By Jeff Daiber, Jeff Moore and Ralph Swallows
Submitting a Comment to USACE
Q: What is all the fuss this month about submitting comments to the Army Corps of Engineers?
A: The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) controls the water release schedule at Wolf Creek Dam. That release schedule has the most significant impact on the quality of fishing in the Cumberland River below the dam. These effects are both short-term (day-to-day) and longer term. The USACE controlling document defining guidance for establishing a release schedule is the Wolf Creek Dam & Lake Cumberland Water Control Manual (WCM). The impact of proposed revisions to the WCM are currently being evaluated and “scoped” by USACE under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). USACE is soliciting comments from all stakeholders, and that comment period closes 15-May.
Q: Why should I comment?
A: Because the release schedule is driven by many different priorities (flood control, power generation, water supply, recreation, etc), many different stakeholders with different priorities will be submitting comments. The Cumberland River below Wolf Creek Dam is one of the most significant fisheries in our region – maybe the only fishery in Kentucky supporting naturally reproducing trout populations. You are a stakeholder as a DCFF member if you have ever fished, will fish, or might even never fish the Cumberland River. This is a unique opportunity to help USACE develop policy that improves the fishery and makes fishing it safer and more enjoyable without negative impact to other stakeholder priorities.
Q: How do I comment?
A: The easiest way to submit a comment is as simple as sending an email, not later than May 15th, 2024, to:
corpslrnplanningpubliccom@usace.army.mil
You can also submit via “snail mail” (see instructions in the USACE Scoping Letter). If you have any questions or issues, call:
Mr Brad Potts
(931) 310-2596
NOTE: For email submissions, put your comments in the body of the email rather than as a separate attached file. Government servers and network security systems are notorious for stripping out attached email files to protect their networks.
Q: What should I say?
A: If you have ever fished the Cumberland River below Wolf Creek Dam — you already know at least a few comments from personal experience. If you have never fished there, or are having trouble converting your thoughts into words … we suggest:
1.) Read the DCFF Comment Letter submitted by President Ralph Swallows. The comments submitted by DCFF should give you a good starting point to Cut, Paste, and Edit similar comments into your own words. Find Ralph’s letter HERE .
2.) To create your own unique comments, you may want to focus your attention along these general priorities:
- Safety: flow schedules should be planned to provide a safety cushion for anglers below the Dam (from shore, wading, or in a watercraft);
- Planning: you can’t plan a trip in advance to tailwaters unless a flow schedule is known and there is confidence it will be adhered to;
- Conservation: flow schedules should be developed to limit extremes in water levels, provide sufficient oxygenation, and avoid rapid changes in water flow rates;
- Economic: anglers help the economy wherever great fishing opportunities exist.
Q: Where can I get more information?
A: The document referenced above can be accessed here:
1.) Find the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Scoping Letter
2.) Find President Ralph Swallows official DCFF Comment Letter