RE: {Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders} Gravelly Point - entrance blocked?

[Casey Peltier]

From what I understand, the Potomac is expected to crest today and tomorrow.  All that water and snow that Sandy dumped to the west will raise the water level a lot higher than you might think.  To keep the public from doing dangerous things, like launching their boats into the flood, parks along the river are often closed during "high water events".  Sorry you couldn't fish.  At least you hadn't paid a guide hundreds of dollars and traveled 1500 miles to fish, only to find the river blown out!

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Date: Thu, 1 Nov 2012 03:19:05 -0700
From: luketo...@gmail.com
To: tidal-potoma...@googlegroups.com
Subject: {Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders} Gravelly Point - entrance blocked?

I tried to go fishing at Gravelly Point at 6:00 AM today but the entrance was blocked by some wooden barricades.  Does anyone know why this is? I haven't gone there this early during the week before but I can't imagine that they keep it closed until later in the morning.  Any insight?  This stopped me from fishing and I'd love for it to not happen again.  Thanks. 
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[Rob Snowhite]

Also to keep people away from all of the raw sewage in the river. 

That brown color is more than mud.

[Jeff Cook]

There is still a real flood warning all the way down to Mt Vernon, until 2pm today. High tide is around 1045am. Normally there are no barriers there in the morning. 

I'm three blocks off the river near Belle Haven, so I'm watching the marine reports - way closer than Fairfax County, apparently. 

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Jeff Cook

[Aaron O]

   Anyone can correct me if I'm wrong but I believe its closed every morning until sunrise.  Now remember that the clocks turn back this Sunday so while sunrise is at around 6AM now, starting next week it will be around 5AM. 

 

      The only other suggestion could be to park over at the Duck pond (AKA Roaches Run) and either fish there or run the gauntlet over to Gravelly.  It is just across the road but I do understand that some dont want to or are unable to safely get accross the road.

 

Aaron

[Howard A]

I have had the same problem with the barricades in the past few weeks, prior to Sandy. I am pretty sure they are just there to keep people out when the park is closed.  In the past, if it was after 6:00 (or reasonably close to that), I just moved the barricades to the grass, parked, and went fishing.

However, as others pointed out not getting out on the river this morning was probably the best outcome.

[TurbineBlade]

As a daily bike commuter, I can recall at least 4 times that I've move barricades put in place to "protect public safety"....usually place on the mount vernon trail due to flooding and/or recent snow events.  After I've reached the spot where I usually see the barricades, I'm already 3 miles from home and cannot feasibly turn around and hop in my car or something, so I view it as a necessity rather than stubborness.  

I assume they don't want you to move the barricades at GP, but I doubt anyone will actually do anything about it.  I'm sure their attitude is "I tried to keep the people out" ;).  

Rob - If we're trying to avoid contact with sewage, that would eliminate my favorite fishing spots!  ;) But yeah, that's a good point.  

Actually, some of the better looking streams in the DC area have the highest fecal coliform (well...now they measure E.coli versus coliform -- but the old data were for coliform) after rain events simply due to placement of combined sewer lines.  One of the absolute worst ones is Battery Kemble, which dumps into the potomac literally right at Fletcher's Boathouse.  If you've been there, you've no doubt driven right over it to get under the  tunnel there.  

[Jeff Cook]

Barricades every morning? I clearly don't go to work early enough! 

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Jeff Cook

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[Richard Farino]

I responded to Luke with this same e-mail and I hope everyone reads it:

 

My guess is the flood warning.  Due to the high and dangerous flood levels, they shut the ramp down to avoid having people use their boats on the river.

 

Also, on Grizzly’s way down to work today, he took a look at the Duck Pond and those 2 dead trees that are normally visible by the culvert that drains the pond are no longer visible.  They’ve either moved, or the water is so high they’re covered.

 

Give that some thought as to whether or not closing the boat ramp would be warranted.

 

 

R

 

 

 

Richard Farino

Urban Angler VA | 108 N. Washington Street  2nd Floor | Alexandria, VA 22314

(703) 527-2524 | fax: (703) 527-3313 | ric...@urbanangler.com