# The next water war?



## phlyphisher (Aug 15, 2001)

The Legislature's having a big discussion right now that's not about WHETHER water should be withdrawn from Michigan's rivers for the purposes of agriculture and business, but rather HOW MUCH "adverse resource impact" is socially acceptable. 

A 2006 public law specifies that no large-scale water withdrawal can have a "adverse resource impact," but that does not translate into "no" resource impact. 

The bills are part of the multi-state, multi-provincial Great Lakes compact designed to govern water withdrawals from the basin. Currently, as the bill's sponsors have stated, there is nothing more than a "paper wall" protecting the Great Lakes from these uses. 

In a nutshell, scientists have developed a withdrawal assessment tool based on a limited study on the affects of water withdrawals on the sport fish in a stream. When water is withdrawn, temperature increases and those thriving species can decline because of the habitat change.

In its current wording, the bill allows a 5-percent reduction in trout populations -- and a reduction of flow of more than 20 percent in some cases -- on cold-water trout streams. There are other limits for cool and warm water streams. 

I've not even scratched the surface here and have written about this much more in-depth for an upcoming outdoor news publication. But here's the question -- is that a socially acceptable adverse resource impact?


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## Steelheadfred (May 4, 2004)

What the hell is wrong with these people?

I hunt out west, and they grow lots of crops with out irrigation.

The best Fishing of my life was in the Mid 90's about the same time we had a few years of record high water levels on the great lakes and its feeder streams.

Tourism is the second largest industry in our state, and the number one employer, why it continues to be abused by the govt to try and prop up an industry that already receives massive federal subsidies is beyond me. With out natural resources we don&#8217;t have Tourism.

We are all well aware of the drought of 07, how the small rivers have become unfishable, reducing flow in those rivers will do nothing but pack more people onto the Joe, Grand, Muskegon, and Big Man, further reducing access to thousands of anglers who dont own a boat or would prefer to fish in waders....


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## Whit1 (Apr 27, 2001)

Here's an issue the is paramount and it pales all others. I can see this issue arising in attempts to boost the State's fiscal crisis by selling our water!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Keep us informed Joe.


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## USMCEOD (Aug 30, 2007)

These are the guys to send the letters to, I've already sent mine

http://www.cglg.org/governors/index.asp

Also

http://www.savemiwater.org/ Let me explain something about Save Michigan Waters. These guys will sometimes show up at your door asking for donations. These are the only people I donate to that come to my door. All of the proceeds help or concern and these people are gung ho about it and They write and petition the government on numerous occastions non stop.

I just want to stress that they don't have a fancy website and all but they are the hardest workers to help our cause and need our support.


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## back2spool (May 7, 2005)

Maybe you can post a copy of your letter so we can get an idea what to say or maybe even use it as a template for those that are strapped for time but wnat to help?????


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## hooknem (Mar 14, 2003)

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071114/NEWS05/711140414


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