Presentation Schedule:

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Public Meeting Schedule:

November 14, 2011 - Mountain Laurel Resort - 7pm (details)

Monthly Meeting Schedule (open to public)
We meet Thursday's - every other month at the Wildlands Conservancy in Emmaus. Click here for map/directions. Look below for our next scheduled meeting. We hope to see you there!

October 31, 2011 Be sure to check out the 2011 November/December copy of Eastern Fly Fishing for a feature on the Lehigh River. September 18, 2011 LCFA President Dean Druckenmiller was recently quoted in a Standard Speaker article about the flooding that has taken place along the Lehigh River. September 17, 2011 LCFA President Dean Druckenmiller's article - Lehigh River Fingerling Trout Survey in the most recent online edition of the Carbon County Magazine. August 14, 2011 Under Investigation, The Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, PA. A recent article about electro-shocking efforts on the Lehigh River. August 1, 2011 LCFA President, Dean Druckenmiller quoted in a recent article in The Standard Speaker. February 23, 2011 Corps announces 2011 Flow Plan. (right-click, save as) February 22, 2011 Part III of Dean's three-part series is now online in the Carbon County Magazine. Part 3: Wild Trout - The Prize of the Lehigh. December 28, 2010 Our 2011 Flow Plan Comments and Suggestions can be downloaded by right-clicking on the icon to the right. (right-click, save as) December 19, 2010 Part II of Dean's three-part series is now online in the Carbon County Magazine. Part 2: Wild Trout - The Prize of the Lehigh. December 19, 2010 The Flyfisher's Guide to the Big Apple is a new book on the market written Tom Gilmore. There is a section about the Lehigh, and a mention of the Lehigh Coldwater Fishery Alliance. Check it out! October 10, 2010 LCFA President, Dean Druckenmiller has part I of a three-part series in the Carbon County Magazine. Part 1: Wild Trout - The Prize of the Lehigh. June 1, 2010 June 1, 2010 Lehigh River Work Day - pictured above (l to r): John Arway, Executive Director, PFBC; Mark Hartle, Chief of Aquatic Resources, PFBC; Dr. Bob Bachman, Commissioner, PFBC; Bill Worbec, Commissioner, PFBC; Dean Druckenmiller, President, LCFA; Jake Markezin, Secretary, LCFA; Bill Derhammer, Officer, LCFA; Senator Richard Alloway, Chairman of Senate Game and Fisheries Committee; Paul Kanaski, Rivers Outdoors/LCFA; Chris Kocher, Executive Director, Wildlands Conservancy; Warren Elliott, Commissioner, PFBC; Ray Youngblood, Office, LCFA; Joe Demarkis, Rivers Outdoors/LCFA; Tim Skoraszewski, Rivers Outdoors/LCFA. Click for more images from the day. April 2, 2010 Once again the PFBC is doing an Angler Log for the Lehigh River. The goal of this survey is to get an idea on how the fin clipped fingerlings are assimilating into the overall population of trout in the River. If you fish the Lehigh, definitely try to be an active 'logger. March 22, 2010 A special thanks to the Sporting Gentleman in Media, Pa for giving the Lehigh Coldwater Fishery Alliance the opportunity to fill their customers in the lastest Lehigh River happenings. March 2, 2010 Tuesday Two-Fer. LCFA in the news. Check it out... Balancing act on Lehigh The Times Leader, By Tom Venesky Water-release program could be fatal to trout The Times Leader, By Tom Venesky (right-click, save as) February 12, 2010 Army Corps Walter Dam 2010 Flow Plan Workshop February 18, 2010 - - Mountain Laurel Resort - - 7pm (right-click, save as) November 11, 2009 The Lehigh River Is Alive And Well, Charlie Meck Check out the most recent issue of the Mid-Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide for a recently penned Charlie Meck feature about the Lehigh and the Lehigh Coldwater Fishery Alliance. We thank Charlie for his continued support!! (right-click, save as) November 05, 2009 Ongoing Lehigh River Fingerling Study The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission has begun a fingerling hatchery trout assessment study on the Lehigh. In 2010 they will be seeking assistance with collecting trout catch data. Booklets are available from the PFBC. The LCFA will also be assisting with data collection. February 15, 2009 Look for Charlie Meck to be doing a book signing of his new book - - “Pocket Guide To Pennsylvania Hatches” - - at River’s Outdoor Adventures, in New Ringgold, PA (http://www.riversflyfishing.com/) on April 11th. Charlie is donating the royalties for any book sold that day to the LCFA. A big thanks to Charlie and please try to attend the book signing. January 22, 2009 LCFA in the news. Check it out...Groups at odds over dam water releases - The Times Leader, By Rory Sweeney January 16, 2009 Army Corps Walter Dam 2009 Flow Plan Workshop. January 21, 2009 - - Mountain Laurel Resort - - 7pm. (right-click, save as) June 14, 2008 LCFA in the news. Check it out...Lehigh walleye on their own - The Morning Call, By Christian Berg. April 20, 2008 By Tom Venesky of the Times Leader (This article also ran in the Pennsylvania Outdoor News) (right-click, save as) March 16, 2008 Corps reaches 2008 Flow Plan target elevation - 1,370'. March 6, 2008 Our 2008 Flow Plan Comments can be downloaded by right-clicking on the icon to the right. (right-click, save as) Febraury 4, 2008 2008 Flow Plan Presentation. Comment deadline is March 3. (right-click, save as) January 24, 2008 2008 Whitewater Release Workshop Announced (right-click, save as) December 22, 2007 The Energy and Water has recently been signed by the President. To check out the Lehigh Coldwater Study language - navigate to page 37 in the pdf. To make it a bit easier to find - the page has been bookmarked in the pdf if you go to bookmarks.   October 28, 2007 2008 Flow Plan Comments (right-click, save as) September 12, 2007 Coldwater Study Fact Sheet, prepared by the Army Corps of Engineers.   September 7, 2007 Some recent articles about our coldwater efforts. Lancaster New Era and the Pocono Record August 8, 2007 Read more about the recently announced Coldwater Study in this Morning Call article. Click on the News Release link to view the LCFA news release.   June 16, 2007 The money has arrived! To announce the funding a check presentation was held on the banks of the Lehigh at the Tri-Boro Sportsmen Club. Pictured above are representatives from the two key partners in this effort - Army Corps of Engineers and the Department of Natural Resources - (l to r) Austin Gerrard, ACOE; George Sauls, ACOE; Lt. Col. Baker, Commander Phila District ACOE; Cindy Dunn, DCNR; and Dennis Demara, DCNR. To read more about the funding please click-thru to the linked Morning Call article - A delicate balance - Army Corps aims to find best uses for Francis Walter Dam. April 18, 2007 Lehigh River Management Plan Available April 18, 2007 LCFA In The News! Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, PA March 27, 2007 By Christian Berg of the Morning Call November 20, 2006 2007 Flow Plan (right click-save) January 10, 2007 Mark your calendar! Corps to hold Francis E. Walter Dam Flow Management Information Workshop and announce the 2007 plan. We urge all interested trout fisherman who enjoy the Lehigh River to make time, and attend this informational meeting, intented to inform you, the angler. Participation is key to enhancing the Lehigh. Location for this event is the Mountain Laurel Resort - easily reached from the I-80/PA TPK interchange. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions. November 20, 2006 The LCFA recently submitted comments to the Army Corps of Engineers regarding the 2006 Flow Plan and recommendations for the 2007 Plan. October 19, 2006 Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 By Christian Berg and Gary Visgaitis of the Morning Call

