By Richard Kerns
rkerns@newstribune.info
tribune staff writer
KEYSER — The West Virginia Department of Natural Resources wants to increase its presence at Dam Site 14 by entering into a lease agreement with the city of Keyser to manage the impoundment for fishing and, if the city agrees, open the 39-acre reservoir to light boating for the first time in recent memory.
City officials welcomed the proposed management scheme, but questioned the need for boating.
Jim Hedrick of the DNR appeared before the mayor and council Wednesday to propose the lease agreement, which would be based on a token payment of $1. Many other fishing spots in West Virginia are similarly managed, but Dam Site 14 has never been the subject of such an arrangement.
“It's a very popular fishing spot ... ,” Hedrick said of the dam, which supplies the city of Keyser's drinking water. “I think it would be beneficial to our anglers in the area.”
Running at 10-15 years, the lease agreement would allow DNR rangers to enforce a much wider range of regulations than they currently do in monitoring anglers to check on issues like licenses and catch totals. “Now we look only at general guidelines,” he said. “There are additional regulations that can be enforced if we have this lease agreement.”
The city would still be responsible for mowing grass at the dam, and collecting garbage.
Hedrick noted that the reservoir features a steep road near the breast of the dam which could be used by boaters to access the water. However, because the impoundment is smaller than 500 acres, no gas engines would be allowed, under state law. Furthermore, because of the steepness of the road, the access would be blocked at the top, and only small craft that could be carried to the water, such as canoes, would be allowed.
Mayor William “Sonny” Rhodes reacted cooly to the idea.
“I've had comments from people in the city about not allowing boats,” he said. “I haven't heard from too many people who want to take boats out on there.”
Hedrick said the agreement could be ratified without the boating provision.
The City Council, noting that DNR's expanded presence would help the city protect the dam, asked that Hedrick leave information with the city administrator, with action on the lease to be considered at a future council meeting.
Hedrick also updated the city on plans for draining the dam next spring as part of a $2 million restoration project. He said removing the fish is not feasible, as they would be confined at the end of the drainage to small muddy pools, and stressed by the disruption to their environment. “They usually die before we can get to them,” he said.
Instead, Hedrick said that once the drainage dates are set, he will urge anglers young and old to head to Dam Site 14 and fish out the reservoir. “I'm going to encourage as many people as possible to fish there,” he said.
Hedrick said he hopes to be able to stock the dam as usual next spring, but that the stocking schedule will be determined by plans for draining the water.
Once the work is complete and the dam refills, part of the project cost will pay for the fish to be restocked, including bass, sunfish, catfish and trout. It will take a few years for the bass and other resident fish to rebound fully, however.
Keyser, W.Va. —
