Dam being built for swimming hole

[jifigz]

Fellas, I hear what you're saying, but I am not buying it. Why am I not buying it? Well, right down the road from my parents' farm, the WW Jam grounds, is a pretty good wild trout stream. It used to be really good, but somethings have changed up in the forest, and now it's not really worth fishing, but....

In the park, which we can call Les's Playground, the stream section has been ruined by dams being built purposefully to host a stocked trout experience for kids once a year in May. You can still find brookies down that far, but they are few and far between. Why? I am guessing because the stream bottoms have been pilfered for all rocks, and they are basically stacked into dams all year long. I've never once seen raging high water redeposit rocks onto that now muddy-ish bottom, and the habitat in this stretch sucks due to the rocks being moved all around.

 

[CLSports]

I am fairly certain I know the stream and swimming hole you mentioned. It has been going on for decades. Not to worry, the fish will be fine. Now that summer is over the next heavy rain in that area will reshape it again anyway. The F&BC does patrol the area and they are aware of the ongoing activity there. I recall a hurricane several years ago that really changed that section.

 

[TrevorCalse23]

Fellas, I hear what you're saying, but I am not buying it. Why am I not buying it? Well, right down the road from my parents' farm, the WW Jam grounds, is a pretty good wild trout stream. It used to be really good, but somethings have changed up in the forest, and now it's not really worth fishing, but....

In the park, which we can call Les's Playground, the stream section has been ruined by dams being built purposefully to host a stocked trout experience for kids once a year in May. You can still find brookies down that far, but they are few and far between. Why? I am guessing because the stream bottoms have been pilfered for all rocks, and they are basically stacked into dams all year long. I've never once seen raging high water redeposit rocks onto that now muddy-ish bottom, and the habitat in this stretch sucks due to the rocks being moved all around.

Seems im gonna have to do some renovations. The hole that it has produced is definitely devoid of most rocks on the streambead, and has much more silt than other spots on the stream.

 

[TrevorCalse23]

I am fairly certain I know the stream and swimming hole you mentioned. It has been going on for decades. Not to worry, the fish will be fine. Now that summer is over the next heavy rain in that area will reshape it again anyway. The F&BC does patrol the area and they are aware of the ongoing activity there. I recall a hurricane several years ago that really changed that section.

This is good to know. Knowing they are already aware gives me some peace of mind at least.

 

[6xAdams(Jones)]

I am fairly certain I know the stream and swimming hole you mentioned. It has been going on for decades. Not to worry, the fish will be fine. Now that summer is over the next heavy rain in that area will reshape it again anyway. The F&BC does patrol the area and they are aware of the ongoing activity there. I recall a hurricane several years ago that really changed that section.

Sounds like a good opportunity for court-ordered community service involving a dozen+ teenagers bucket-brigading rocks into the silt-filled hole.

 

[Hunttroutbum]

Seems kind of harmless and minuscule in the whole scheme of things.
Trees fall.Beavers build dams. storms change the stream. Humans do things.

See no harm in this. See no harm in rock cairns

If you want to kick someone’s sand castle down at the beach it’s okay. My grandkids do it to me all the time. Plus it doesn’t last anyway. You do you. I appreciate the rock cairns. Someone made effort. Don’t see how this affects your fishing.

If it’s an area where you know people are going to do this… just fish somewhere else.

 

[Hunttroutbum]

These streams are not open just to fly fisherman. They are public waterways. We need to respect that these streams are open to other uses. If people don’t know any better about your fly fishing…it’s okay.

 

[lycoflyfisher]

Building rock dams can absolutely have negative impacts on streams, especially those built with significance that isn't easily washed out by a modsrate rain event. Rock dams built either perpendicular or in downstream Vs also direct energy towards the stream bank whivh causes increased bank erosion. Sometimes that is significant. In some watersheds, coarse rock material in riffles is limited and if rearranged in ways not beneficial to stream morphology it absolutely can be detrimental to habitat for fish and macroinvertebrates.

 

[Hunttroutbum]

That makes no sense. Trees fall in the stream all year and redirect the flow.

 

[Hunttroutbum]

We are not talking about concrete dams here. Man made rock dams never last beyond a few weeks. They are not made by beavers or engineers. It’s harmless

 

[Hunttroutbum]

Maybe you are limited in the places that you can fish. I understand that if that is the case. And see why you are upset.
But have been doing this a while. And streams change for many reasons. What was before a perfect hole on a stream changes form year to year. It’s never the same.

 

[TrevorCalse23]

Seems kind of harmless and minuscule in the whole scheme of things.
Trees fall.Beavers build dams. storms change the stream. Humans do things.

See no harm in this. See no harm in rock cairns

If you want to kick someone’s sand castle down at the beach it’s okay. My grandkids do it to me all the time. Plus it doesn’t last anyway. You do you. I appreciate the rock cairns. Someone made effort. Don’t see how this affects your fishing.

If it’s an area where you know people are going to do this… just fish somewhere else.

while i respect your opinion, we’ll have to agree to disagree. After some research today its pretty well established the negative effects these types of structures(dams specifically) can have on fish and macroinvertebrate populations. Many of the examples you use such as trees falling, beaver dams etc are all part of a natural process. Human made rock dams where it is beneficial to swim is not the same thing. To each their own.

If you wish, heres an article written by an angler who was a skeptic himself. This is just one of many i found with a simple google search. https://midcurrent.com/conservation/human-made-rock-dams-can-impact-native-fish-populations/

I think you may have me wrong, im not upset. I was moreso curious if something like this could lead to the degradation of a fishery, and if something should be done about it to protect the fishery if so. im all for everyone having fun and their right to public land, but in my opinion that doesnt mean I should allow it to have a negative impact on the ecosystem. It goes with the leave no trace principal. I have plenty of places to fish and really only try to fish this creek when conditions are right for it, but id hate to see such an awesome stream decline due to human endeavors rather than natural ones.

Quick note on rock cairns, yes i agree with you that they may not directly affect my fishing, however if someone went through the effort of building it, they can go through the effort of taking it down after their photo op. Respect Street is a two way road.