When:  December 13, 2001
Where: Piccadilly Cafeteria, Johnson City Mall, on N. Roan Street
Program: Charles Saylor of TVA will speak about the insect life in South Holston tailwaters.
Program: 6pm-7pm Board Meeting (members and guests welcome) 7pm-8pm Program

NEW OFFICERS AND BOARD—OVERMOUNTAIN CHAPTER OF TROUT UNLIMITED
President & Chairman of Board-- Jim Davis  --423-378-3880
Secretary—Charles Gibson  --423-239-9655
Treasurer—James Chandler  --423-239-5065
Immediate Past President—Charles Martin—423-245-4966

Board
Oct. 1999-Sept. 2002 term Tom Hensley
   Elaine Walker
   Foster Levey
    Bill Beazell

Oct. 2000—Sept. 2003 term James Chandler

Oct.2001—Sept. 2004 term Bob Sherrill
      Charles Martin

Oct. 2001—Sept. 2002 term Danny Sells

Honorary Member—Marcia Carter
 
OVERMOUNTAIN CHAPTER SCHEDULE 2001-2002

December 7 Deadline for home delivery of Dec. Newscaster
                7 Christmas gathering – dinner and Barter Theater
              13 Monthly chapter meeting
              14 Deadline for submitting materials for Jan. Newscaster 2002

January 4 Deadline for home delivery of Jan. Newscaster
            10 Monthly chapter meeting (Reunion of charter members)
            26 TU/TVA meeting in Knoxville
            26 Deadline for submitting materials for Feb. Newscaster

February 8 Deadline for home delivery of Feb. Newscaster.
              14 Monthly chapter meeting (Honor chapter’s life members)
                 22 Deadline for submitting materials for March newscaster

March 8 Deadline for home delivery of March Newscaster
          14 Monthly chapter meeting
          22 Deadline for submitting materials for April Newscaster
*Mystery fishing outing

April 5 Deadline for home delivery of April Newscaster
        11 Monthly chapter meeting
        19 Deadline for submitting materials for May Newscaster

May 3 Deadline for home delivery of May Newscaster
        9 Board of directors meeting (members and guests welcome)
        *Watauga River cleanup
        * Annual chapter rendezvous at Wonderland Hotel (Great Smokey Mountains)
          24 Deadline for submitting materials for June Newscaster

June 7 Home delivery of June Newscaster
      13 Monthly chapter meeting with outdoor program
      21 Deadline for submitting materials for July Newscaster

July 5 Deadline for home delivery of July Newscaster
      11 Monthly chapter meeting with outdoor program
      19 Deadline for submitting materials for August Newscaster

August 2 Deadline for home delivery of August Newscaster
             8 Monthly chapter meeting with outdoor program
           23 Deadline for submitting materials for September Newscaster
            *TU National Convention

September 6 Deadline for home delivery of September Newscaster
                12 Annual meeting for election of new officers

*Date to be announced later

2001 WILD TROUT UPDATE BY JIM HABERA OF TWRA

Brook trout restoration projects on the Left Prong of Hampton Creek (Carter Co.) and Little Jacob Creek (Sullivan Co.) are proceeding successfully.  Over 2,300 rainbow trout were removed from about 1 mile of the Left Prong during August 1999 through October 1999.  The brook trout transplanted from George, Toms, and Clarke creeks spawned successfully in the fall of 1999 and 2000.  Brook trout abundance (biomass) at two monitoring stations doubled from 2000 to 2001 already exceeds state wide average for brook trout streams (21 kg/ha).  Brook trout transplanted to upper Little Jacob Creek in September (without the removal of rainbows) spawned successfully.  A 2:1 ratio of rainbow to brook trout was present in August 2001.  Thanks to the Overmountain Chapter of Trout Unlimited for all their assistance on both of these efforts.

The dry summers of 1998-2000 reduced stream flown by about 40% on average and impacted wild trout abundance across East Tennessee.  Wild trout biomass decreased 43-66% over the past three years at several TWRA monitoring stations and preliminary survey results in 2001 indicate that abundances remain low and larger trout (>9”) are relative scarce.  Distinct impacts at other monitoring stations may become apparent this fall.  A return to more normal levels of rainfall in 2001 may permit wild trout populations to begin recovery

Creel data from Tennessee wild trout streams, particularly those in the northeastern part of the state, are lacking.  Plans have been made to address this need with the assistance of TWRA’s reservoir creel clerks.  Four or five wild trout streams in upper East Tennessee will get creel surveys in 2003 and every third year afterward.  Beaverdam, Laurel, Doe, Laurel Fork, Stoney, Rocky Fork and Paint Creek are among the streams being considered for the initial surveys.

