River related issues in the region.

[Guest]

I would like to touch base with you on a couple River related issues in the region.

The first one, that I have recently shared with the Regional Fisheries Biologist and other state officials, is the dramatic increase in public dumping of yard waist into the Red River and other regional rivers.

Residents along the Red and other rivers are ,as a matter of practice, dumping yard clippings and other waist into the rivers.

This is one of the top offenders of chemical and biological contamination of the regions rivers. Phosphates, bio-mater, insecticides, and other common house chemicals get a straight shot injection into the system with this practice.

Not only is it an unlawful and a harmful practice, it is a fineable offense by the EPA (if enforced).

It is detracting from the appeal of the Red River and other local rivers of out region. This practice also has potentially harmful effects on the fishery, by consumption of the fish it contains. Another issue we all have concern with is water quality. Contaminants transfers to human consumption via water treatment facilities located on the local rivers.

The public needs to be informed that it is an unwise and illegal practice to deposit yard materials in or on the Rivers. Fines will be issues in days to come if I have anything to say about it.

Any help by concerned individuals and agencies to educate the public to this harmful practice, and reverse this trend would be greatly appreciated.

The second worrisome issue is the lack of local promotion of the Red River by the Fargo/Moorhead Chamber of Commerce and in particular the respective MN & ND Departments of Tourism.

Just look at the recent ND tourism guide once, it is a prime example of lack of interest in this world class fishery.

If you were to take that NDDOT guide at face value, the "Big-Mo" River System is the only thing going, or any lake (DL) that has a Casino located on it. If the Red River is mentioned, the Grand Forks area is the only section that does get press.

The Wahpeton area has been very aggressively building interest for recreational use and conservation of the Red River system. Addressing access issues and promotion has paid off for the community. It is now known all over the world. Yet they still see little help from either boundary water state to promote this resource. Why is that?

The communities are loosing huge amounts of tourism and recreational dollars to the North, East, and Western States, and/or provinces by not promotion this glorious and bountifully resource.

This is a Very short sighted use of valuable local/regional promotional and developmental dollars by the respective agencies.

Stewardship of our resources and economic development can go hand in hand. The public and governmental agencies need to work together to see our regional assets enhances, not exploited.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Ed "Backwater Eddy" Carlson

Backwater Guiding "ED on the RED"

[This message has been edited by Backwater Eddy (edited 06-08-2003).]

[Guest]

Your wise words not only make intellectual sense but economic sense as well. I hope I don't sound too pessimistic but sometimes its only when we lose it that we really know what we had.........
Keep up the good fight friend!

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Dan Kiazyk
Cat Eye Outfitter
http://www.geocities.com/dkiazyk2000
[email protected]