Every 3 years, ADEQ (Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality) must review its water quality standards and make revisions if necessary.  During this process, they get input from a wide range of interests, including the general public.

Our good friends with the group “Friends of the North Fork & White Rivers” are passing the word for these upcoming meetings, and I am passing the info along to you.  Please consider checking our their organization and joining; they do a lot of good here, folks! Here is the info from their latest e-blast…

<begin Friends article>

Public Listening Sessions for Triennial Review
Revisions to the Water Quality Standards in Arkansas (Regulation No.2)

Citizens care about water quality for a variety of uses – for drinking water, recreation, agriculture and more. Those perspectives should be considered when reviewing the Water Quality Standards. ADEQ must review its water quality standards (Regulation No.2) every three years.  During this process, ADEQ may make revisions, if necessary. The Department wants to hear from a wide range of interests and concerns, reflecting all the ways that water is used in Arkansas.

In short, the listening sessions provide an opportunity to all stakeholders (including citizens) to express their viewpoints and  have them considered in any revisions to the water quality standards.

Click here for a complete copy of the regulation.

Feb. 9 ADEQ, Commission Room, 5301 Northshore Dr., North Little Rock 2:00 p.m.
Feb. 15 Clarion Inn, 1255 S. Shiloh, Fayetteville 6:00 p.m.
Feb. 16 University of Arkansas Community College, 2005 White Drive, Batesville 6:00 p.m.
Feb. 21 Eugene Woods Civic Center, 212 W. Polk, West Memphis 6:00 p.m.
Feb. 23 Arkansas Oil and Gas Commission, 2215 W. Hillsboro, El Dorado 6:00 p.m.

Impaired Waterbodies
In mid January, The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality announced that the Draft 2012 Impaired Waterbodies List (commonly called the 303(d) list was available for review.

The 303(d) list is developed by ADEQ every two years under provisions of Section 303d of the Federal Clean Water Act. ADEQ assesses water quality monitoring data from numerous locations around the state and utilizes a comprehensive assessment methodology to determine which waters are not meeting their designated uses as listed in the Arkansas Water Quality Standards

ADEQ will hold a public hearing to receive comments on the Agency’s proposed 2012 Impaired Waterbodies List (303(d) List).

The public Hearing will be held at 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, February 7, 2012, Commission Room,
ADEQ headquarters building;
5301 Northshore Drive
North Little Rock, AR

Public Comment Period Ends: Friday, February 17, 2012

Both oral and written comments will be accepted at the public hearing, but written statements are preferred in the interest of accuracy.

Click this link for complete information on, “What Is The 2012 Impaired Waterbodies List (303(d))?”, How To Provide Input, How To Obtain More Information, and Maps By County For Impaired Waterbodies

<end article>

I came across another great article from the folks at Ozarks Water Watch in their most recent newsletter…

NW Arkansas Land Trust: The Beginning and the Vision

by Guest Contributor, Nicole Hardiman, NW Arkansas Land Trust Executive Director

In 2003, the Northwest Arkansas Land Trust (NWALT) was established by a group of local community leaders who were interested in addressing conservation needs within the Northwest Arkansas region.  The idea among the group was to apply the “land trust” concept locally, which previously has been a highly successful conservation tool across the nation. Because Northwest Arkansas experienced intense urban development over the past 20 years, the founding Board of Directors identified a need to preserve the region’s quality of life, existing green space, and natural resources.

Fast forward to 2011 and NWALT is established and gaining momentum, even during what has been tough economic times for conservation-focused non-profits. As of 2010, the all-volunteer Board acquired conservation easements on 93.5 acres within the Beaver Lake watershed, a few acres of which were part of a stream bank restoration project in partnership with Beaver Water District and the Watershed Conservation Resource Center.

Beaver Lake (one of NWALT’s target watersheds)

In the Illinois River watershed, the 120-acre Wilson Springs Conservation Area was recently donated to NWALT, making the organization part of the planning team for the on-going wetland prairie restoration project.  This project was spearheaded by Audubon Arkansas through funding provided by Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.

