Volume 8
Issue 2
THE HELP STOP POACHING TELEPHONE NUMBER
IS 1-800-831-1174. CALL BETWEEN 7am and midnight, 7 days per week.
When: March 13, 2003
Where: Firehouse Restaurant
Program: 7 p.m. David Lane and David Teague - Status of Erwin Hatcheries
Dinner:: 6 pm-7 pm
NEW OFFICERS AND BOARD—OVERMOUNTAIN CHAPTER OF TROUT UNLIMITED
President - Ken Chase
Vice President - Bob Viers
Secretary—Charles Gibson
Treasurer—Don Kreh
At the February 13th Chapter meeting, Steve Brown, Chair, Tennessee Council, presented the latest status of State TU organization and plans for the coming year. There were 27 TU members present. A special thanks to Steve for visiting and sharing his insights on TU issues.
RIVER AND STREAM WATCH TEAM LEADERS
South and North Indian Creeks – Elaine Walker and Foster Levy
Watauga tail water – Margie Stratton and John McKee
South Holston tail water – Bob Viers
Doe River - Bob Bierbaum
Hampton Creek – Bob Bierbaum
Doe Creek - To be filled
Patrick Henry tail waters – To be filled
Beaverdam Creek – To be filled
The river watch / stream watch teams must:
1. Ask federal and state agencies to add the team leader to their Email
list for announcing proposed new regulations and other agency actions such as
proposed reclassification of the designated use of the water.
2. Appoint a member to regularly review appropriate web sites to discover
proposed legislation of interest and announcements of hearings pertaining to
reissue of NPDES permits.
3. Observe the river or stream for problems or violations of permits and
report each to the proper state agency.
OVERMOUNTAIN CALENDER OF EVENTS
May 10 Buffalo Creek Cleanup
May 17 Watauga River clean up
July 26 TU/ TVA/ TWRA/ USFS Coldwater Cooperative Meeting in Knoxville
August 9 South Holston River clean up
September 27 Roan Mountain Todd Burleson Memorial clean up
Renew your Membership Locally
Please renew your National TU membership through the Overmountain 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 Don Kreh, our treasurer, or mail::
Don Kreh
1721 Rock Springs Rd.
Kingsport, TN 37664
If you sign up a new member, instead of mailing their check to National TU,
give it to Don Kreh.
Minutes of TU board meeting on March 7, 2003
1. Treasurers report--general fund $1,437.99, embrace-a-stream project grant $7,165, stream clean-up fund $250.
2. Ken Chase presented various Overmountain Chapter cap samples and it was agreed to purchase 3 dozen that would be for sale to chapter members for $15.
3. Proposed chapter goals and objectives for 2003 were presented and discussed. Assigned responsibility for each objective to board members or committee chairs.
4. Bob Viers presented a proposed chapter position paper to provide further protection for South Holston spawn beds and to start a project to review in conjunction with TVA and TWRA the current South Holston weir dam operation and cleaning schedule for potential improved water flow for fish and bugs. Following discussion, it was agreed that Bobby and Ken would finalize the position paper and contact appropriate TVA and TWRA staff personnel to set up a meeting.
5. Fort Patrick Henry lake and tailwaters clean-up is scheduled for April 26. Bill Beazell will contact Jon Krutak about coordinating TU involvement in the tailwater clean-up. Charles Gibson will contact Eastman about getting involved in the tail water cleanup.
6. Ken Chase announced that the Buffalo Creek clean-up is scheduled for May 10 and is sponsored by the Buffalo Creek Watershed Alliance. TU members and any other interested parties are invited to assist.
7. Watauga river clean-up is scheduled for May 17 and TU will be a supporting entity.
8. South Holston river clean-up is scheduled for August 9 and TU will be a supporting entity.
9. Ken Chase announced the web site address for the Overmountain Chapter has been changed to ''omtu.org".
10. Ken Chase suggested trying a new meeting place for the April chapter meeting. After discussion of costs, menus, etc. it was agreed to meet at "Cams Catering" in Johnson City. This change will be communicated at the next meeting and in the newsletter.
11. It was agreed that Charles Gibson would assume responsibility for coordinating the chapters "river watch" program. Bill Beazell will provide current status of program and defined duties to Charles. Information on the program will be provided by Charles to Ken to be included on the website.
12. Bill Beazell reported on the strong adverse reaction of a large group of Carter County fishermen to the recent TWRA approved change in the upstream boundary of the Watauga trophy trout section. Following discussion it was agreed that Ken Chase would contact TWRA regarding their position on this matter before the chapter decides if we need to take a position and what it should be.
13. The recent bill in the Tennessee legislature to require a deposit on drink containers was discussed. Charles Gibson has asked Eastman what their position is on this bill. This matter will be discussed at the next board meeting.
14. Ken Chase reported that work was underway to obtain financial support from the City of Elizabethon for the Buffalo Creek embrace-a-stream project.
15. Ken Chase announced that the Tennessee water quality standards meeting would be held on April 1st at 2 pm at Warriors Path and 7pm at Sycamore Shoals.
16. The board discussed ideas on identifying members with chapter leadership potential and getting them involved through various assignments. It was agreed this was a desirable objective and the board would further pursue this at future meetings.
17. Ken Chase called the board's attention to a recent article in Tennessee Valley Outdoors magazine regarding the relationship of Farm Bureau and TWRA and asked board members to read the article and come prepared to discuss it at the next board meeting.
18. Don Kreh updated the board on recent developments in the effort to build a north shore road on Fontana Lake in the Smokies. Don was asked to provide a summary for inclusion in the newsletter.
19. Memorials for Tom Carson in the amount of $1100 were received by the board and a motion was made and approved to set up a separate treasurers account for these funds until a decision can be made on how they should be spent.
20. The board decided to change the location and time of the next board meeting
to 7 pm, March 31 at Colonial Heights Presbyterian Church, room 219.