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Bobbyhandcuffs
2000 Post Club
Joined: 08 Dec 2007
Posts: 2154
Location: London |
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 June 26th Dredging Meeting |
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On Wednesday night local TRAA members attended a municipal meeting @ Coldstream Cons. Area to discuss a proposed dredging of a local stream. This has been an extremely wet Spring (we've had 3 as they call them Ten-Year-Rains in the last 6 months) and with a lot of development in the Northwest part of the city and surrounding communities it has put a tremendous stress on a drainage system that hasn't been updated for nearly 50 years. Many residents have dealt with some severe flooding the last few years. The municipal drain officers are bound by some "drainage act" that requires them to rectify the problem or face legal action. So they held an open house to try to lobby the local residents to sign a petition authorizing an engineer to come through and build a plan which would almost certainly involve bringing backhoes in to dredge the stream. The problem is that it's this stream: http://www.skunked.ca/viewtopic.php?t=9206 and would utterly devastate a habitat that the TRAA and many local residents have worked 1000's of hours over the last 25 years to sustain. The dredging would dramatically changed the temperature, flow and biological balance of the river but the stream is also destroying peoples homes. One gentlemen gave an example that a small 15 minute rainstorm can take 2 weeks to drain out of his basement.
After an hour and 45 minutes of heated debate between the municipality, residents who support the dredging and those who did not support this course of action - they had convinced the majority to sign the petition. For many the problems far outweighed the options even though the way political processes work it would likely be mid 2010 before an engineer even steps foot on the river bank and at least another 1-2 years before a plan and any work gets done. Every step would be heavily monitored by the UTRCA, Dept of Fisheries and MNR with even the smallest infraction would levy severe fines handed down to the municipality and taxpayers. Then they would also be stuck with the dredging bill depending on how much of the stream is on their property (approx $5,000 to $20,000 each) - regardless if they sign or not. It was the equivalent of municipal blackmail.
At this point - the current president of the TRAA stood up and calmly explained that he had listened to everyone and that this same problem happened 19 years ago to the same creek. Back then members of the TRAA came in a using chainsaws, 4x4 and lots of manpower removed fallen trees, beaver dams and submerged fences. He explained that they had walked most of the creek that day to identify blockages and bottlenecks. He offered to the room that our group would come in this winter when the foliage dies off to do this again at no cost to the landowners; only asking for their permission to be on the land. Have you ever heard a room with 30 people all have their jaws drop simultaneously... it was crazy. He pulled out a sheet and said sign here and you may not even have to have an engineer even look at your land in a year.
Needless to say 99% of the room was thrilled. So if you are a member of the TRAA you better get your lazy ass out there with us this winter... if you aren't a member - join up- this is the kinda of project that will yield you so much fishing karma points that you won't get skunked ever again.
I know this was a long story but it was a bit of an eye opening experience I wanted to share and I felt really proud to be a part of something that actually has an impact on the environment and the fishery that we all enjoy so much.
PS... Check out the next issue of Ontario Out of Doors as the TRAA will be profiled for their trout hatchery and release efforts in the London area.
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It is the continuity of the river, day in and day out, that defines my "luck" and, each day I head to the river, I feel myself truly living my life.
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| Fri Jun 26, 2009 10:22 pm |
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Crazzyjunior
Gold Club Member
Joined: 10 Jun 2008
Posts: 6393
Location: London, Ontario |
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Great Story Bobby! You guys should be VERY proud of your selfs...not only did you manage to save a lot of people a lot of money you've also helped to avoid a possible major environmental disaster!
I'm not a member as of yet but I do plan on hopefully joining next fall, and I would be more then happy to help out. Heck I can even provide my own Chainsaw  .
Crazzyjunior
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I Fish Because The Voices In My Head Tell Me To!
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| Fri Jun 26, 2009 11:14 pm |
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