Most recently, NWALT appointed its first-ever Executive Director, Dr. Nicole Hardiman. Nicole previously worked to establish the newly formed Beaver Watershed Alliance, a watershed protection organization focused on maintaining water quality in the Beaver Lake/Upper White River watershed. Nicole received her Ph.D. in Biology at the University of Cincinnati and has worked in water resource and quality issues over the last three years. Nicole is a Northwest Arkansas native, a fourth-generation University of Arkansas graduate, and spent many, many weekends swimming in Beaver Lake as a child.

Land conservation, in the form of conservation easements, land donations, and bargain sales, has been shown in recent studies to be a cost-effective and necessary tool for natural resource protection.  The Beaver Lake Watershed Protection Strategy (WPS) and the Illinois River Watershed Partnership’s draft management plan currently recommend forest and pasture conservation paired with streamside management zones as methods to protect against streambank erosion and to provide pollutant and/or nutrient filtration opportunities.  NWALT hopes to work within the Northwest Arkansas community to advance awareness of the relationship among water quality, economic development, and land conservation, as well as educating landowners on available conservation options.

West Fork Streambank Restoration

(photo courtesy of Watershed Conservation Resource Center)

By allowing land owners to take advantage of tax incentives for conservation easements and donations while still maintaining the desired use for their land, NWALT’s ultimate goal is to maintain Northwest Arkansas’s beauty, natural resources, rural culture, and quality of life. The NWALT Board recognizes the difficult decisions landowners face in regard to their land and the future use of their land and strives to maintain relationships with landowners that are built on integrity, honesty, and transparency.

A “deer pasture” on one of NWALT’s conservation easements in Rogers, AR

In the coming year, NWALT plans to develop the organization through diverse fund-raising and community outreach strategies, which are the first, necessary building blocks for any successful land trust. With support from the NWA community, NWALT will work towards effective implementation of Northwest Arkansas’s regional natural resource protection strategies.

Although you may not be able to attend, I thought I’d share with you the announcement of the upcoming AGFC meeting later this month.  AGFC has, over the years, implemented what they refer to as their Trout Management Plans for each of the different tailwaters they manage.  Each gets revisited every few years.  The studies that happen in between determine what action(s), if any, they will take during that time. 

We will report to you any significant outcomes from this meeting, but if you are in the area, please plan to attend!

Jeff Williams (our AGFC Trout Biologist) email below…

<begin Jeff’s email>

All,

We are planning to hold an informational meeting for Bull Shoals and Norfork Tailwaters on February 6^th from 6 -7:30 pm in the McMullin Lecture Hall on the campus of ASU-Mountain Home.  This meeting will provide us (AGFC) to update the public on current monitoring efforts (population samples, creel survey, etc.) of some of the management strategies implemented in 2007-2008 when we developed the management plan.  We will also discuss plans for upcoming projects.  The first half of the meeting will be a presentation of our monitoring data and the second half will be an opportunity for attendees to ask questions.

I think this will be a very informative meeting and I encourage everyone to attend.  We will be advertising this through the normal media outlets, but feel free to pass this e-mail on to anyone that may be interested in attending.  Thank you.

Jeff

Jeff Williams

Trout Program Coordinator

E: j_williams@agfc.state.ar.us

<end Jeff’s email>

Well, it’s good news for Minimum Flow…  the ink is on the paper!

Read the news release from KTLO Radio below:

AGFC signs ‘historic’ minimum flow document

By: Jim Bodenhamer
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A major milestone yesterday in Little Rock as the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission approved the final piece of an agreement with the Army Corps of Engineers to ensure a steady or minimum flow of water below Bull Shoals Dam on the White River. A similar agreement is already in effect for the North Fork of the White River below Norfork Dam. A news release from the Commisson termed the
document “historic.”
The minimum flow project started in 1999 when then Game and Fish Commissioner Forrest Wood of Flippin broached the project at a commission meeting. At the meeting yesterday, Wood, who is no longer on the Commission, praised the Commission, the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Southwest Power Administration for continuing to work on the project for the past 13 years. He also credited former U. S. Representatives Tim Hutchinson, John Boozeman and Marion Berry for cooperating in a nonpartisan fashion to help secure the necessary support in Congress.
Lakeview resort owner Jim Gaston also played a major behind the scenes role in getting minimum flow implemented.
A multi-million dollar project is already underway at Norfork Dam to alter that structure to allow for the release of cold water into the North Fork River during times when there is very little power generation and help maintain the trout fishery. Very little actual physical change is needed at Bull Shoals Dam to allow for the minimum flow releases. Game and Fish Assistant Director Mike Armstrong said he expects both projects to be operational this fall.

