Lehigh Releases

[Chaz]

Here are the releases under the flow plan for the FE Walter Dam. I'm curious what people that fish the river think of this plan. I'm thinking they aren't during the right time periods. IMHO, there shouldn't be any releases during April and May for fishing, possibly until Memorial Day.

The whitewater release schedule includes 20 dates with the potential for an additional six dates if sufficient water storage is accumulated in the reservoir. Planned whitewater release dates are:
May: 9, 16, 23, 24
June: 13, 14, 27, 28
July: 11, 12, 25, 26
August: 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23, 29*, 30*
September: 5*, 6*
October: 10-11**


Planned dates for fishing releases (target 400 cfs)* are:
March: 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22, 28, 29
April: 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19, 25, 26
May: 2, 3, 10, 17
October: 9, 12

 

[fishngun]

My personal opinion is that the WW releases basically take the river away from anglers during the peak time of year as far as fly fishing goes. I have my personal opinion of what's going on that include pocket lining by certain factions and not enough of a voice from others.

 

[SBecker]

Yeah, fishing releases got completely F'd this year. Even during the supposed fishing releases early this year, many have been wiped out due to high water events.

 

[Smike]

I thought this year had more fishing releases than last year? (some improvement?) Granted it would be nice to see more during primetime (late may/june)

For the current fishing releases, only the last two weekends did they have to go with the yo-yo up and down between sat and sun, which certainly doesn’t give fish any time to adjust. The earlier releases were a steady 400CFS for both days. (grant with water temps in the 30’s it didn’t matter anyway)

 

[vcregular]

Trust me - the Lehigh Codlwater Fishery Alliance has put in overtime with trying to work with the agencies to get better fishing opportunities throughout the course of the season. However, the wiggle room with these plans is virtually non existent.

The yo yo flows is a big issue that has reared its head over the years, and for some reason the PFBC either does not get the idea of eliminating the yo yo or the Corps is unwilling to do away with it. I do not know, but what I do know the elimination of the yo yo releases could easily be alleviated by creating a bit of a void entering into the weekend of the 400cfs release, and letting it ride all weekend long. Sounds easy, but for some reason it just does not get written into the plan.

As for the lack of prime time fishing season being impacted by whitewater releases. Again, we have tried to make all of May no white water release time frame, but if the whitewater crowd were to give up on a guaranteed white water release in the spring, they want two non guaranteed releases in the summer.

One thing I will say is that if anglers ever want more opportunities on the Lehigh they have to ask for them. Bitching and moaning, which I know we all like to do, will not get us anywhere. Constructive feedback when it is asked for and to the proper channels will go a long way. Until then, the anglers will always play second fiddle to the rafting crowd. They have a very large voice.

By the way, the little black stoneflies have started hatching. It should be only a matter of time until the fish start looking up. Until then, the fish are being caught on streamers being fished slow and deep.

 

[krayfish2]

I thought the ACE was going to work on some type of fish / fisherman friendly release program. What happened to LRSA and the cold water alliance? Band together and start squawking. Fished it once but I'll write or call anyone if you provide some names / numbers.

Looking at that release schedule, no point in fishing past Memorial Day unless it's a cool wet summer. That August / September mess will make sure all cold water is gone for sure.

 

[afishinado]

Fishing release:

March: 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22, 28, 29
April: 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19, 25, 26

Not to pooh pooh all the hard work by the LRSA as well as others, but running 2000cfs or 1000cfs and bringing it down 400cfs for a 12 hour period midnight to noon, and back up for 12 hours and down again Midnight to noon is ridiculous and is worse than running a steady flow.

Yeah we'll give you a fishing release, how's midnight to noon sound?!......disingenuous by the Corp...a joke.

 

[Dcap240]

It's a joke. Always has been, always will be. Too much $$ in the whitewater business. Any changes they make are just to shut people up for a while. Dam/lake isn't big enough to hold cold water all summer with those kind of releases. The trout that are in there survive because of the tributaries not because its a tailwater. You can fish past Memorial Day most years but really only on weekdays or after 4:00-5:00 on ww release days, at least in the gorge anyway depending on the temps. Last year it stayed under 70 until the last week of June first week of July, and didn't get much over 75 all summer but that is not the norm.

 

[Smike]

Need more fishing voices with the Amy Corps agreed 10000%

Forget the joke aspect, this practice by the ACE may get someone killed…

What I mean by that is they offer a release of Fishing release 400CFS on designated days with the intent to draw people to wade fish the river. Then depending on where you are in the river on Sat afternoon, there is a slug of water that is released at noon(in one previous weekend it was pushed from 400 to close to 2,000 CFS in a very short time). Which could be life threating if you are not watching for it. This is not an issue if they do the opposite on the WW releases, as with floating they are moving downstream with the flow and not stationary like fishermen.

 

[krayfish2]

People fight for the cold water but it doesn't appear to be going anywhere. Not to say its appreciated but it's pizzing up a rope at this point.

 

[afishinado]

Smike wrote:
Need more fishing voices with the Amy Corps agreed 10000%

Forget the joke aspect, this practice by the ACE may get someone killed…

What I mean by that is they offer a release of Fishing release 400CFS on designated days with the intent to draw people to wade fish the river. Then depending on where you are in the river on Sat afternoon, there is a slug of water that is released at noon(in one previous weekend it was pushed from 400 to close to 2,000 CFS in a very short time). Which could be life threating if you are not watching for it. This is not an issue if they do the opposite on the WW releases, as with floating they are moving downstream with the flow and not stationary like fishermen.

^ true.

