The Potential of the Lehigh River

[Fredrick]

So I have been reading this post and there has been allot of great ideas and information , but how many of you are going to put boots to the ground and try to make this a reality ? There is nothing worse to me than someone with great ideas to accomplish a goal but they don't give the effort to carry it through or they quit once they hit the first bump in the road . Talk is cheap .......Just my two cents .....


"Good things come to people who wait, but better things come to those who go out and get them." --Anonymous

 

[Smike]

Fredrick wrote:
So I have been reading this post and there has been allot of great ideas and information , but how many of you are going to put boots to the ground and try to make this a reality ?

I've been working on this with others for the past 8 years. Some have been grinding away for the past 20 or so years. To get involved. http://thelehighriver.org (All new updated website coming shortly)


https://www.facebook.com/LehighColdwaterFisheryAlliance

 

[LehighRegular]

I would pursue these 2 things before even paying for the FEW dam reconstruction feasibility study. It would be $$ better spent, IMO

Fly-swatter

All good projects and should be considered. But the single most greatest benefit to the fishery will be modifications to FEW. There is a much greater, higher and longer return on investment.

The projects you mentioned are very worthwhile and will provide benefits, but will do little to improve the overall fishery in the Lehigh until sustained coldwater releases are achieved from FEW. You get the coldwater, and then those projects you mentioned and everyone else mentioned will have an even greater impact on the Lehigh fishery.

But until they fix the coldwater issue, the benefits will be minimal in the overall big picture. I'm not saying they shouldn't be pursued and investigated and some may want to try to be done in the mean time. This stuff takes an active army to get done, members, partners, etc.

 

[timmyt]

Could someone help me interpret the latest facebook post from FEW?

so it says they dropped to 750 for float stocking this morning, then they will go back to matching inflow. For the weekend it says outflow will match inflow up to 400 cfs. Does that mean we will get 400 this weekend even if we get hammered by rain Friday as now predicted (darn you rain on fridays)?

Last weekend they bailed on the fishing release, was wondering if i should expect the same this weekend or if this post is them saying thats not going to happen this weekend

Thanks

 

[krayfish2]

They will drop it to stock and then go back up to match the current inflow of water entering the lake. For the weekend, a fishing release is scheduled so they match the inflow up to 400. If the inflow is 950 on Saturday, the release should be capped at 400. If the inflow is 200, you may only get 300 released. Make sense?

 

[Tigereye]

It's all about pool level. This is primarily a flood control dam. They do not like pool greater than 1370. So, the discharge is typically whatever goes in, goes out

For fishing releases, if pool is at 1370 on Wednesday prior to release date and outfall > 1000,(inlet > 1000) the the release is cancelled. That is what we experienced last weekend. They do this to keep storage capacity. Basically they need to keep pool < 1370.

Conversely, for WW releases they do not want pool less than 1365 after July 1 ( to keep cool water) and will not release water for recreational purposes. Again outfall will equal infall.

Confusing...... Yes very.

 

[Tigereye]

Not sure what happened here. 2X. Instrument glitch or something else. flows at 60 CFS are concerning if even for a short period.

 

[timmyt]

Thx for thr info Tiger, i was wondering what happened there yesterday as well.

 

[afishinado]

Here is info from the FEW ACOE Facebook site >

Francis E. Walter Dam
Yesterday at 6:49 AM ·
Time: 0700
Date: 4/25/19
Anticipated Change: Tunnel work this morning and afternoon, we will be shutting down for a few hours this morning and afternoon.
Pool Elevation: 1360.38

https://www.facebook.com/fewalterdam/?rf=169858869812227

 

[timmyt]

Whats a good guage to look at to determine the inflow? Stoddardsville?

 

[LehighRegular]

Timmy,

That gauge only gives you partial inflow. If you want to see total inflow to FEW go to this link.

http://www.nap-wc.usace.army.mil/nap_plots/WALTR.html

It also gives you lake elevation and release/outflow.

 

[timmyt]

Thanks LR

So, will we get a release of 400 this weekend? Appears to be right at 1370 height which is where they want it and then outflow just matches inflow correct? Or are they dumping off a little extra now to give 400 this weekend? I REALLY wanna get out there Saturday in case you couldnt tell

 

[brookie222]

For an excellent overview of the river, what has been done, and what can be done, see the following:

https://www.wildlandspa.org/environmental-stewardship/

Click on the 2018 Lehigh River Watershed Conservation Management Plan to get the full plan.

 

[LehighRegular]

Timmy

It looks to be that way. The ACOE dropped the lake 5 feet to compensate for inflow above 400 cfs. I would say Saturday should be a lock. Sunday may be different depending on the amount of rain we get Saturday night.

Good luck

 

[timmyt]

Thats what i assumed but thank you again for the confirm and other info. I'll be out there all day tomorrow, maybe I will see ya!

 

[Jessed]

I’d be fishing the Lehigh all summer. I really think the cold water release would be amazing for the lower end class A streams like the LL.

 

[steliejim]

Have the costs of dam modification (construction) and annual maintenance been revised recently? What are the estimates? Given that it is tax time, do you think that the average US taxpayer would be willing to foot that bill solely to create a better fishery, a fishery that is not just limited by availability of cold water, but also by access? By fishery, I am referring to the classic definition, which requires both a fish population and angler use of the population.

How do you figure it’s limited by access?
26+ miles of a bike trail in a state park.
Many other spots downstream from there.
Certainly not your typical roadside bucket dump fishing. Just have to do a little work

 

[Jessed]

Have the costs of dam modification (construction) and annual maintenance been revised recently? What are the estimates? Given that it is tax time, do you think that the average US taxpayer would be willing to foot that bill solely to create a better fishery, a fishery that is not just limited by availability of cold water, but also by access? By fishery, I am referring to the classic definition, which requires both a fish population and angler use of the population.

Us taxpayers foot the bill for a whole lot in this world… I don’t think it would be an issue considering we pay for construction projects in other countries every single year. I’d like to imagine the Lehigh would be a destination like the green river in Utah. The river is the heart of many recreational activities like fishing, white water rafting, kayaking, camping, hiking etc… I know the purpose of the dams are for flood control and not cold water release. I just think eventually with the warehouses & industrialization of these areas it will become apparent that it was a mistake not building these dams with a cold water release.

 

[falcon]

I would rather tax payer money (mine anyway).go towards the Lehigh dam enhancement than a pro sports stadium. More cold water would make the fishery world class.

 

[Mike]

How do you figure it’s limited by access?
26+ miles of a bike trail in a state park.
Many other spots downstream from there.
Certainly not your typical roadside bucket dump fishing. Just have to do a little work

I addressed that previously in #22 and #23. As a little background, I’m an avid cyclist, an advocate for bike paths and rail trails, having ridden literally thousands of miles on those in Europe and the US, and an avid angler. I have strong doubts that enough anglers are willing “to do the work.”