(Copyright © 2009 – 2011 Mountain Lakes Broadcasting Corporation. All rights reserved.)

As predicted, the lake levels at Bull Shoals have now returned to target level and below.  This has meant significantly lower flows.  Many of you have asked if this has meant “dead-low” water; to answer your question, No, it has not been dead-low, but it has been fairly “wadeable” in the mornings.  Norfork has been off quite a bit, too.

Here’s a look at what it’s been doing for the last several days…

<photo not available>

As you can see, they’ve been running some, but not nearly the amounts they’ve been running through the summer.

As far as what to use?

For our fly fishers, quite a few things have been been working.  Folks are having the best luck with woolly buggers, and red San Juan worms.  Especially in the morning, when the levels have been a little lower, bead head midges have been working as well.

For our spin fishers, even with the lower water, things have not changed too terribly much.  The same white/hot pink mice tails have still been the most productive thing going.  Several of our guests have also reported good luck with the larger nightcrawlers, too.

For those who like lures, pretty much any kind of gold or copper Colorado/Buoyant spoon, or Blue Fox has been producing really well.

The weather has been cool in the morning, and warming up nicely in the afternoon.  It’s a great time to come fishing on the White River, and I hope we see you soon!

I just wanted to share some photos with you taken by one of our guests, Wyatt H., over the last couple of days.

He got some great shots of immature Bald Eagles.  Thanks, Wyatt!

wyatthorscheagle1

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Wyatt H. photo of immature Bald Eagles, taken at His Place Resort, on the White River in Cotter, AR.

I got an e-mail from Jeff Williams, who is our Chief Trout Biologist for AGFC.  From time to time, AGFC requests help from the public for certain projects related to trout management.

If you’re going to be in the area from October 11-13, this marking project is a great way to get involved and learn more about the awesome trout that get put into this River…

If you want to participate, contact Jeff directly at j_williams@agfc.state.ar.us.

Here is Jeff’s e-mail below to tell you a little more…

Hello, everyone:

We will be marking the 2011 cohort of brown trout at the Norfork National Fish Hatchery October 11-13.  These fish will be distributed among the Spring River and the Beaver and Norfork Tailwaters.  If you are willing and able to assist, we could sure use the help.  We will get started on Tuesday, October 11th.  All you will need to bring is rain gear and a lunch.  We will have plenty of water and Gatorade on hand.

Please let me know if you plan on helping so I can schedule.  Also, if you know of anyone else that might be interested feel free pass this e-mail along to them.  Thanks.

Jeff Williams, AGFC

The event will take place at:

Norfork National Fish Hatchery
1414 Highway 177 South
Mountain Home, AR 72653-9799
Phone: 870-499-5255
Fax: 870-499-7755

Fall Foliage in the Ozarks, White River looking into the mouth of Crooked Creek

Hello to everyone!

I just wanted to let you know that I think the Fall Foliage might be peaking a bit earlier this year…

(The picture?  No, that’s not this year’s photo!  Not quite time for that…  I did take it, though… Out in a john boat, fishin’ one day, the foliage was pretty…  and we were looking up the mouth of Crooked Creek and I snapped the photo…  I always really liked this one…)

Anyway, back to why I’m writing…

Steve and I were talking this morning, and we thought about the folks who have called/emailed recently about the fall foliage…  typically, we always tell folks it peaks the last 2 weeks of October, sometimes going into the first week of November.

