Arkansas Canoe Club Forums

Poll would not work for me either so put me down as "very"

Eric Esche

As an aside - before my knee replacement surgery this past June, I frequently paddled with a group of non-ACC sea kayakers during the week year round. About a third of the time we paddled the White River Below Beaver Dam. I have paddled the stretch from Beaver Dam to the town of Beaver maybe 20 times and the stretch from Houseman to Beaver in both directions maybe 40 times, so I am familiar with the flows year round. and the stream conditions with and without water release for power generation, in drought and in flood.

I am also a former charter member of a TU chapter which in the process of constructing and maintaining over 200 stream structures and many stocking efforts, was named #1 TU chapter for the southeastern US. I had the pleasure of working with several game biologists on Georgia and North Carolina trout streams for 10 years while living there.

Would be glad to help in any way I can, and can see most structures that we would like as paddlers as also benefitting the trout habitat and those who fish for trout.

I'm in!!

I'm glad to see so many people interested in this project! One of our next steps should be finding someone with the experience and knowledge in these types of projects. Roy Lancaster is this person. He happens to be a club member and plans to attend the NW chapter meeting Tuesday to give his input which is impressive. Also Trout Unlimited board members are open to the idea as long as it has a conservation purpose as well. Their next meeting is Dec. 6th which the guest speaker is the biologist from Arkansas Game and Fish working on their access project. I think that if the feature benefits the trout habitat it will equally benefit paddlers. Overall though, the feature has potential to benefit the river itself in reducing the river's energy during flooding. This is just the beginning in what will take a lot of work but obviously worth the effort! The more people interested will be very helpful as well!

I'm very interested, and am willing to do whatever I can to help out. Keep us updated



--Zach