[env-trinity] Trinity Journal Opinion: TRRP ignores landowners

[Tom Stokely]

http://www.trinityjournal.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/article_9fb02d04-2b05-11e3-be35-001a4bcf6878.html 

TRRP ignores landowners
Posted: Wednesday, October 2, 2013 6:15 am
From Dave Johnson Douglas City
The two log decks at the Trinity River Restoration Program worksite at the Douglas City bridge shows how TRRP fails to listen to the public. For five years, the landowners downstream who own hillside property at the bend in river have asked for no log placement. High flows will dislodge the logs and they will pile up, causing erosion and landslides. Ignoring public pleas, as well as threatening private lands designated as timber preserve is not OK.The recent Trinity Resource Conservation District newsletter has a couple-page spread diagramming how TRRP takes input. Definitely TRRP and TCRD take a lot of public time, document public meetings that were held, and still continue on a path of highly invasive, over-engineered river activity. TCRD is paid by TRRP for public relations work. Spreading around TRRP funding keeps some folks employed and some quiet. That is the public relations strategy I see.
The TRCD newsletter states the TRRP Phase I scientific review will be released in early fall 2013. This report has been promised for years. Nineteen months ago public outcry reported in newspapers, and on the Internet, demanded TRRP stop project implementation until the Phase I review was released. Still, TRRP work continues. The money for projects drives work forward, rather than what is truly good for the river.
In the remaining project areas, removing the excess vegetation from the river and allowing the river to do its work at high flows is what is needed. The gravel dumping has filled the deep holes for adult fish, and the rapids of Douglas City are no longer. I miss the diverse river. TRRP destroyed what many loved.
It is commendable that the Goodyear family declined to participate in the TRRP Reading Creek project when the design would erode their neighbor’s lands, threaten homes and destroy adult fish habitat. They refused TRRP money, and the consequence was TRRP eroded land in the Goodyear’s tree farm, and Hal’s favorite ripple, rapids and fishing holes were lost. So far in TRRP history, the Goodyear family choices and recommendations show integrity. For the price they paid, it is time to stop the gravel dumping, log placement and highly invasive designs.
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