But this year???  We think it may be coming a week to 10 days earlier…  Why do we think that?  Did the “voices” tell us?  Was it information received in my most recent “download from the Mother Ship?”  (Several guests have asked me if the bluetooth headset I wear is for receiving “downloads from the Mother Ship”…  yeah…)

Well, No and No…  I do not “hear voices” (that I would admit to publicly…) nor has the Mother Ship had anything to say about the Fall Foliage…

But, I do have some reasons…  like critters…

For example, the squirrels…  yes, the squirrels…  even before the really hot weather was over, they started getting their thick winter coats…  yes, already!  Way too early…  they already look prepared for winter.  And the nut gathering is going on full force…  several weeks sooner than normal in my opinion.

Other ground critters have already “fattened up” and “coated out”, too; groundhogs and racoons…  even our resident Eagles, Isaac & Rebekah, kicked their baby eagles, Paul & Rachel, out of the nest a couple of weeks early.

And did I mention that some of the Brown Trout are already “pre-staging” for lack of a better word?  More on that in my next blog…

(Contrary to popular belief, those things don’t necessarily mean a more severe winter, but typically do mean cooler weather coming sooner…  Yes, my Gramma said so…)

Another thing…  the Sycamore leaves (which don’t normally turn pretty colors anyway) are already falling off the trees in significant numbers…  Some think it’s just because they were stressed due to the unusual high temperatures this summer…  maybe…  maybe not.

Another reason – the cool spell we’ve just had.  We all know the cool weather brings on the fall color change.  If we don’t get too much more hot weather, the leaves will definitely change more quickly.

Goin’ a little further…  a long-range (2-month) forecast for the entire “Deep South” region from my favorite source!  Yep…  the Farmer’s Almanac…  says Sunny, Cooler weather than normal for this time…

Oh, yeah…  and Dale thinks so, too…  I really didn’t need any other reason, now did I?

At any rate; if you are planning your Fall Outing this year, give us a call on the toll-free, 866-435-6535, and let us help you plan your trip!

We hope to see you this FALL!

I’m going to make a prediction about the water levels here on the White River…

I typically don’t like to make predictions more than a few days out, but this seems like pretty much as easy a prediction as I’ll ever have the opportunity to make…  so, here goes!

Lake’s about 662 ft above sea level today…  Target is 654.  The lake’s been dropping about 8 inches or more per day.  Lakes above have hit pool.

I’m thinking 2 weeks or less to hit target.

So, when the target is reached; we’ll be in pretty mild weather…  Probably not a huge demand for power.  And once target level is reached, SWPA takes over…  and they don’t run water “jus’ cuz”; they run it to make money…  so they’ll sit on it…

So, sometime around 9/20 to 9/25, I expect to see drastically reduced flows…

Therefore; if you’re a higher water fan like me and you’re planning a visit, come now!  If you’ve been waiting for some lower water, I think your wait is about up!

Either way, I’ll be here waitin’… 

Your White River Trout Diva

Just wanted to give you a little update on the fishing conditions here on the White River…

The fishing has been good and consistent, with an average of 7 generators max.  It’s been pretty much the same flow pattern over the last couple of weeks.

Drift fishing with river rigs weighted with 1/4 oz. Sinkers has been the ticket; #4 Aberdeen hooks will take care of most everything you want to put out there to ‘em…

And what to put on the hook???  Well, it’s something that resembles absolutely nothing in nature, actually…  Berkley Mice Tails…  If you haven’t seen them; No…  they don’t look like mice tails…  not to me, anyway… 

But, what they look like to the Trout Diva doesn’t really matter, now does it?

They are simply a scented plastic worm with a Powerbait ball attached to one end; in a different color from the worm.  Doesn’t sound like much, does it?  Well, doesn’t look like much, either…  but they WORK!

White head / bubblegum body and vice-versa are working equally well for the spin/bait crowd…

For the flyfishers, San Juan worms in blood red and hot pink, weighted heavy and drifted deep under an indicator seemed to work the best.

And for Lure chuckin’?  Get those Size 9 Countdowns and Size 10 Extreme Action Slashbaits out of your tackle boxes and throw ‘em TIGHT to the bank…  did I mention TIGHT to the bank???

That’s all for now…

See you on the River!

Your White River Trout Diva