04-30-2015, 01:44 PM
Well, I haven't been on or posted in a very long time, but, in reading about this issue in Franklin County, I found the results of the County Commissioners public meeting online this morning and thought I'd post them up. I fished Glenndale yesterday for pan fish but no luck. Only 2 other boats on res. but the State Dept of Ag does have some one there every day checking boats for the little nasty bug that has caused this concern. Here is what the Preston paper has published on the public hearing:
Input given on Quagga ordinance
April 24, 2015
By [url "http://www.prestoncitizen.com/?author=745"]prestoncitizen[/url]
By ROBERT S. MERRILL
Assistant editor
Courtroom chambers were filled to capacity on Monday with folks who expressed their feelings about a proposed Franklin County ordinance regulating the inspection of watercraft and associated equipment to help prevent introduction of Quagga mussels into Franklin County waters.
Commissioners scheduled the public hearing to gather input regarding the ordinance and said following the meeting they would render a decision this coming Monday.
Portions of the proposed ordinance state:
[ul][li]If any mussels are found to occur in Franklin County, they shall be reported immediately. Positive identification may then be made by the Department of Agriculture or other qualified authority as approved by the director.[/li][li]No person may transport equipment or any conveyance containing mussels over public roads within Franklin County without first being decontaminated.[/li][li]A person shall not place any mussel-contaminated equipment or conveyance into any water body or water supply system in Franklin County.[/li][li]A water body owner (irrigation company) is authorized to require documentation of an inspection of equipment and/or transportation by a qualified inspector of the Department of Agriculture… prior to an individual’s use of the water body (reservoir or pond.)[/li][/ul]
The water body owner may establish individualized inspection standards for its water body, including… refusal of access to the water body for any individual who fails to meet the individualized standards of the water body.
The proposed ordinance also states that any person who knowingly violates any provision of this ordinance, or who fails or refuses to comply with the water body owner’s inspection standards implemented under this ordinance… “is guilty of an infraction and may be cited and fined by the county in an amount not to exceed $300. Water body owners… may eject persons acting in violation of this ordinance.”
There seemed to be an equal number of people who spoke both for and against adoption of the ordinance. Farmers and those who are agriculture-based favored the rule. Others, who recreate on the irrigation reservoirs, generally spoke against it.
Frank Priestley, president of the Idaho Farm Bureau, said he supports operations at all the check stations in Franklin County.
“Counties that border with Utah have to be more vigilant in their efforts to do everything possible to keep Quagga mussels out of the state,” he said. “This is a huge issue.”
Travis Windley told those at the meeting he is appealing to irrigation companies to use whatever tools they have at their disposal, other than restrictions, to prevent mussels from entering local waters.
He feels education of those boaters and recreationists who use the waters is necessary and called them the watchdogs of the reservoirs.
Another boater, Lennel Thomas, testified the proposed ordinance would start a war between the irrigation companies and the boating public.
Brian Jensen, president of Consolidated Irrigation Company, which owns Glendale, LaMont, Foster and Johnson reservoirs east of Preston, said the ordinance is not aimed at excluding people from recreating on the water.
“This is designed to help us, who built the reservoirs, to supply water to farmers, protect our assets. We have spent millions of dollars in recent years building distribution systems that are highly vulnerable to Quagga mussels,” he said.
Larry Hansen, who owns a lot of property around Glendale Reservoir, said he and his family have boated on it and other local reservoirs for a number of years.
“No one is asking boaters to give up their fun… just to cooperate with the boat inspections,” he said.
I have been fishing Glenndale now for many years, and in the last couple have noticed a decline in the number and size of pan fish. I am wondering if the large boat wakes and amount of sediment from boats is having an impact on the spawning grounds of the pan fish. Is anyone else seeing this happening or what are anyone else's thoughts on the issue. I for one am glad to see some checking of boats for the Quagga which can shut off irrigation pipes, but if down the road this ordinance does eventually get passed, it should apply to all boats etc, as Idaho law talks about as it can be transported by any water craft and other things like wadders etc if not cleaned, as I remember reading on it.
