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
Print
ShareThis

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

◄ Back

Next ►

Picture 1 of 3

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

 

Purchase Image

Swift water passes through the basement of a home along the White River on Tuesday. / JOSH DOOLEY/THE BAXTER BULLETIN

 

Purchase Image Zoom

Fishing guide Donald Cranor prepares to unhook a brown trout after catching it just 28 seconds from the time he cast his bait into the White River on Tuesday. Anglers fishing below Bull Shoals Dam on the White River Tuesday reported good fishing. / JOSH DOOLEY/THE BAXTER BULLETIN

Anglers on the mighty White River backed up reports Tuesday of a fast, hard bite that came with a record flow from Bull Shoals Dam that made riverbed of land along the river that hadn’t been inundated since the dam began service in 1957.

Bull Shoals Lake crested Friday at 695.5 feet above mean sea level — 105 percent of capacity — and appeared Tuesday morning to be on course to fall to 693 feet by Friday, according to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers spokesman P.J. Spaul.

In the absence of substantial new rainfall in the White River Basin, Corps hydrologists likely will order the dam to trim floodgate releases again possibly today, Spaul said.

The Corps is required to hold back floodwaters probably for months, or as long as a river gauge on the White River at Newport remains above 12 feet, Spaul said. Thursday morning the river at Newport was measured at 28.3 feet.

Seventeen floodgates stood open 2.2 feet high for most of the day Tuesday, releasing water at a rate of 37,800 cubic feet per second. That release combined with flows through five generators raised the total release to 42,000 cfs.

Good fishing

A tour of the river Tuesday afternoon found moderate damage to the biggest commercial docks on the river at Gaston’s and Stetson’s resorts. Ends of the docks that bore the brunt of the current crumpled, but neither dock had lost more than two boat slips.

Guides on the river Tuesday reported excellent fishing in eddies inside and downstream from any bend or breakwater in the river. Guide Donald Cranor said the water following over new ground apparently yielded lots of food that brought large numbers of fish to school downstream from the breakwaters.

A tour of the river with Cranor Tuesday afternoon found several guides using all tackle types, catching fish at a brisk pace. Guide Pete Cobb fishing with friends Moose and Tina Watson were observed pulling in trout in singles and doubles to the boat piloted by Cobb.

Fly guide Ron Yarborough reported catching and releasing 11 quality brown trout during an outing ending at 2 p.m. Tuesday.

Cranor demonstrated the quick, hard bite twice for a Bulletin camera Tuesday — the first cast hooking a 15-inch rainbow trout in less than 90 seconds; the second cast took a 17-inch brown trout in 28 seconds.

Earlier in the day Tuesday, Cranor guided Larry and Sherry Richards of St. Louis. The pair caught and released one 4.5-pound brown trout, a 3-pounder and several other fish in the 2- to- 2.5-pound weight range.

“I was surprised,” said Larry Richards. “We couldn’t rent a boat. I’d been fishing with Cranor a few years ago. I called him and he said, ‘If you don’t come right now you’re really missing out.’ ”

“He wasn’t kidding.

“We have never, ever caught them like that before,” Richards said.

Lake fishing

On the lake side of Bull Shoals and Norfork dams, veteran guide Darrell Binks said he and his guiding peers are finding the striper and hybrid striper bass bite on white spoons at a depth around 35 feet.

Bass and bluegill fishing is excellent in the brushy shorelines around the lake for the anglers who will go in after them. Binks said brush anglers are looking for any still water with a scum on it.

“About the only fishing the high water hurt is the crappie,” Binks said. “Those fish are as far back in the brush as they can get.”

“I saw a guy and wife (Tuesday) morning with a stringer of bluegill. Some of them were 10 inches,” he said.

Binks said he has some vacancies in his guide booking calendar, as do most lake guides, because of the rain that seemed never would end. During the past three days of relative calm on the lakes, though, Binks says he has not failed to take limits of striper and hybrid striper. The fish range from 8 pounds to 16 pounds, but most in the 8- to 10-pound range.

“The lakes have settled down just like they did in 2008,” Binks said. “There will be a lot of fish caught this season.”

Disaster averted

Spaul said communities along the river downstream from Bull Shoals Dam were spared an incomprehensible disaster by the presence of three Corps dams in the river’s main channel and Norfork Dam on the North Fork of the White River.

“It will be a few days before we know all of our peak inflows during this event, but we believe now that Bull Shoals Lake at peak inflow received runoff from the rain at about 400,000 cubic feet per second and Table Rock received a peak flow of about 300,000 cubic feet per second,” Spaul said. “The dams performed well.”

Spaul said the known inflow of 700,000 cfs stopped by the dams would clearly have created a disaster downstream on top of a continuing current disaster from wild flows from tributaries to the White and Black rivers.

http://www.baxterbulletin.com/article/20110601/NEWS01/106010324/Twin-Lakes-Area-waters-stabilize-after-flood-anglers-report-good-fishing?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

Written by

FRANK WALLIS,  Baxter Bulletin, www.BaxterBulletin.com