We missed the boat.
Or rather, most of the boats never showed up.
Last February I was lamenting the failure to enhance the recreation opportunity represented in the spillway at Lake Norrel and the river downstream.
My post from back then …
In my opinion we are failing to maximize the recreation value of this stream. It's use falls mainly in the spring and fall because the recreation is highly dependent on the stream flow. We have the ability to enhance the flow and we should be doing it. Does it make sense to tax ourselves to promote tourism and then ignore what we already have?
It is important to have Lake Norrell at full pool level to begin the dry summer season. But there is a period during late spring and early summer when rainfall exceeds that needed to keep the lake full. Right now that excess passes through the lake to the North Fork in an uncontrolled way.
I suggest we begin a program where this excess water is released to the river on the weekends beginning at 9am until 3pm. This will have little effect on the lake levels. By concentrating the flows to match recreation times we might develop a new and valuable recreational industry.
So this year went by without anyone seeking to regulate the water release to enhance the boating and another great resource went mostly unused. Instead of just a few superb days of white water kayaking, we could have had many. Could have advertised it too.
Still, a few did give it a try. Today I found a video on youtube …
They came back in September. The water was low and one boat was damaged. Might not have happened if we had held the water all week to release it on the weekend. Low water video …
Last February I was lamenting the failure to enhance the recreation opportunity represented in the spillway at Lake Norrel and the river downstream.
My post from back then …
In my opinion we are failing to maximize the recreation value of this stream. It's use falls mainly in the spring and fall because the recreation is highly dependent on the stream flow. We have the ability to enhance the flow and we should be doing it. Does it make sense to tax ourselves to promote tourism and then ignore what we already have?
It is important to have Lake Norrell at full pool level to begin the dry summer season. But there is a period during late spring and early summer when rainfall exceeds that needed to keep the lake full. Right now that excess passes through the lake to the North Fork in an uncontrolled way.
I suggest we begin a program where this excess water is released to the river on the weekends beginning at 9am until 3pm. This will have little effect on the lake levels. By concentrating the flows to match recreation times we might develop a new and valuable recreational industry.
So this year went by without anyone seeking to regulate the water release to enhance the boating and another great resource went mostly unused. Instead of just a few superb days of white water kayaking, we could have had many. Could have advertised it too.
Still, a few did give it a try. Today I found a video on youtube …
They came back in September. The water was low and one boat was damaged. Might not have happened if we had held the water all week to release it on the weekend. Low water video …
Comment
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Comment by guitarman on November 30, 2009 at 11:55am
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http://www.arkansascanoeclub.com/mb/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=14589
Harper, I found a related post on the ACC message board
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Comment by Harper on November 30, 2009 at 9:19am -
Shelli said:
“So how do you hold the water? I think it's a great idea, but I don't know how to make it work.”
The development of this resource begins with control of the water. I had never seen this site, so the other day I drove up to look. What is needed is an additional lake discharge facility alongside the existing spillway.
In the photo below I have marked the removal of soil beside the existing structure.
Then a channel would be dug through this area and a new discharge built something like this …
Cost? That would depend on how you went about it. I would just go do it with a plan done on-site, as needed. I’d call a contractor and buy 24hr of a trackhoe with operator for $70 per hour, and 32hr of D4 Dozer at $60 an hour. I would need the use of a city backhoe and dump truck occasionally during the project and 4 work release guys for labor. Add in $3000 for steel reinforcement, $5000 for concrete, $2000 for forming material, $3000 for the gate valve, $1500 for tools and tool rental. Comes to $18,100. Stick on a contingency amount of around $4000 to get a project cost in the $22k range for a 2 month completion.
Do it the government way and the engineering fee alone will be $10k. Total cost probably 60 to $80,000, and project length about 6 months.
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Comment by Munky on November 28, 2009 at 11:34am -
The Shelli said: A WHAT kind of county? Say it louder so's more folks can hear you!
We can be even more clever than that! What if the county stays dry and Benton goes wet? Then people would be drving from Malvern, Bryant, Bauxite, etc. to Benton to purchase a case of beer for their weekly or monthly consumption, and shopping and visiting our restaurants while they are here.
This is the South: beer is the beverage of most frequent consumption, and for economic reasons, people like to buy it by the 6-pack, 12-pack or case. We need to have package stores that sell beer, wine and distilled beverages.
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Comment by Harper on November 28, 2009 at 7:46am
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guitarman is right. As a kayak stream, the Norrell Spillway is not for beginners. An informative site for this sport is American Whitewater (www.americanwhitewater.org).
Norrell is listed as a class III-IV. The site riverfacts has a graphic …
Using the search function at AW, I determined that Mississippi and Louisiana do not have a single stream of this difficulty. Streams of this nature in Arkansas and Texas are small and in remote areas. Moreover, they are like Norrell in that they are useful only the few days when the flow is right. Participants of this sport may travel hundreds of miles only to arrive at a time when the stream cannot be run.
Consider the value of Norrell if the water release can be controlled to ensure use to those who make the trip.
Norrell has the added features of a lake for slack water kayaking and canoeing. Below the difficult steep run is an area much more gentle, suitable for beginners. The concentrated water release might also lead to use of the North Fork as a prime float river with downstream takeout/entry at the Steel Bridge Road and Lyle Park.
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- Oh, and while we're at it let's legalize pot.
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- We need to be a WET COUNTY! It's holding us back, why send the revenue stream to Pulaski County? No kayakers will stay here when they can go to Hot Springs and buy beer at the corner store. There...I said it. But I think we are getting off topic. (and we haven't even gotten to the part about the Benton PD hassling kayakers yet have we?)
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Comment by Shelli Russell on November 27, 2009 at 7:31pm -
guitarman said:
...Now, if we had a decent hotel and some more restaurants serving alcohol, or even if we were a wet county we might attract some of the Malvern boaters for their overnight stays.
A WHAT kind of county? Say it louder so's more folks can hear you!
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That little stretch of rapids is VERY technical with a high probability of injury if it is not run correctly. It is for experienced paddlers only. It would be very nice if we had a park and play spot here on the Saline. Perhaps at Riverside Grocery or under the Interstate.
Unfortunately, Malvern has beat us to the punch. They have a great spot just above the Interstate that has a natural ledge allowing Park and Play. Entergy has agreed to guaranteed dam releases on summer days and this place draws paddlers by the dozens. People come from Louisiana, Texas, and all over Arkansas to use this spot on summer days. Swiftwater rescue classes are also held there. It would be very hard to compete with.
Norrell would attract some folks but the vast majority of the paddling community does not have the skill to utilize it. Also, the distance from Benton would mean that the economic impact would be lessened.
Now, if we had a decent hotel and some more restaurants serving alcohol, or even if we were a wet county we might attract some of the Malvern boaters for their overnight stays.
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Comment by Shelli Russell on November 26, 2009 at 7:22pm
- So how do you hold the water? I think it's a great idea, but I don't know how to make it work. I also think a set of cabins to stay in would enhance the experience.
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Comment by Munky on November 26, 2009 at 7:15pm
- What a superb idea! Recreation and tourism with no investment cost.
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