Pacemaker Fishing Forum

And here is Paul Bugas' letter to the Loudoun County BOS.

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Loudoun County Board of Supervisors:

My name is Paul Bugas and I am regional aquatics manager for DGIF (in an area that includes Loudoun County). My purpose in contacting you is to advise you that DGIF is attempting to get Loudoun Water to reconsider their new policy of excluding public angling at Beaverdam Reservoir for four years, effective immediately. I have outlined our agency’s concerns in the attached letter to Loudoun Water and, hopefully, we can resolve this issue quickly. Loudoun County does not have a great deal of public angling opportunities and we would not like to lose a resource that has been available for public recreation for 40+ years. We are beginning to hear from our constituents regarding this closure (see below in italics) and, at a minimum, would like to reduce the closure time while Loudoun Water works on an infrastructure upgrade to this facility. Thank you for your consideration to this matter. Paul Bugas, Aquatics Manager, Region 4, DGIF, P.O. Box 996, Verona, VA 24482. 540-248-9370

DGIF/To whom it may concern,

Hello.  Can you please provide any additional information about ongoing access to Beaverdam reservoir?  Myself and hundreds of other anglers and water sports enthusiasts have enjoyed Beaverdam for years.  I've received no response from the contact listed on your page at the following address:
http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/fishing/wa … .asp?id=17

Beaverdam Creek Reservoir

This 350-acre water supply reservoir was recently sold by the City of Fairfax to Loudoun Water Authority. The new owners have closed the lake to all public access (except apparently rowing) for at least four years (planned until late 2018). For more information, contact Mark Peterson at 571-291-7942.

Since an exception is being made for Loudoun rowing, can DGIF assist in ensuring access is still made available to the rest of us who enjoy using this valuable resource?  We need the pressure of Dgif to keep it open to young and old alike who all appreciate Beaverdam.

Thank you,

Steve

Planned on being there, but just got home from work.  If you guys go out afterward, let me know where.  Would love to meet up and hear how it went.

Very interesting evening. All 11 speakers did a great job. The highlight was a 14 year old girl who was very eloquent. A couple of the BOS are in our corner, especially Shawn Williams. But, they say they have little influence over Loudoun Water. Mark Peterson was there from LW but did not speak and left before we could talk to him.

There is a presentation that was given earlier (by L W) at 4:10 pm. That's important because it is online and you can see the presentation.

The heat is just beginning. There are a lot of interested folks that are willing to take this to the end...me included.

I think LW is putting up a lot of objections but people are starting to see through them. Many examples were given. Travis made a good suggestion regarding the water taken from the Potomac. We drink it. LW states at they have to protect the water in Beaverdam for our safety. Bunk!

I had a conversation with a staffer and she talked about how many drownings they have had at BDR. Well, 3-5 people drown at Flechers every year. That is not a reason to close a place down.

LW did a great job of white washing stuff in their presentation to the BOS..we did a great job of demystifying it. But we each only had  2 minutes to speak.

Stay tuned.....and thanks to everyone who sent comments and/or came to the meeting.

http://loudoun.granicus.com/MediaPlayer … ip_id=3773

The part about the reservoir begins around 16:30.




They really have no clue when anything is happening.
Director doesn't know if control tower valves have been 'exercised'.  I can tell him the valves do work just fine.  Fairfax City had the valves open last summer in order to draw water when Goose Creek was running low.

Last edited by T. (Jun-06-14 1:50PM)

It's all about covering their ass.



I can only remember one drowning, the one in 2011.  Any others must've been pre-internet.

Maryland reservoirs are where drownings are an issue. 
"Baltimore County averages between five and 10 drownings and near-drownings each year."  It's illegal to swim in those reservoirs in the first place too.

I do not think they even care about providing recreational water access to county residents.  There have been no attempts to do this in the past and now they close the only one left.  Most of the access to Goose Creek, Broad Run, Potomac River and any others are on private property.  Somehow, this needs to be presented from a revenue standpoint from sport fishing.  How much tax dollars, license fees, retail $$ are spent in the County without any actual access to use in the county.  Fairfax, Prince William and Spotsylvania counties do a much better job and get a lot of revenue from gas, meals etc. as well.  Maybe VDGIF can assist with this.  My feeling is that once they get past the pain of closing access (citizen blowback), they have NO motivation to spend money to re-open.  This will go the way of Lake Manassas.  There are really only 2 board members who seem to have real concern about the Loudoun Water's actions.  The rest either do not care or are actually in bed (friends or former LCSA Board Members themselves).  There is liability, but it needs to be made part of the package and the County Board has not made it so.  We have to paint it as a black eye to the county that they allow this to happen.  It is not acceptable for any one group (crew team, rowing club, etc. to be exempted or allowed) to have access because they can pay for liability insurance.  That should not be a requirement if is to be fair for the citizens.  Fees or registration is another thing.  Spotsylvania does this as does Orange County.  Let's not be short sighted.

Article in the loudoun times.

http://www.loudountimes.com/news/articl … averdam543

Who is MS-17? Are they that much scarier than MS-13?  Reading the article, it wouldn't take long to pick apart their arguments.

NOVAhunter wrote:

Who is MS-17? Are they that much scarier than MS-13?

Yes, when I read "MS-17" in the article earlier..........I laughed my @$$ off!

NOVAhunter wrote:

I don't think those MS-whatever punks haven't been an issue for years now. Back before they closed down the res after 9/11 due to terrorism fears, there were days that I didn't leave the cove at the launch for fear my truck was going to have a rock through a window and be cleaned out when I got back. The thing I feared the last few years is that the HS kids would take up all the parking. They generally seemed to be well behaved, I never saw any of them that looked like they were under the influence.  It probably happened, but I never saw it.  The worst thing I saw was them jumping off the arm down by the dam.

As T. said above, the only drowning I know about in recent history (last 20 years plus or minus) was the 2011 one. Neighborhood pools in LC have more than that this summer. Potomac will be several more, Shenandoah a few more.

If they are so worried about contamination then they shouldn't have allowed so much development in the surrounding areas (brambleton, golf course etc). It should have been zoned to 5 acre plus treed lots like fairfax did with the Occoquan res back in the 70's.  Canoes, Kayaks, and paddle board are the least of their worries. I can't help but think they have something else in mind for this area and fishing isn't on the agenda.

Might want to send this to a few folks (Jennings, York, Williams etc) if you have not done so already. Well said!

That is the last incident I remember as well.   At least one of the kids fell in the deep water by the dam and the mother went to save them but she did not know how to swim.  NOVAhunter - very good points that need to be passed on for sure.  Ernie, does anyone thing going over the Board's head may be a good idea?  I think it might help, but we need to find an advocate.

Can the state representatives or senator/governor impact?  Just because the BOS seems more like BS....

Some of the rowing teams still have access.  There are more than a few rowing teams out there.

dan wrote:

We're meeting this Thursday 5:30-7 at Lost Rhino to re-group and figure out how the group wants to proceed.

Thanks for the update! If not storming, I will be there in my funny looking bike garb.