August 18, 2006 The LCFA has recently been in the news. Christian Berg, Outdoor Writer, for the Morning Call in Allentown wrote the story. To find out more click on the pic to the right. Please take some time and check out the most recent copy of TROUT - - Summer 2006. Owen Owens - founder of the Valley Forge Chapter of TU and LCFA board member is featured rather nicely. Be sure to pick up a copy and read about one the best conservation minds out there. We all can be glad he is looking out for our coldwater resources.

May 29, 2006

On May 22 the Lehigh Coldwater Fishery Alliance was fortunate enough to entertain our Flow Plan partners for a day on the river. After all was said and done it was a perfect day on the water with many fish being caught and the potential of this fishery was really seen first hand! The LCFA very much appreciates the efforts of all those who shared the river with us. Thank you!

Front left to right: Fred Osifat, PFBC Commissioner, Seventh District; Dr. Doug Austin, Executive Director, PFBC;
Dr. Bob Bachman, LCFA Board Member, and Chairman PA TU Trout Management Committee
Back left to right: Cindy Dunn, Director Bureau of Recreation and Conservation, DCNR; Chris Kocher, Chief Program Officer, Wildlands Conservancy; Michael DiBerardinis, Secretary DCNR; Rick Carlson, Director, Office of Policy and Legislation, DCNR; Lieutenant Colonel Bob Ruch, Jr., Philadelphia District Commander, US Army Corps of Engineers

Francis E. Walter Dam water release plan for 2006 is modified
due to lower than average inflows

PHILADELPHIA (April 19, 2006): The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, in coordination with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, is modifying the 2006 short-term flow management plan for Francis E. Walter Dam by reducing outflows to compensate for lower than expected inflows.

As previously announced, the 2006 plan indicated that the Corps would begin storage at Walter Dam by April 1 to achieve a targeted recreational pool elevation of 1,365 feet by May 13. Due to the hydrologic conditions we actually started to store water March 8, which based on the historical record (going back 45 years) would have brought us close to that targeted elevation by now. However, we have only reached 1,346 feet, which translates to little more than half of the additional storage needed.

To make up this deficit, the coordinating agencies have decided to modify the 2006 plan, which had called for passing inflow on the weekends and releasing at least 250 cubic feet per second on
weekdays while storing water. Yesterday evening the outflow was reduced to 200, and again today to 144 cubic feet per second, where it will be maintained both weekdays and weekends
until the likelihood of reaching 1,365 feet by May 13 increases significantly.

