Gov Walker's Adopt a Water Body Program

[royalwulff]

As the Northern Utah Trout Unlimited Chapter we should really be involved with the Governor’s Adopt a Water Body program. I read the listing of the 25 rivers in Utah that need the most help and the Little Bear River is listed, it used to be a good fishery 15 years ago (below Hyrum Dam) when I lived in Wellsville but now it gets dewatered every year and is not nearly as good as it used to be. Spring creek is listed also, it is the small stream out in the middle of the valley that flows out into the sloughs, it used to be a reasonable fishery too but I don’t think you want to keep the fish you catch there. I copied the website that talks about the program http://www.adoptawaterbody.utah.gov/needing_help.htm and I would like to possibly vote on one of these two water bodies next week at the regular meeting and see if we can do something good with it, which we can. I am sure that our Conservation Committee Members and some members in general could fill us in on some of the problems associated with these water bodies. Please take a moment and consider these water bodies and let me know what you think.



Thanks, Chris Thomas
President
Cache Angler's
Northern Utah Chapter of
Trout Unlimited

chris.thomas@usu.edu

[Crosby]

Little Bear gets my vote though I have done my time on Spring creek also.
If we could get them to let just a trickle out of the dam thru the winter it sure would help. It fills to the brim in about 2 days in the spring- there is no reason that a substainable flow couldn't be kept during the winter- the biggest browns that I have personally caught and seen have come from there. It is not the easiest place to fish with a fly rod but it's worth ever swear word you mutter.

[jdubya]

but in reading about these bad waters (Deer Creek??), the only "solution to pollution, which is NOT dilution, was below:

"""People who Adopt-A-Waterbody can help reduce pollution in the impaired streams and lakes by cleaning up trash nearby. By removing trash and garbage, the organic material in the waterbody would be reduced and there may be an increase in the dissolved oxygen that is available to fish and other aquatic organisms. All you need are some garbage bags and some gloves to get started. Be careful of sharp objects, steep stream banks, and other hazards in the work area. Always be careful of children working near water! Have enough adult supervision when groups are working near deep or moving water. Clean up projects are very gratifying as the results are immediately visible."""

What about cow pies, or fertilizer runoff, or sewage release, or industrial dumping??? Is picking up a few Taco Bell bags really gonna put a dent on a pollution problem when 500 cows are crapping in the river??? gimme a break....

[lone Palm Rods]

Every bit helps ! I was just part of the Deer Creek clean up on Saturday 17th and I even posted out here to get more help. I had 18 people from my parrot head club show and zero help from UTOF members, Talk about "giving me a break". We all come to this great site and preach, blow smoke, and talk about conservation and give our opinions but Where is the help? Where is the support, I had 83 UOTF members read my post about the Deer Creek clean -up http://www.utahonthefly.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7648 and only 2 offered comments, Myself and wet nymph both parrot heads and UTOF Contributors.
Yet it is easier to sit and discuss stupid ass things that don't pertain to fly fishing and for some UTOF members this site has become their own little chat room. There is so much as UTOF Members we can do to improve our state and our local waters not to mention working with other clubs and organizations to make it more of a team effort and a bigger impact on the community. Any way enough of me and my soap box. The Parrot heads showed up and braved the cold wind and some rain to put forth effort to help clean up our state one piece of trash at a time and ended the day at the Other End bar for beers and burgers.

I do agree there are larger things polluting our waters and state but if we all have Jadubya's feelings on it you might as well hang up your waders and rod, because it won't be long before the only thing you will catch will be a taco bell bag. Now I'm not trying to point fingers just at Jadubya, I too have been a slacker and have had similar feelings about similar topics. Hope no hard feelings Jadubya.

Royalwulff: : keep me posted on the clean-up and I will do what I can to be there and will try recruiting as many parrot heads to come help as I can. I will be out of town for the Provo River clean-up on May 1st, But would like to help any way I can.

[WetNymph]

The Adopt-a-Waterbody is a good project to be a part of, as we experienced this past Saturday. We were met at our site by three DWR employees who presented us with a certificate signed by the Gov, t-shirts, and pencils. They are very appreciative of ANY help that they receive and after being there, it is very much needed. The amount of trash was unbelievable - it's very sad that people don't clean up after themselves.
Royalwulff, if you do get a group together from this site, I would definitely participate and will be watching for information.

[RAW]

Here's some more smoke I'll blow your way lone palm. Where were you for the past 15 years while a group of us has been cleaning the Ogden River?

We all make choices based on our time and availability of where and when we can help.

I'v cleaned around that river every year for 15. So go blow your smokey attitude somewhere else.

Did I meet you on the Provo River clean-up or on the Logan River clean-up? If so refresh my memory.

[Jason]

What about cow pies, or fertilizer runoff, or sewage release, or industrial dumping??? Is picking up a few Taco Bell bags really gonna put a dent on a pollution problem when 500 cows are crapping in the river??? gimme a break....

What cows? I've never seen any in the MP.

[RAW]

Jason. . .moo, moo big fella! You're not trying to make this site your own little chat room are you?

[Jason]

Every bit helps ! I was just part of the Deer Creek clean up on Saturday 17th and I even posted out here to get more help. I had 18 people from my parrot head club show and zero help from UTOF members, Talk about "giving me a break". We all come to this great site and preach, blow smoke, and talk about conservation and give our opinions but Where is the help? Where is the support, I had 83 UOTF members read my post about the Deer Creek clean -up

LP, one thing I've learned the past 4 years on uotfly, if you don't post about an event AT LEAST two weeks before the hand and plug it a lot, you won't get a lot of people in attendance. Posting about a conservation cleanup 5 days before the event on a body of water that most of us don't fish, it's hard to make make plans, or give up plans, to help with the cleanup. And sometimes people just have other plans. You can't take it personally. It's a worthy cause but sometimes it just doesn't work out.

[lone Palm Rods]

You may have been on all those projects and that's GREAT. Good work my hats of to someone who puts forth an effort. No you never have met me on any of theses projects and I know you didn't attend the countless highway clean-up's and community projects I have done. Like I said earlier, I'm not here to get in a pissing contest. But l will blow my Smokey attitude any where I please. That's the beauty of America.

Jason,
I completely understand about posting events early and honestly I didn't expect anyone from UOTF to show due too the time I posted it and my screw up on my original post with the date. But I felt it was worth posting. I very rarely fish Deer Creek and I don't think a good community service project should be based on where you fish only. It comes down to being willing to put forth an effort in what ever project anyone makes a choice to help in.

My main frustration came from people thinking that picking up 1 taco bell bag isn't going to make a difference. Every bit counts. anyway thats enough of that time to go fish ! ! ! !

[jdubya]

My main frustration came from people thinking that picking up 1 taco bell bag isn't going to make a difference. Every bit counts. anyway thats enough of that time to go fish ! ! ! !

well hell, i would have picked up at least two or three of the bags.

come one now, get real. everytime i hike out from a lake or river i carry every piece of trash I can carry. this may help the eyesore quality of the place, but i am not about to believe the pollution index of a water such as outlined in Walkers list of nasties is going to be affected. i ain't that dumb. it takes a lot of taco bell bags to equal one square foot, 4 inch thick pile of cow shit.