FLY CASTING WORKSHOP

As announced at the October chapter meeting, a fly casting workshop was held near Lab Glass below Patrick Henry Dam on Sunday, October 14.  The instructor, Jim Davis and 4 chapter members, Don Kreh, Danny Sells, Sam Benedict, and Bill Beazell spent 3 hours on the important features of equipment, it’s use and 5 most serious problems of casting and their solutions.  We applaud Jim for giving his time and professionalism for this fun affair.

SOUTH HOLSTON CLEANUPS BY BILL BEAZELL

The first South Holston Lake cleanup was 9 years ago.  I do not know the history of the undertaking, but it is part of the Keep America / Keep Bristol Beautiful program.  Committee volunteers, supported by the Bristol Chamber of Commerce, have always managed it.  Average years have seen over 1000 registered and 40-60 tons of trash removed.  This year 750 people removed 60 tons.  A picnic, live music and prizes were the reward for a long day’s effort.

Tom Hanlan, manager of River’s Way, started the South Holston River cleanup in 1996.  He assigned an employee, Justin Padgett to the effort, who recruited Donna  McAninch of the local community to help him.  The same year Mike Wilson of our chapter was asked to represent TU.  The two decided that Padgett’s group would cleanup the upper tailwater and the Overmountain Chapter the lower. For the next three years the Chapter managed the cleanups, and it is significant to note that, at a registration level of 55, only 5 of the local community helped.

In 2000 we were accepted as part of the South Holston Lake and River Cleanup Committee.  River registration increased slightly to 60 of which 16 were chapter members.  This year there was a dramatic fall off to 31 registered, 7 of who were Chapter members.  Highlight of this year’s effort was the removal of 24 tires from the Big Hole by Jim Davis and Wes Buckles.  James Collins, adjacent property owner accepted the tires while awaiting removal by Cox Disposal.

HOW LAWS AND REGULATIONS ARE MADE

The two things you don’t want your children to see being made are sausage and laws.  Neither is very organized nor a pretty sight.  But the law making process is the arena within which environmental groups work.   We need to be familiar with it.

The first step in our process is a demand from the public that some wrong be righted.  This demand can be to your congressman or state legislature, or both.  Our demand is turned into a bill and introduced into the legislative process.  If passed by the legislative body and signed by the executive officer of our nation or state, the bill becomes law.

Within each law is a provision appointing a government body to enforce the law.  For example, the Clean Water Act appointed the Environmental Protection Agency to enforce it.

Some laws are so general in concept or complicated in nature that the enforcement body must convert the law into regulations before it can begin enforcement.  Thus, if a law were to simply say, “ the speed limit within the National Park shall be no more than 45 miler per hour, “ that can be enforced.  But if the law says, “ the waters shall be cleaned up and maintained in a pure state”, regulations must be promulgated to settle the where’s, when’s, and how’s. It was through this process the Clean Air Act enabled the Environmental Protection Agency to promulgate standards regulating such things as:
 
  Permits under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
  Water quality classification lists
  Discharge permits
And many other regulations.

Often a federal agency will delegate their enforcement rights to state agencies while reserving the final responsibility for the enforcement.  In this manner the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation are responsible for enforcement of the Clean Water Act. (In some cases the state has delegated this responsibility to agencies formed by the larger cities of Tennessee such as Nashville, Chattanooga metro area and others.)

What happens when you disagree with the enforcement agency over such matters as the interpretation of the regulations, the speed with which the agency promulgates the regulations, size of fines and other punishment for violation of the regulations, etc., that’s where the judicial system gets involved.  In other words, you let the courts decide.

There you have it, a course in Government 101 in a few paragraphs.  But we need to be familiar with this process to defend the quality of our coldwater resources.

Our defense of coldwater resources is limited by Chapter by-laws, which read, “ No substantial part of the activities of the chapter shall be carrying on propaganda or otherwise attempting to influence legislation”.   But we, as individuals, can get involved in the laws and regulation making process.

Next month this space will be an article on “ What is TMDL”?

TAIL WATER STOCKING

After talking with Dave Lane, manager of the state fish hatchery at Erwin, we wish to praise and honor Sonny Nichols, who spends 16 to 18 hour days obtaining and transporting trout from The Buffalo Springs and Dale Hollow hatcheries and then unloading 4 tanks of trout into the South Holston and Watagua tail waters.