All other aspects of the 2006 plan beyond May 13 remain unchanged. (For an overview of the
original plan, go to www.nap.usace.army.mil/Projects/FEWalter/walter2006plan.pdf.)

April 11, 2006

Now that the 2006 Creel Survey has been announced by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, begin to look for posters like this along the River at key access point. Next to these posters will be located a box housing creel survey log books and postcards. Please take the time to fill out with your results and return. You can download a PFBC log book here. The postcards located in the boxes will look like the sample below. If there are any questions you can email us.

February 19, 2006

Pasted below are the general guidelines for the 2006 Army Corps Flow Plan. Find out more about the 2006 Plan here.

January 21, 2006

(download our brochure in pdf format)

December 19, 2005

Lehigh Coldwater Fishery Alliance Seeks Colder Water for Trout Below Dam
PA Trout Magazine - Winter Edition (pdf of PA Trout Magazine)

In 1961 the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built a dam for flood control on the Lehigh River near White Haven in northeastern Pennsylvania. They called it the Francis E. Walter Dam. In 2005 an access road inside the dam and running along the breast was relocated to the top of the dam breast. With this road relocation, a tremendous opportunity exists to enhance the downstream fishery, as well as whitewater rafting and boating in the larger lake. The lake level can now be elevated creating the potential for a constant flow and a tremendous coldwater fishery below.

Since the dam is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Flood Control Project, a study needs to be conducted by the Corps prior to any operational changes with the reservoir. This study requires sponsorship by a non-federal agency. The Lehigh Coldwater Fishery Alliance was created for just that purpose.

According to Dean Druckenmiller, President, "The Lehigh Coldwater Fishery Alliance plans to work with agencies involved and seek the funding needed to conduct a study that investigates different lake elevations and release situations required to support a self-sustaining population of wild trout along with guaranteed whitewater releases."

The coldwater fishery has the potential to extend downstream 50 miles or more, depending on the elevation of the water in the reservoir Says Dean, "With approximately 25 million people living within 100 miles of the river, we have a great opportunity to provide a fantastic recreational experience."

The outcome of this study will determine the necessary measures required to enhance both the trout fishery and whitewater opportunities on the Lehigh River, as well as improve the overall health and ecology of the river. Of special importance is that these studies will never lose sight of the primary purpose of the Francis E. Walter dam, which is flood control.

Dean adds, "In an age when we must make the most of our resources, the opportunity exists to develop a multipurpose recreation destination and improve the quality of life for many, as well as have a tremendous positive economic impact on the entire Lehigh River watershed."

The Lehigh Coldwater Fishery Alliance’s mission is to obtain a consistent release of cold water (55 degrees) from the Francis E. Walter Reservoir through the better utilization of reservoir’s storage capacity and discharge options, in an effort to improve overall flows, protect habitat and enhance the Lehigh River’s wild trout fishery. For more information visit the website http://www.thelehighriver.org

The Pennsylvania Council of Trout Unlimited is working closely with the Lehigh Coldwater Fishery Alliance to secure a release regime that will promote the wild trout fishery in the Lehigh River. Following its fall meeting, the council sent a letter to Congressman Dent encouraging a study on developing a coldwater fishery in the river.

LCFA would like to express our thanks to the following groups/organizations that have submitted a letter to Congressman Charlie Dent (http://dent.house.gov/) supporting the Army Corps Wild Trout Fishery Study on the Lehigh River:

Lehigh River Stocking Association - www.lrsa.org

Wildlands Conservancy - www.wildlandspa.org

Wildife Information Center - www.wildlifeinfo.org

Carbon County Economic Development Office - www.carbonecon.com/index.shtml

Pennsylvania Trout Unlimited - www.patrout.org

Western Pocono Trout Unlimited

Stanely Cooper Trout Unlimited - www.sctu.org

Old Lehigh Outfitters - www.oldlehighoutfitters.com

Fly Fish PA - www.flyfishpa.net

Wilderness Trekker/Lehigh Gap Outfitters - www.wildernesstrekker.com

Evening Hatch Fly Shop - www.eveninghatch.com

Sporting Gentlemen Fly Shop - www.sportinggentleman.com

Tulpehocken Creek Outfitters - www.tcoflyfishing.com

Delco-Manning Chapter Trout Unlimited

October 26, 2005
Check out the comments submitted by the LCFA regarding the Corps 2006 Release Plan.

October 12, 2005
Recent press release from Charlie Meck about the Lehigh River Coldwater Fishery Alliance.

September 18, 2005
Article by Alan Gregory of the Standard Speaker.

August 14, 2005
Recent article by Christian Berg of the Morning Call. Please note the mention of the needed study by
Merv Brokke of ACOE.

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Some notables in attendence - Bob Bachman, LCFA (far left); Dean Druckenmiller, LCFA (tall dude, back); US Congressman Paul Kanjorski (center); Roy Denmark, ACOE (blue shirt); Dave Arnold, PFBC (maroon jacket).