Fucking off the CWA, historians, and a select population of stringer janglers.

Now you see it...

...Now you don't.

Thanks in no small part to the efforts of the Monocacy Creek TU Chapter, the City of Bethlehem, and the many people who are responsible for the festering sore of shit known as Musikfest (coz flooding is bad for business, and you know they cried about it endlessly, lost revenue, etc etc etc; Money is our God), the dam in Johnson Park along Monocacy Creek is now gone.

Actually, it has been for awhile now. I just don't care to do updates because, honestly, this is pretty lame and I realize now. Not "this" the dam removal, "this" a ridiculous egocentric blog wherein I tell you all about whatever shit I've done gone and bought (that'll be the next few installments).

Anyways, let's get on with the good bits. I tried to be useful, and tried to take some before/after pictures, and figure we'll just post them because that is interesting.

That said, lemme specify when I say "I tried," I sort of forgot to take more corresponding pictures of further up the damed section, which was basically a long, slow, flat and shitty pool unsuitable for anything other than the poor bastard stockies which hadn't been slaughtered, some fat carp, and more ducks than you'd know what to do with.

No more frog water.

Now, however, about two weeks after the breaching, and after the work crews have completed and moved on there's some great riffles, some holding water, and the newfound ability of fish to move further up the creek rather than be stuck at a lowhead dam and able to be murdered easily by the creeling masses of the greater Bethlehem area. Ha ha, fuck you and work for it, assholes.

So, after the cut, way more fucking pictures of things that aren't very important to most people, including alot of very-nearly-the-same perspective pictures.

Sprotsmen Alliance for Marcellus Conservation, 6/22/11

SPORTSMEN ALLIANCE FOR MARCELLUS CONSERVATION

Straight from the super secret desk to Trout Unlimited leadership, to your eyes only...Well, your eyes and anyone who reads this crap, or was on the mailing list, or...well, whatever. Shut up and read:

Please join the Sportsmen Alliance for Marcellus Conservation for a day of meetings (gfen: woo, fun, meetings!) in Harrisburg to tell your legislators about the importance of preserving the Commonwealth's sporting heritage - and fish, wildlife and water - as Marcellus Shale gas is developed. The Sportsmen Alliance is an affiliation of sportsmen and women and conservation organizations working together across northern Appalachia to identify and mitigate the impacts of Marcellus Shale gas drilling on hunting, fishing,trapping and other outdoor sporting activities.

As a Pennsylvanian, you know that Marcellus Shale gas is being developed at a rapid scale and pace across the Commonwealth. It is imperative that our decision-makers understand what is at stke and take action to protect important sporting traditions and fish, wildlife and water resources as Marcellus Shale development occurs.

The day will kick off at 9:00am with a brief update of current legislative items and Marcelus Shale related issues of concern to sportsmen and women. THen join your fellow hunters, anglers, trappers ad outdoorsmen and women to voice your support to legislators for protection of your sporting interests and the natural resources you enjoy.

Please RSVP to (gfen removed this part, just show up, k?)  by June 17th, go join the Sportsmen Alliance in a day of action and make sure that you have an opportunity to tell legilsators to protect your interests.

Government working for you: Flow gages.

Good 'ole 01452500.

Didja know when you're not beating your official Tea Party rabble rousin' drum that the Government occasionally does something useful?

Oh, don't be silly, they don't intend this to be of service to you, its just a helpful bonus, and that's the crux of the problem.

The US Geological Survey maintains a series of stream flow gages, established in 1888, continually collecting and collating data. If you've never looked at one, its a remarkably helpful resource for all anglers. Its also very helpful to the sorts of eggheads who calculate sciencey stuff and plan about disasters, and all the sorts of things that massive, and epic, flooding from rain can cause. This, of course, is its intentional goal, not to help you determine if you're going to be fishing dainty little flies in low flows or slinging meat to fish in high waters.

The downside is that many of these are in danger of shutdown due to budget cuts. All those bombs cost cash, and we just can't print more (well, we could, but it generally goes to buy more bombs and staff cars), so as we all many of us look to tighten our belts, there will be cuts.

Like, the nearly 40 in danger of being shut down in the coming year.

Trout Unlimited, not just old men and hippies.

Alaska: Cold, and expensive to get to.

Actually, nary a hippy to be found. I'm sure they're there, but they don't attend meetings, I guess.

You should, though. I mean, its like $35 for a year, and they use it to do something useful, unlike you, to try and help that stream you fish when you're too lazy to drive to Spring Creek. You know, that one you don't think is very good (although, I'm quite fond of my local waterways, thank you very much) and that doesn't get the press the big waters might do so.

Auction prizes, for $1, why
wouldn't you? 

So, go ahead. Throw 'em $35. Then, find a local chapter and attend their meeting. Or, skip the $35, and just attend a meeting to see what's up, they're generally nice enough people, and chances are, you share the same interests.

Last night some guy told me about Alaska, and the "budget" lodge (the budget lodge, FWIW, still cost him on the order of $4k for a week, in case you were wondering). Now, I admit, I have zero interest in Alaskan lodges (or Montana lodges, last month's discussion), but its nice seeing what one could get up to if they had money, eh?

If you're in the Lehigh Valley, the combined valley chapters, Monocacy #491, Forks of the Delaware #482, and  Hagendaas #535 hold their combined "spring event" on March 26th. The Monocacy guys sure would like to have you come help clean up the stream, too. I'd post details, but it appears they've borked their calendar.

And now, for something completely different on the same subject, but mildly different...

I'm going to just reprint a TU email, because I can, and why waste the time re-writing it?