just over the state line into nc... at the headwaters of the tellico. this
has become a mecca for 4 wheelers, railed mud buggies, jeeps, all those mud
flinging machines. all the bare ground, mud, ruts, puddles, wash directly
into the tellico river. im told it is getting better but from my observations
it is getting far worse. i spoke with older campers along the banks and they
to describe the torrents of mud washing down now at every rain. they remember
when it was clear. ive been going there since i was in highschool. my buddies
and i often tubed down the river. always clear water. now 20 years later 9
out of 10 trips result in murky water. i believe it is mostly due to the
jeeps, trucks and 4 wheelers.
this is the home for tangerine darters. snail darters. saffron shiners.
hellbenders. many, many wonderful critters.
tn does not allow the 4 wheelers in the forest supposedly. yet nc does and
would have difficulty it controlling it because of the remoteness. no roads
from nc lead to this area.
a few weeks ago i stopped and discussed this w/ some rangers and foresters at
the office of the trout farm near the headwaters of the tellico... above the
bald river falls. they were sitting with their feet all propped up on the
desk. our tax dollars at work. very little response or concern was expressed
from them. are these the same guys concerned im going to catch a war paint
shiner for my aquarium? if every nanfa member got in the water it would never
come close to equating the damage of siltation sweeping down the mountain.
i often hear the negative talk of dams on the nanfa list. one thing ive
noticed in the recent years tho is that they trap and allow the silt to
settle. often below the dams water can be very clear and beautiful. i also
have heard how much of the capacity of dams has been reduced by the massive
buildups of sediment.
the hiwassee tailwaters are an example of that. water torrentially is
released daily and it sweeps the substrate clean of silt. yet plants that
cling to the rocks florish... thick pads of vibrant green mosses.
i have so much to learn. i dont ever want to falsly acuse and there is always
another perspective to a view. one thing for sure is every gravel road,
streamside campsite, horse trail, pig waller, shuffle kick netting, 4 wheeler
rut, streamside construction results in silt... and lots of it. these
appalachians are old and have stabilized in the eons they have stood. they
have been covered in mosses, forests, plants. we are disturbing them
immensly.
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