By Chris Erwin
In an earlier column we covered a Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife meeting and resulting plans to add habitat to Cave Run Lake. What is a unique about this project is the DFWL plans to make fish attractors for ½ mile to a mile long in some areas, which will be integrated into the weeds while others will provide structure in areas where none exist now.
This project is going to take a lot of materials to complete and the DFWL is still looking for donations of materials needed to complete the project. I received an update from Fred Howes I wanted to pass it along since there has been some changes in what materials are acceptable to use.
This update will also list what they have on hand, lets us know how and who to get in contact with to donate materials. If materials to be donated have no value or in other words, you are not looking forward to using them as a tax deduction, the process in a little simpler. However, they do have a donation method for donors who want a tax deduction.
I hope you will consider becoming active and help in whatever way you can. Once the project gets rolling the DFWL will also be looking for volunteers to help in building and placing the fish attractors. You can contact the people listed to see how you can help.
Here is the update from Fred Howes:
Below is the update I send out but (I) forgot to include 300-400 five gallon buckets as well as a pickup truck load of stakes. I will be keeping you posted as our materials increase.
Even though we’ve been experiencing some atypical winter weather for the last couple of months, the supply of fish habitat material has steadily grown. Below you will find the types of material and the present amount we’ve accumulated so far:
- Recycled Christmas Trees = 460
- Wooden pallets = 299
- Small plastic crates (roughly 1.5×2’ liter bottle containers) = 209
- Large cedar trees (15-20’ in length) = 30
- Wooden cable spools (3-4’ dia.) = 10
- The concrete base (150-200 lbs) of what was undoubtedly a wonderful sculpture in its day (will be used as a weight)
Efforts are underway in purchasing material and equipment need for this project such as environmentally sound PVC pipe, concrete block, tools/hardware which will be used in the construction process, etc.
As this is an ongoing learning process, our Fish Habitat Coordinator Joseph Zimmerman has informed us that we will only be using plastics that are BPA or phthalate free. Plastics free of these chemicals include: high density polyethylene (HDPE #2), low density polyethylene (LDPE #4), and polypropylene (PP #5). Also, some PVC pipes can contain phthalate additives so we will only be using PVC pipes labeled as phthalate-free.
As of today, I think the process for donating items of value has been worked out. The way it will work is as follows:
- Any item, and this applies to items of no value too, must be examined first by KDFWR staff to make sure it is environmentally safe and practical for use as fish habitat.
- Once an inspection is conducted, contact information for the Fish and Wildlife Foundation will be given.
- The entity who is donating the item will then contact the foundation for further instructions.
- After that process is completed, the donating entity will contact either Tom Timmermann or Joseph Zimmerman to make arrangements for the item to be picked up or delivered to Minor Clark Fish Hatchery.
- Fred R. Howes, District Fisheries Biologist/Program Coordinator, Kentucky Dept. of Fish & Wildlife Resources, Northeastern Fishery District, 120 Fish Hatchery Rd. Morehead, KY 40351, 606-783-8650, Fax 606-783-8652. Tom Timmermann email: tomtimmermann@ky.gov and Joseph Zimmerman email: joseph.zimmerman@ky.gov
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