I was fishing the Lehigh just below White Haven a few years ago. The water was fairly low so I crossed over to the opposite bank to fish. Sure as "heck" the water came up in a hurry and I was seperated from my vehicle by a raging river! I walked the trail 3 or 4 miles to a parking lot, and told my story. I had a really really nice guy drive me all the way up and around to the other side, back to my vehicle. BTW, the guy was actually a bait fisherman!!! :lol:

 

[LehighRegular]

Just to expand upon what VC said in his post...

The LRSA and LCFA have a pretty good working relationship (IMO). Two different objectives, some conflicting at times but we both know that we want the river to be a better fishery. The LCFA has supported the LRSA on many of their issues and wrote letters of support for some of their projects and the LRSA has reciprocated with supporting some of the LCFAs objectives.

DCAP - The only statement I will agree with is the reason trout survive the Lehigh is because of the tribs. HOWEVER, as a result of limiting the low summer time levels with augmenting flows, even though the water being released from FEW is tepid (72-73 F) during late July and August, there has been better survival of holdover trout and wild trout. Why? The river does not get as warm and for the duration as it use to before the Flow Plans were implemented. The cold/cool water usually runs out by Mid-July. But releases are not nearly as warm as they use to be when only 50 Ft (0.5 BGs) of water was stored in FEW. I highly recommend reading the Study the Corps did you may change your tune about FEW.

The Yo-Yo release issue drives me nuts. The PFBC understands the problem. We still haven't resolved why the Corps wishes to operate this way. That said, we continue to push this subject with the PFBC and ACOE. We also informed them of the safety issues, but to no avail, yet. It may take an unfortunate incident to change things. Thankfully it wasn't Afish.

Krayfish - we continue to fight for the coldwater. Again, like DCAP read the study on the ACOE website. There are continued talks with the Corp and PFBC to move this thing forward. I know there was a meeting last fall in Phila Corps office about this subject. I also know the PFBC was lobbying some of our Fed Reps/Senators about this issue too. It won't happen overnight. It is very frustrating at times, but persistence, persistence, persistence.

We have made many significant strides for fisherman in the past 5 years. So saying things won't change is unsubstantiated. Maybe because they haven't changed completely in your favor or your point of view or in the time frame you want them to. Why not tell your PFBC commissioners and John Arway the same things you guys type on here. If you can take the time to type it here, why not take the same amount of time in an email to the Commissioners, especially Norm Gavlick. If fisherman don't support this concept, what do you think the PFBC will do...they won't push the ideas either with the Corps and Politicians.

 

[codym21]

Thank you for more information LehighRegular. I will gladly contact the commissioners.

 

[Smike]

We have made many significant strides for fisherman in the past 5 years. So saying things won't change is unsubstantiated.

Changes are real and the fishing is improving for wild and hold overs. With just a bit more tweaking of the flows, the wild trout can really start to thrive.

I'm all for not creating crowds on streams by bringing attention, but the river needs more FF pushing to continue with the changes.

I feel the bottom line is we need a voice that is at least equal to the White water crowd so the how the water is used is more equal to both groups.

 

[AugustWest]

In the meantime, joining the Lehigh Coldwater Fishery Alliance helps to add volume to the voice of the fishermen. Those folks work hard, don't discourage easily and never give up. www.the lehighriver.org

 

[LehighRegular]

Just to let you guys know of the progress happening, I was just informed the results of the recent Study are with Army Corps HQ. They are reviewing the request to proceed with the results of the information gathered. Philly office is hoping to get funding for a Feasibility report for 2017. Once that gets done, this train will be hard to stop unless support disappears.

Keep putting pressure on the PFBC. Then they will keep in contact with the Corps and politicians.

 

[Smike]

Speaking of releases on the Lehigh, this weekend is shaping up to be a great weekend to get out. Flows currently are dialed down and will have what looks like very little yo-yo in flows between sat and sun.

 

[Dcap240]

Are there any meetings coming up that I should know about? I really hope I can eat the words of my last post. This situation just frustrates me because I consider the Lehigh my home water and at times it feels like the WW industry is taking over. Honestly I rarely meet another fly fisher on the Lehigh but I see 100s of rafters and kayakers. Did you guys know that this project was in the works in the late 80's and lost funding? They were going to raise the dam and add the tower.

So which of the 6 models in the study were successful? I've read that study and can't figure that out but I know the conclusion was that it is possible.

 

[LehighRegular]

DCAP

Look at Scenarios 4, 5 & 6 in Phase II.

http://www.nap.usace.army.mil/Portals/39/docs/Civil/Lehigh/Final_Phase%20II_WQ.pdf

5 & 6 are "pie in the sky" runs but the changes with FEW are still very obtainable. Scenario 4 is very doable with limited structural changes at FEW. Look at the 2001 years. 2003 is skewed a bit and the model didn't handle the data well (IMO).

Remember, the model was developed to provide a conservative result, meaning that real-time influences and operational changes will likely provide better temperature profiles down river from FEW.

I'm with ya on the frustration levels. One needs to understand that the WW community has used the Lehigh as their personal playground since the late 80s and its tough for them to understand that its not "their river". There definitely is a personal attachment there. but the "rafters" are feeling more pressure by fisherman. If we continue to keep open lines of communication and dialogue things will improve even though they have a bigger voice than we fisherman do.... at the moment.

 

[AFISHN]

I joined the LCFA laSt year and the LRSA this year.Both to learn the issues better,THE RIVER BETTER TO FISH, and also to help this potentially great fishery in some small way.

I never fished the LR before last year and last year fished it 15-20 times.It is a resource with fabulous potential.

I grew up with the Main Stem and the WB as my home waters(our house was 300 yds from the river),so I have experienced first hand how important it is for fisherman to let their voices be heard at different levels of local,state, and federal government.

In the winter instead of tying FLYS forTWO OR three hours,take a 30 minute break and write an email or a letter to some relevant government official,and play the long and persistant game.KEEP THE PRESSURE ON