Oh by the way, the water temp was 56 and full reservoir. Interesting to hear what everyone thinks on this as it goes forward.
[signature]
Input given on Quagga ordinance
April 24, 2015
By [url "http://www.prestoncitizen.com/?author=745"]prestoncitizen[/url]
By ROBERT S. MERRILL
Assistant editor
Courtroom chambers were filled to capacity on Monday with folks who expressed their feelings about a proposed Franklin County ordinance regulating the inspection of watercraft and associated equipment to help prevent introduction of Quagga mussels into Franklin County waters.
Commissioners scheduled the public hearing to gather input regarding the ordinance and said following the meeting they would render a decision this coming Monday.
Portions of the proposed ordinance state:
[ul][li]If any mussels are found to occur in Franklin County, they shall be reported immediately. Positive identification may then be made by the Department of Agriculture or other qualified authority as approved by the director.[/li][li]No person may transport equipment or any conveyance containing mussels over public roads within Franklin County without first being decontaminated.[/li][li]A person shall not place any mussel-contaminated equipment or conveyance into any water body or water supply system in Franklin County.[/li][li]A water body owner (irrigation company) is authorized to require documentation of an inspection of equipment and/or transportation by a qualified inspector of the Department of Agriculture… prior to an individual’s use of the water body (reservoir or pond.)[/li][/ul]
The water body owner may establish individualized inspection standards for its water body, including… refusal of access to the water body for any individual who fails to meet the individualized standards of the water body.
The proposed ordinance also states that any person who knowingly violates any provision of this ordinance, or who fails or refuses to comply with the water body owner’s inspection standards implemented under this ordinance… “is guilty of an infraction and may be cited and fined by the county in an amount not to exceed $300. Water body owners… may eject persons acting in violation of this ordinance.”
There seemed to be an equal number of people who spoke both for and against adoption of the ordinance. Farmers and those who are agriculture-based favored the rule. Others, who recreate on the irrigation reservoirs, generally spoke against it.
Frank Priestley, president of the Idaho Farm Bureau, said he supports operations at all the check stations in Franklin County.
“Counties that border with Utah have to be more vigilant in their efforts to do everything possible to keep Quagga mussels out of the state,” he said. “This is a huge issue.”
Travis Windley told those at the meeting he is appealing to irrigation companies to use whatever tools they have at their disposal, other than restrictions, to prevent mussels from entering local waters.
He feels education of those boaters and recreationists who use the waters is necessary and called them the watchdogs of the reservoirs.
Another boater, Lennel Thomas, testified the proposed ordinance would start a war between the irrigation companies and the boating public.
Brian Jensen, president of Consolidated Irrigation Company, which owns Glendale, LaMont, Foster and Johnson reservoirs east of Preston, said the ordinance is not aimed at excluding people from recreating on the water.
“This is designed to help us, who built the reservoirs, to supply water to farmers, protect our assets. We have spent millions of dollars in recent years building distribution systems that are highly vulnerable to Quagga mussels,” he said.
Larry Hansen, who owns a lot of property around Glendale Reservoir, said he and his family have boated on it and other local reservoirs for a number of years.
“No one is asking boaters to give up their fun… just to cooperate with the boat inspections,” he said.
I have been fishing Glenndale now for many years, and in the last couple have noticed a decline in the number and size of pan fish. I am wondering if the large boat wakes and amount of sediment from boats is having an impact on the spawning grounds of the pan fish. Is anyone else seeing this happening or what are anyone else's thoughts on the issue. I for one am glad to see some checking of boats for the Quagga which can shut off irrigation pipes, but if down the road this ordinance does eventually get passed, it should apply to all boats etc, as Idaho law talks about as it can be transported by any water craft and other things like wadders etc if not cleaned, as I remember reading on it.
Oh by the way, the water temp was 56 and full reservoir. Interesting to hear what everyone thinks on this as it goes forward.
[signature]