Pennsylvania's Biggest Fishery Blunders

If I recall correctly, New York State DEP was opposed as well as TU. Back in the day there was a big pow-wow I attended in East Stroudsburg with the president of my TU chapter with representation from the PFBC, and NJ & NY DEP.

People who are unaware don't realize how different things would be on the Delaware if that or the Tocks Island Dam project would have ever happened...

Was Tocks Island the project where they wanted to dam it up and make a big lake in the lower water gap? Yes, that would not have been good
 
Was Tocks Island the project where they wanted to dam it up and make a big lake in the lower water gap? Yes, that would not have been good

Yes...

I BARELY remember the hubbub, but when I lived in E-Burg decades later, the locals told where to go to see all of the abandoned houses & other properties taken by eminent domain.

It was creepy and has always helped fuel my disdain of the process 99% of the time...
 
People who are unaware don't realize how different things would be on the Delaware if that or the Tocks Island Dam project would have ever happened...
I knew some folks who had a small, but lovely, summer home near Dingmans Ferry back in the 60's-70's, and they were forced to sell (eminent domain) it to the Army Corps of Engineers, because it supposedly would have been under water had they built the Tocks Island Dam. Obviously, they never went ahead with those plans, but the home was still leveled. Very sad, because these folks, who are long gone now, loved that little summer place.
 
New hampshire in the early 80s had a small run of coho and kings that were fingerlings fron west coast stock...returns were dismal and program defunct......ct my former state. Tried from the early 79s till early 2000s to bring atlantic salmon....BIG waste of money and time. Millions upon millions of smolt and other resources to attempt to bring these once thriving species back since before 1800s FAILED horribly....lol. now they have a legacy program where they use old broodstock that live all there lives in a hatchery...past prime egg producing. And stock them into a couple select waters and even a couple lakes...... no fins... smashed noses...etc etc... be better to not even stock these. Mutants of what they were striving for....again. its a shame to even represent the majestic atlantic salmon in these shell of themselves
 
If I recall correctly, New York State DEP was opposed as well as TU. Back in the day there was a big pow-wow I attended in East Stroudsburg with the president of my TU chapter with representation from the PFBC, and NJ & NY DEP.

People who are unaware don't realize how different things would be on the Delaware if that or the Tocks Island Dam project would have ever happened...
I remember both had peoples blood boiling on both sides of the arguments.
 
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BTW - A great book on the logging operations is:

"Wood Hicks and Bark Peelers: A Visual History of Pennsylvania’s Railroad Lumbering Communities; The Photographic Legacy of William T. Clarke" by Ronald E. Ostman (Author), Harry Littell (Author), Linda A. Ries (Introduction)
Thanks. I have a nice library of PA logging railroad books but missed that one.
I believe the stocking my grandfather was involved in were private efforts by sportsmans groups.

My other grandfather built his first house at the base of Buffalo Mountain in Union County on land that had been logged by a large lumber company. The upper end of the property had been used as a mule pen for mules used when the logging tram was gravity incline prior to steam engines. Up until about 30 years ago we could still walk up the mountain into Bald Eagle State Forest and find the old RR beds. Even some discarded coal and a few spikes. The property had a small stream through it that occasionally supported brook trout. The property was handed down to my generation of grandchildren and we just sold it last summer. It had reverted back to forest starting in about 1910 and is now fully forested with hardwoods. Great hunting spot and good access to many fine trout streams in the area.
 
I remember both had peoples blood boiling on both sides of the arguments. I could see a day where they revisit Tocks Island though.
I doubt it. Interesting story on Tocks Island. That was a federal effort to force a hydro dam which did not have the support of local power companies. A relative of mine was chief engineer for PPL, who was opposing the project. He found a math error in the Federal study and when it was corrected the adjusted higher cost of electricity essentially sank the economics of the project. Once that came out the local Congressmen started opposing it and it died.
 
I knew some folks who had a small, but lovely, summer home near Dingmans Ferry back in the 60's-70's, and they were forced to sell (eminent domain) it to the Army Corps of Engineers, because it supposedly would have been under water had they built the Tocks Island Dam. Obviously, they never went ahead with those plans, but the home was still leveled. Very sad, because these folks, who are long gone now, loved that little summer place.

Thats pretty insane that eminent domain can be used to take property for something that is never built. Really opening up pandoras box, well we might do a project here but we will take your land and structures either way. Between eminent domain and taxes there is no such thing as private land ownership
 
Thats pretty insane that eminent domain can be used to take property for something that is never built. Really opening up pandoras box, well we might do a project here but we will take your land and structures either way. Between eminent domain and taxes there is no such thing as private land ownership
How about the courts ruling that your property can be taken for business interests? For example, if it can help an area in a city "re-vitalize", it can take your property to benefit the city. See Kelo v. New London.
 
Thats pretty insane that eminent domain can be used to take property for something that is never built. Really opening up pandoras box, well we might do a project here but we will take your land and structures either way. Between eminent domain and taxes there is no such thing as private land ownership
Then we haven't had private property since the beginning!
 
Yes...

I BARELY remember the hubbub, but when I lived in E-Burg decades later, the locals told where to go to see all of the abandoned houses & other properties taken by eminent domain.

It was creepy and has always helped fuel my disdain of the process 99% of the time...
And all of the land and houses taken for the project remain vacant. Some helping reduce flood claims and increase open space along the river.
 
I used to fish Young Woman's Creek pretty far up. That is until the PFBC started to stock it again. Haven't been back since. Is still stocked?
 
Then we haven't had private property since the beginning!
Originally, in Pennsylvania, William Penn leased land. He did not sell.
I used to have a home just south of the Little Neshaminy. That was the border for William Penn's first treaty with the native Americans. I have a copy of the original land lease map from Penn that shows who first leased the land my house was on. Since then, I moved across to the north side but haven't had any issues with the natives.
 
I used to fish Young Woman's Creek pretty far up. That is until the PFBC started to stock it again. Haven't been back since. Is still stocked?
I've heard this from others several times. It's a shame, but to my knowledge they're still stocking it. Used to be a really great wild trout stream back in the day, from what some older folks say.
 
Yes...

I BARELY remember the hubbub, but when I lived in E-Burg decades later, the locals told where to go to see all of the abandoned houses & other properties taken by eminent domain.

It was creepy and has always helped fuel my disdain of the process 99% of the time...
The boarded up houses that remain in the DWGNRA certainly do not help to alleviate the generally creepy vibe of the entire Stroudsburg area.

Most beautiful and enjoyable natural area I've ever lived in - I can leave almost all the people.
 
I used to fish Young Woman's Creek pretty far up. That is until the PFBC started to stock it again. Haven't been back since. Is still stocked?

Yes... Unfortunately all three sections, although I have fished it in the last 10 years and caught plenty of wild brookies.

Only the lower section of the Left Branch is stocked.
 
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I've heard this from others several times. It's a shame, but to my knowledge they're still stocking it. Used to be a really great wild trout stream back in the day, from what some older folks say.
Them older folks would include me. BTW it’s still on the stocking list. Sigh 😥
 
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