DAVIS LAKE Car Top Boat launching area closures, Jenkins/CowCreek etc.

Hello All,

I have made some progress regarding the closure of car top small boat launching closures at Davis Lake. The recent closure of Jenkins point and the scheduled closure of Cow Creek to car top launching by pram, canoe, pontoon boat, kayak etc is still in place and underway. I have been able to communicate through email and miraculously received an email response from the USFS Forest Supervisor Christopher Carlton and we will soon be scheduling a conference call/Zoom with the USFS Beckwourth District Ranger Keli Ward.

I explained in my email to Christopher Carlton the need for these access points to remain open for car toppers that try and launch various types of watercraft and the need to off load these boats from close to the shoreline such as a 100 pound pram for instance. I tried to explain the need and the use by a large portion of users that are car toppers that launch craft that do not lend themselves to launching from a concrete boat ramp as it takes too much time to offload the water craft and then to unload and load up gear etc.

If you are a car topper that fishes this lake that launches a watercraft that requires you to pop it off your roof close to the waters edge now is the time for you to contact the USFS and let them know your needs and WHY a spot like Jenkins point and Cow Creek point (or Lightning Tree etc) is important to your safe boating and ability to launch your craft to reach various fishing areas safely.

USFS Forest Supervisor Christopher Carlton Plumas National Forest has designated USFS Kelli Ward to take input and research the issue. She is the current acting District Ranger for the USFS Beckwourth Ranger District. She and I will be discussing the closures next week. So these are the two people you should be emailing and/or calling. I would strongly suggest a written email. It can be brief. I would suggest you include in your letter.....The type of boat you are launching such as a pram, small john boat or row boat, larger pontoon boat, canoe, kayak and why you need to be able to get your vehicle close to the shoreline to offload your boat (ie my PRAM weighs 100 pounds and I can't drag it 150+ feet to the waters edge....or I am 70 years old and I can not carry my canoe 150+ feet to the shoreline. I would state how these closures impact you directly such as your age ( I am 70 years old and still try to fish but can't drag/carry my pram/canoe/pontoon far, any disability or mobility issues such as knee or hip replacement as an example, I use a cane, I can't walk far, I can't lift or carry a pram/pontoon/canoe very far etc. Also indicate the length of time you have been using Jenkins point and Cow Creek etc and launching at these spots. You can be as brief or as lengthy in your email as you see fit just let them know your view point. Don't be shy, don't be scared to send an email.
I have received an email response from both CHristopher Carlton and Keli Ward (we are in the process of setting up a day and time to talk/Zoom) and as I stated she has been delegated the assignment of researching this issue on behalf of the USFS and will in turn provide her findings to Christopher Carlton for I assume his final decision. Also make sure you email *both* CHristopher Carlton USFS Supervisor and Keli Ward USFS District Ranger.

I also would encourage anyone that in general cares about USFS access to make your voice heard even if these closures don't impact you directly such as if you are a float tuber or a power boater for instance. USFS has a bad lengthy pattern of closing off more and more access and areas and opportunities without regard for users this is the chance you get to voice your opinion and let them know your needs and why Jenkins and Cow Creek needs to remain open for use.
Also please feel free to pass along the below emails and phone contact information to anyone you think may have an interest in access at Davis Lake.

I think we have a chance here to stop the bleeding before it's too late.....

GOOD LUCK!!!!
GOOD FISHING!!!!

Here is USFS Plumas National Forest, Forest Supervisor Christopher Carlton email and phone number....
Christopher.Carlton@usda.gov
p:530-283-7810
c:530-927-7713

Keli Ward District Ranger, Beckwourth Ranger District, Plumas National Forest
Keli.Ward@usda.gov
p:530-836-7157

180 views as of 8/24 8:54 am!!!! That's a lot!. I hope all you flyfishermen/women are sending out those emails to the USFS on behalf of your fellow flyfishermen/women in need. Don't be shy!!!!!

I know it takes a few minutes of your time to type an email and click the send button but we need all your help and all the help we can get on this because your fellow flyfishermen/women are losing what little access remains for car toppers. Jenkin's/Cow Creek are vital launch areas that need to remain in use as they have been for the last 54 years.

Think of all those wonderful prizes you can win for the persons that send out the most emails and makes the most phone calls after we win this battle. Prams, pontoon boats, canoes, kayaks, rods, reels, flylines, float tubes, flyboxes, and the top prizes, the deadliest flies ever created for Davis AND guided flyfishing trips on Davis Lake with Tri Tip BBQ's and all the fixins, Beers too!........WOW!

So start typing and sending those emails and for the brave and courageous use that cell phone you carry around, put it to use for your fellow flyfishermen/women and make a call voicing your support.....leave USFS Keli Ward and Christopher Carlton a voice mail message. I've done it! It's really not that scary. You can do it! Give it a try......

Done. I hope it helps. Best of luck to us all!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by OceanSunfish

Done. I hope it helps. Best of luck to us all!

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THANK YOU!
Thank you for very much your effort.
Right now miraculously the USFS is actually listening to the lakes users and we have their ear regarding car topper launching access on Davis so the more people that respond to them all the better. They haven't cared about all the flyfishermen/women that choose to fish from small craft such as prams, canoes, kayaks, pontoon boats, rafts that fish the lake in favor of power boaters putting in parking lots and boats ramps for those users, which is great but they should leave a few spots for the other users car toppers and not close off the last sheltered safe west side launching spots like Jenkins and Cow Creek.

The more people that shoot them an email or leave a voice mail the better. I will be doing a zoom/phone conference call later this week with Kelli Ward USFS Plumas County District Ranger speaking directly regarding the issue. I will try and explain it to her on our behalf as best I can. Christopher Carlton USFS Forest Supervisor for Plumas County has directed her to take feedback I am assuming for him so that he/they can make a decision.

