Hydro Electric on the ole Miss

Some info from Mark Clements, owner/operator of Clements Fishing Barge in Genoa, WI. Some of you that venture to other web sites may have come across the message. I thought I would share here on IDO. I know Mark wouldn’t mind.

“There is a meeting in La Crosse on this Thursday night from 6 to 9 ( at the La Crosse Center) about a company putting in Hydroelectric Power in at the Lock and Dam in Genoa. According to their web site this will pretty much eliminate any fishing below the dam for approximately 600 feet. There would be no wingdam, no shoreline on the Minnesota side to fish what-so-ever as they plan on constructing a containment pond (no idea yet why or what that is), but it would eliminate any more fishing from the “wall”. In their on-line report they specifically mention eliminating this area to fish habitat and removing Clements Fishing Barge. They also mention that during the summer and low flows, they will have the Roller Gates shut off the river so the flow goes entirely through the turbines. This too would eliminate any migration of any fish in the river, those small enough to make it through would be mince meat. They have falsehoods in their report, either by omission or by out right inaccurate data. For instance, they mention that our section of the river has no paddle fish or Lake Sturgeon in it, so endangered or protected fish are not a problem. You may have seen the pictures or comments I have made in the past of people catching these fish.
This company is by far the worst of all the proposals yet for our aging Lock and Dam system. Found out through some sources that the Federal Government is pushing this all forward due to wanting to show the public how “green” it is becoming. All reports and studies on our ecosystem is being done in house by the very company putting up the proposal (the fox guarding the hen house). This is not a good idea for many of us. Even those of us who only fish down river need to be aware because towns such as Stoddard, Genoa, Victory, De Soto and Ferryville will lose a good portion of its “fishing” business. This chunk of business will affect motels, places to eat or drink, bait shops. Some will survive, but lack of money reduces options, lack of competition drives up prices and so on. Once some of these go under it won’t be the same, the flo of tourism and advertising will be affected. Its not a good proposal. If you can make the meeting it is at the La Crosse Center. You can contact Captain Hook’s for more information. I will also post the web site as soon as I get more information. They have also made it extremely difficult to send in any comments, for instance if you send in letters by the postal service, you must send in 8 seperate copies! Really! Please attend if you can, any support would be appreciated.

Clements Fishing Barge
(608) 689-2800
[email protected]

This doesn’t sound good. Clements closing would be a sad day for many that enjoy fishing the river. I wonder who will be paying for this whole green initiative, hmmmm.

Just a guess but there will be studies upon studies done, i can tell you one thing if it’s a green thing these people have lots of power in the right places and the gov wants to cooperate with these types of projects but what do i know

Does anyone know how the hydropower dam at Lock and Dam 2 affected the fishing and spawning on Pool 3 when it was built?

This should “worry” everyone who fishes the river and especially those who like to fish at the dam. Your 300ft distance will become 600ft. Might not bother most but some of you like it close.
Several questions need to be answered.
In Mark’s posting I think he mentioned that during periods of low flow, the turbines will have priority of the water coming down river, and in turn, grinding up a lot of fish possibly. Will the electric company replace those fish? Eventually, we’ll get back into the dry summers like we use to have and in the past the Corps. has been able to maintain normal pool levels for those times. But, once turbines are running, who will have control over the flow and pool levels? What will the river look like then as far as levels and flow is concerned?
We’ve all seen the problems on the river when the grass cuts loose and starts moving downstream. The electric company surely can’t/won’t allow that grass to get in the turbines, so where does it go?

They will do fish studies bird studies etc, at ld 2 the hydro plant has control of the pool at a certain point when the flows are low and usually all winter, it has not restricated the fishing below the dam. I’m not sure what type of plant they are propossing at your location but it sounds completely different than what is in place at ld2