WATAUGA ACCESS SITES OUTING

Those who attend Chapter meetings get the opportunity to attend some fun and worthwhile outings.  On Sunday afternoon, November 11, Jim Davis led James Chandler, Danny Sells, Marjorie Stratton, John McKee and Bill Beazell to examining 20 fishing access sites from Wilbur Dam to the headwaters of Boone Lake.

FALL COUNCIL MEETING – WATAUGA FIRE

Jim Davis, James Chandler, and Bill Beazell attended the fall meeting of Council on November 3.  Jim presented facts concerning the North American Fire and fish kill, and asked council to take responsibility for ongoing efforts to gain closure, including North Americans replacement of the fish that were killed.  The plan is to convince TWRA that their early assessment of five years as necessary to determine river and fish quality, before establishing a cost to North American is unnecessary.  We believe that fisherman and guides have proven the success of TWRA’s efforts.  If council were unable to convince TWRA, a letter writing and publicity campaign would be mounted by the first of the New Year.

The other main portions of the meeting were present actions by Clinch River and Elk / Duck chapters.  The Clinch River presented recommendations following the TWRA / Betolli five year Clinch River study and fishery report.  Essentially these recommendations were to continue community outreach programs, continue educational and program development programs, continue annual riverbank stabilization efforts, continue river cleanups and publicity campaigns.

The Tim’s Ford Dam impounds the Elk River.  The reservoir rates poor with low dissolved oxygen and bottom life.  Their chapter is trying to get a weir dam on the tail water and bank stabilization on Murell Creek.

SECOND MEETING AT PICADILLY

Response concerning our new meeting place has been very favorable, from safety to price and food selection, to meeting room qualification.

Nineteen people were present on November 8 to hear Mike Adam’s talk on fishing the Watauga.  Unfortunately, a family death prevented his presentation.  Our condolences go to Vicki and Mike.

On short notice, Jim Davis presented a very interesting and informative program on fishing reel collection.  Jim’s main interest has been in collecting Pflueger reels and he showed about 25, with historical development and many stories.  He offered to help anyone interested in starting a collection.

Business Items were:
 Watauga River presentation at the fall Council meeting
 New River Watch / Stream Watch program
 Examination of fund raising possibilities
 Completion of the North Indian EAS project
 Two planned events concerning the Hampton Creek—Southern Appalachian Highlands
  Conservancy project
 
Jim Davis arranged a November 2 meeting with representatives from Tennessee Eastman, TWRA, TDEC, and TDOT concerning building a boating ramp on the Patrick Henry tail water near the 93 by-pass bridge.  Plans are on going.

A number of issues were discussed with Bob Ripley, Region 4 Director at Jim’s meeting on November 9.  Main items were TWRA’s assurance of Dale Hollow’s supply of brown trout and the enforcement of South Holston special regulations.

On November 12, Ed Williams of the Open Space Conservancy, who is leading our Rocky Fork interests, reported no feedback from the Forest Service because of its fire fighting responsibilities.

Information concerning the liming of the Laurel Fork is being sought from Dawn Kirk, fisheries biologist of the Jefferson and George Washington National Forests.

Members were asked to recruit at least one prospective member in the next 3 months.  National and chapter information has recently been put in the 3 local fly shops.

If you have items, which need discussion by the Board of directors, call the chapter’s secretary, Charles Gibson (423-239-9655, a Kingsport number) and request your item be added to the agenda for the meeting.

The Chapter’s Board of Directors meet from 6-7pm and the program portion of our monthly meeting is from 7-8pm.  You are welcome to attend both portions of our monthly meeting or feel free to attend the program only if you prefer.  You could arrive at Piccadilly Cafeteria around 6:30 pm and bring your meal into the meeting room where you can finish your meal before the program starts.

THE HELP STOP POACHING TELEPHONE NUMBER IS 1-800-831-1174.  Call between 7am and midnight, 7 days a week.
 
 
 
 

Easy Money

Please renew your National TU membership through the Over mountain Chapter.  The chapter receives $ 5.00 for each renewal and $ 10.00 for each new membership.  We send it to National TU.  Make your checks payable to TROUT UNLIMITED and either give to James Chandler our treasurer, or mail to him at:
      James Chandler
      304 Countryshire Court
      Kingsport, Tn. 37663
If you sign up a new member, instead of mailing their check to National TU, give it to James Chandler.  Also, we can use this easy money.

WEB SITE ADDRESS

For up to date information on Over mountain Chapter activities and events, check out our web site at: www.xtn.net/~chasekr.
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