For Texas paddlers, important info. re: Devil's River

[lbaker]

Or anyone who's paddled, this amazing river in west TX, or would like to in the future.
Letter from Tom Goynes,Texas River Protection Association

On October 13, I received the news release that is attached below (dated
October 12). It pertains to a plan that the Texas Parks and Wildlife
Department (TPWD) has to trade the Devils River State Natural Area (DRSNA) plus 8 million dollars in cash for a smaller tract of land further down the Devils River known as the Devils River Ranch (DRR). The plan was first made "public" at a brown bag lunch that the executive director of TPWD holds several times a year with a few representatives of various conservation organizations (like the Sierra Club, the National Wildlife Federation and the Audubon Society). As far as we can tell, no representatives of paddling groups were present at that meeting.

There are some major problems that we see with this land swap:

1) The state would be losing, rather than gaining natural area (from the
current 19,988 acres down to 17,600 acres). And, while the state would be getting more waterfront (approximately 5 miles of riverfront and 5 miles of lakefront ­ compared with the 1.5 miles of riverfront in the DRSNA) most of that waterfront would be flat water that is adversely affected by the winds coming off Lake Amistad. It should also be noted that the DRR is adjacent to the Amistad National Recreation Area, which is 58,500 acres in size, and contains numerous opportunities for camping, hiking, boating and other outdoor activities.

2) The 8 million dollars of additional money that the state will have to pay
to conclude this swap will use up all of the land acquisition money
available to the TPWD and still leave a shortfall of 2 million dollars. (We
have been told that TPWD has 4 million dollars of land acquisition money,
they will get an anonymous gift of 2 million dollars if they swap this land,
and they will need to find the remaining 2 million dollars somewhere).

3) Even if the state can come up with the 8 million dollars to acquire this
property, they will still need to find monies to complete a management plan (approximately $650,000) and construction and maintenance funds for this new park. There are simply better ways for the state to spend its limited resources.

4) The loss of the DRSNA will mean that fly-fishermen, canoeists and
kayakers wishing to run the Devils will lose the only public campsite that
currently exists between Hwy 163 and Lake Amistad. At this time, paddlers can launch early in the morning at Bakers Crossing and make it to the primitive camping area at the DRSNA (about 15 miles by river) before dark.
Currently, paddlers can use the DRSNA as a put in (it could be used as a
take out as well, with a change in policy) to run the ten-mile section of
river from the DRSNA to the private take out in the Blue Sage Subdivision.

We would suggest, as an alternative to this planned swap, that the state use its limited funds to:

1) Acquire (or develop) a put in near the Hwy 163 crossing. (If the owners of Bakers Crossing are willing to sell, that would make a great
acquisition).

2) Acquire (through purchase, lease or agreement) certain river accessible
sites that can be used by river users for lunch spots and/or campsites.
This would help eliminate many of the "trespass" issues related to running
the Devils.

3) Acquire a take out - either in the vicinity of the current Blue Sage take
out, or possibly a portion of the DRR. (Paddlers don't need 17,000 acres of property for campsites, put ins or take outs - they need much smaller tracts of land).

We would also suggest that the state should modify its policy at the DRSNA:

Allow paddlers to have the combination to the gate to the river access area and allow paddlers to drive there to launch or take out their craft. Allow paddlers to leave their vehicles in a safe area, out of the floodway, and considerably closer to the river than the current parking area that is 1.5 miles from the river. That way, paddlers could use the DRSNA as a put in or a take out.

It would also be helpful if the state would either put in composting toilets
at the designated primitive campsites, or mandate that river users carry out all solid human waste. The state should encourage zero impact camping.

To help eliminate altercations between river users and landowners, it might also be necessary for the state to instigate a river permit system for running the Devils, which would require certain equipment (like fire pans and portable toilets) in a manner similar to the system the National Park System employs in Big Bend National Park.

If you agree with the above statements, it is very important that you convey
your thoughts to the TPWD. You have three possibilities to do so:

1) Plan to attend the hearing at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, October 26 in San
Antonio Texas at the Central Public Library, 600 Soledad, San Antonio, TX
(210) 207-2500

2) Plan to attend the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission Meeting at 9
a.m. on November 4, in the Commission Hearing Room at TPWD headquarters, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744

3) Send a letter to Ted Hollingsworth, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744. Or e-mail him at:
ted.hollingsworth@tpwd.state.tx.us

Your opinion is important, and we need you to express it if we are to save
our access to the Devils River. Thanks!

Tom Goynes
President
Texas Rivers Protection Association
444 Pecan Park Drive
San Marcos, TX
78666
512-392-6171
e-mail: tomgoynes@mac.com

[FarPastGone]

I wonder if the area being ceded would include Dolan Falls. Either way I bet this cockamamie scheme was constructed under the good-ole-boy network to appease some locally powerful individual(s). Private property rights in Texas are archaic heirlooms of the Spanish land grant system continued by local officials who won't infringe on one inch of their constituents' hegemonic rulings of the land. The result is a network of North Korean esque ranches that use high game fences and high powered rifles to segregate themselves from the rest of the world's population. Thus, kayakers in the Great State are left to wonder if running "X-creek" is really worth dying for today.

- Matt

[ARzach]

I wonder if the area being ceded would include Dolan Falls. Either way I bet this cockamamie scheme was constructed under the good-ole-boy network to appease some locally powerful individual(s). Private property rights in Texas are archaic heirlooms of the Spanish land grant system continued by local officials who won't infringe on one inch of their constituents' hegemonic rulings of the land. The result is a network of North Korean esque ranches that use high game fences and high powered rifles to segregate themselves from the rest of the world's population. Thus, kayakers in the Great State are left to wonder if running "X-creek" is really worth dying for today.

- Matt

Matthew Taylor - Preacher of free access for all!

Don't get me wrong, I'm on your side. Maybe we should just invest in full on combat gear to wear kayaking and then go run the brown out of those fifedom creeks! :twisted:

What is the status of Crab-Apple Matteo?

--Z

[DeMo]

I know from previous experience with 'protesting' matters of the state that sometimes it means simply being seen at the proceedings. Please show up if you can at 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744-3218 on 4 Nov 2010. Meeting starts at 9 AM.

[DeMo]

News Flash! - Parks & Wildlife Deferring Action on Devils River Proposal
To: LONESTAR-CHP-GRP-LEADERS@lists.sierraclub.org

Chapter & Group Leaders:


Carter Smith, Executive Director of Texas Parks & Wildlife Department has deferred the decision on the proposed Devils River State Natural Area land transaction. The Commission will NOT be discussing the topic nor taking public testimony on the topic Thursday, (4 Nov 2010).

The Commission will discuss the matter first in executive session in one of their committee meetings on Wednesday (3 Nov 2010), and then get a briefing and discuss the matter in open session at that committee meeting. Again, he Commission will not be taking action on Thursday. More details to follow. Parks & Wildlife will be issuing a press release on this soon.





Ken Kramer

[lbaker]

³This is unquestionably the right and responsible course of action,² said Carter Smith, TPWD executive director. ³We have heard loudly and clearly from trusted partners, stakeholders, and many interested citizens, many of whom have requested more time to consider this project. Quite simply, we have an obligation to our constituents, who maintain appropriately high expectations about the level of public engagement needed before a decision of this magnitude is reached. We will not compromise that public trust and have advised our commission of the importance of deferring formal action on this proposal.²



Good news (for now)