in(statement below). This evening the River Falls City council will be provided with recommendations of how to proceed from a consultant it has hired. More information will be forthcoming.
“As of December 2014, the River Falls City Council is discussing whether to continue with a standard relicensing process leading to another 30 years of power generation, or to pursue an alternative process leading to the removal of the River Falls dams. The Kinnickinnic River Land Trust supports a planning process leading to the removal of the River Falls dams.
KRLT has a strategic vision of a cold, clean, and free-flowing river. Existing temperature monitoring data demonstrates to us that the dams on the river within the city are causing on average a 5 degree temperature increase below the dams during the summer. This elevated base temperature accentuates the effects of urban runoff events, pushing temperatures of the lower river during these events into the edge of what a cold water ecosystem can endure. Restoring the natural flow of the river through the City would immediately reduce temperatures on the lower river and mitigate the intense negative effects of runoff events.
We know that the dams on the Kinnickinnic impede the free flow of water and conceal the beauty of the natural falls buried below them. We have seen recent and historic water-stage and discharge data showing that the City has not been able to maintain “run-of-the-river” conditions as required by their current license. Removing the dams and restoring the river will eliminate this problem, returning the river’s water flow to natural conditions.
We believe that that for the health of the river, for the benefit of the River Falls community, and to help ensure a free-flowing cold water natural resource for years to come it is imperative that the City pursue a process leading to the removal of the dams. Our Executive Director David Fodroczi, along with our Board of Directors and Conservation Committee will coordinate with other stakeholders, and cooperate with any and all efforts by the City of River Falls to remove the dams and restore the Kinnickinnic River.”
f3t 2015 Sponsorship PDF
F3T FLY FISHING FILM TOUR
As you may know, a showing of the F3T Fly Fishing Film Tour occurred in River Falls, Wisconsin on the Friday before the opening of the “Early Trout Season” last year. Requests for tickets went through the roof, and the show was sold out in just over two weeks. Planning for this year’s event is well under way, and the Riverview Ballroom UWRF Campus has been secured for this year’s film tour viewing on Friday March 6th 2015. Because of last year’s overwhelming success, we have moved to a larger theater and will be making over 400 tickets available for sale and sponsorship. This will more than double the number of tickets available to the public compared to last year. We are expecting to fill up once again. Numerous door prizes, auction items and bucket raffle prizes have already been donated. This is a fund raising event and all proceeds from ticket sales go directly to the Kinnickinnic River Land Trust. Be there or miss out on a great opportunity to give back to a community and a great organization who’s goal it is to protect this outstanding resource.
JACKSON PRESERVE ON THE KINNI
I am planning a BURN THE BUCKTHORN snowshoe/ski, bond fire event at the Jackson Preserve on Jan 17. This event is open to the public and more details will come. Just get this event on your calendar and let’s suck some heat out of our past effort. Likely this one will be some fun!
A special and long overdue shout out to the 12 thirsty bushwhackers that helped beat down the Buckthorn at the Jackson this fall. As the managing steward for this preserve, I couldn’t have asked for a finer crew. Greg Barkley, Dave Fodroczi, Scott Zager, Matt London, Tom Schnadt, Randy Arnold, Tom Spence, Bob Wiesner, David Hall, Dean Tsantir and Sarah Sanford. You are the best!
8 users commented in " Dam News, Lighting Stuff on Fire and Film Tour "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackThanks for all you do, Goat!
Thank you too!
Ditto on the thanks,Andy, you make the world a better place!
get a room
John
Very Kind
Josh
Being a dick will only get you so far in life. It is time for you to close your eyes. Feel and smell the love all around you. Picture yourself in a field of roses. Reach out and touch the soft petals. Be the rose. There now isn’t that better.
Thanks for the report, Andy. It’s a shame that the weather and general tough conditions in the industry forced you out of full-time guiding, but it’s nice to see you’ll still be able to make the most of it with your new job!
Any ideas on which way the future of the Kinni dams are leaning? If we do get a decision to remove them, any sense of how long before the concrete crumbles?
Selfishly, I’m a little worried for the short-term fishing prospects if the dam goes down (considering the massive siltation issues that always surround any dam work / removal), but I’m confident that removing them is far-and-away the best option for the river’s long term well-being.
Keep us posted!
Tight lines!
Andrew
Andrew
More of an opportunity to continue on with my passion for fly fishing, teaching and learning. Seasonality in our region will always play a part in the number of days a guide can spend on the water with clients. I am one of the few and truly fortunate. My ability to maintain my occupation as an independent guide and retailer is only because of the support paid by local fly fishing community. The fly fishing industry is a very small niche. Folks like yourself who have read my musings and procured my products and services have allowed me to spend the time in the woods and water. For this I continue to be humbled and indebted. All good here and thanks for your concern.
As far as the dams;
I have learned a hell of lot about dams, dam removal and the passion of those who are committed to healthy free flowing rivers in our state and others. The people involved are some of the keenest individuals I have ever met. The skill sets are wide and varied. Smart people from different fields of study are willingly volunteering their time to support the goal of dam removal. Group discussions are well organized, insightful and attention to detail is payed. General consensus is sought before moving forward on any topic. Trust me when I tell you that there are many leaders in the group and all are good listeners. They realize their expertise and input is only a part of understanding and clarifying a complex process. It is refreshing and exciting to watch and listen to the interactions.
The city of River Falls is being understandably cautious on their decision about how to move forward. No one on the city council or staff was involved the last time the dam license was up for renewal. That decision was made 30 years ago. We are all learning about the process together. Mostly now it is about the uncertainty of costs to remove and restore the river versus keeping, maintaining and generating power. Some wild figures have been bandied about. This week the city was provided with 5 options by a consultant they hired. No decisions were made and more workshops and meetings will be forthcoming. The city has a responsibility to respond to stakeholder requests, mandated within the federal process that is relicensing. Groups, organizations, individuals as well as state and federal agencies are all considered stakeholders. They all are invited or obligated to weigh in on the fate of the remaining two dams that impede the waters of the Kinni. Some responses are yet to come. The stakeholders groups I am involved with have made it a clear mission to see a free flowing healthy Kinni. This week The Friends of the Kinni made their recommendations to the city. I will post that later this week. I believe the city needs reassurance that stakeholders, acting in a collaborative effort, can bring vitality and connectivity to a community, its river and its government. Thats when the work begins.
As a fly on the wall, my gut tells me the dams will go. The time frame will be worked out in the details mandated by the process. I will keep you in the loop.
Throughout time man made and natural occurrences have caused the wild trout population in the Kinni rise and fall. They are one of the treasures that this outstanding resource fosters. You can bet their well being will not be overlooked,,,,,,, by anyone.
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