Now is the time to act for anyone willing to support your flyfishing community.
GOOD LUCK to all on this.
Once again....thanks for the effort, OceanSunfish!

A little heads up for people interested in the loss of launching access areas around Davis lake. I have a scheduled phone conference with the Plumas County USFS District Ranger this morning where we will be discussing the Jenkins closure and I will present our case. Hopefully they are actually interested in what we have to say and willing to consider our case. We shall see. All we can do is try.

So now is the time to make our voices heard. Don't be shy, scared, lazy to email or voicemail Kelli Ward District Ranger and Christopher Carlton Forest Supervisor. The more people that contacted them the better. If only one two people email or leave a voice message it makes it all the more easier to blow us off and close down the entire lake to car topping. The USFS Plumas COunty doesn't seem to understand the large user base of flyfishermen/women that choose to fish the lake from small craft. So support your fellow flyfishermen/women and flyfishing community and write a brief email or as long as you choose expressing your perspective or leave a voicemail on the need for launching areas for pram, raft, canoe, kayak, float tube etc users.

Done. The practical solution is to make a rock sided pathway to the lake where we can drive to the shoreline, launch our prams then park in a designated area.

Just got off the phone after a lengthy conversation with District Ranger Kelli Ward of the Plumas County USFS. I did my best advocating on behalf of all car top users of the access launching areas on Davis Lake that use Jenkins, COw Creek etc.

There is GOOD and BAD NEWS to report. I will try and give you a synopsis of the conversation and the points being brought up by both sides.
First of all their plan (the BAD NEWS) that has been in place and was being implemented (as you know the recent closure of Jenkins) is to close off all shoreline access to vehicles thereby eliminating all car topping at Davis Lake. Part of their reason as she stated is protecting the environment which I knew they she would try and argue but it is BS and doesn't hold water as the environment is being damaged by cows crapping and wizzing all around the lake trampling the shoreline, development of all kinds, pavement, parking lots, concrete boat ramps, vehicles backing into the lake washing off brake dust, axle grease, road grime into the lake etc. So parking on hard dirt by a car topper is far less damaging to the environment. So I made that point.

I stated that car toppers do not drive into the water whereas power boats on trailers back their vehicles into the lake with axle grease, brake dust, road grime from the vehicle, vehicle exhaust etc and asked why this isn't environmentally damaging? SO basically from my view point I have no issue from the USFS preventing idiots offroading or driving in environmentally sensitive areas but that can be accomplished with a few signs and hefty fines $1000 for driving in non designated areas and some strategically placed boulders that do not prevent users from getting to the end of a point Like Jenkins/Cow Creek. So preventing people from parking on dirt at Jenkins/Cow Creek etc is not an environmental issue at all in my opinion.
We also talked about access at Mosquito Slough and how that parking area has shrunk and Lightning Tree and how users were able to drive on hard packed dirt to launch at Lightning Tree to access Grizzly Arm and what can be done to create better access on the north east side of the lake for safe access to Grizzly arm.

On behalf of disabled persons/disabled veterans/myself and all car toppers I discussed the northside of Camp 5 one of my favorite launching spots which was closed off a few years ago with logs and boulders and why that was closed and if it was designated environmentally sensitive why would that area be designated environmentally sensitive while the rest of the point isn't and why can cows crap and destroy the shoreline 100 yards away? She had no answer and agreed and questioned the logic and expressed that she would research that further and see what could be done.
I asked why hundreds of heads of cattle are allowed to graze freely all around the lake but users can't park on hard dirt close to the shoreline? I brought up how the cows tear up the shoreline sinking into the mud leaving behind deep hoof prints, urinating leaving behind cow patties etc and why isn't this considered environmentally damaging to the lake shoreline? So all that right there pretty much blows a hole in that entire USFS argument.

Just to be clear, I am not against the cattle grazing around the lake. Just keep them out of the actually environmentally sensitive areas the creeks like Cow/Freeman/Grizzly creek (which Battling Bob Baiocchhi fought for) the rest of the shoreline as I see it isn't environmentally sensitive. The grazing has been going on for forever and I like my tri tip.
Also I am not against development and improvements such as paved roads, parking lots, concrete boat ramps etc....I just believe access should remain for all users and parking 20 feet from the shoreline in a designated area should not be closed off.

That's about the gist of it really. So the (GOOD NEWS) is they are currently reviewing the issues and contemplating what is going on. She (they....USFS) admittedly had no clue of the lakes use and car topper flyfishermen/women so I also explained that car top users need these areas to safely access fishing areas at different times of the year to get to where the hatches are going off and the fish are.

So basically I took away from the conversation that the USFS is willing to consider car top users and our needs. She is going to further research the issue and stated she will bring it up for review by USFS personnel and Christopher Carlton Forest supervisor and the powers that be.

Once again I want to emphasize that now is the time to make your voice heard while they are listening and we have their ear, before it's too late and car topping at Davis is gone for good.
Send an email.....make a call. In the time you type a post on here you could have written an email on behalf of yourself or your fellow flyfishermen/women and done something good for the flyfishing community.

GOOD LUCK to ALL!
GOOD FISHING!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Stu

Done. The practical solution is to make a rock sided pathway to the lake where we can drive to the shoreline, launch our prams then park in a designated area.

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THANK YOU very much for taking the time to contact the USFS regarding this issue. It really helps a lot. Now is the time to make our voices heard as they are listening and we have their ear and they are willing to research the issue and seem to be willing to make changes on behalf of car toppers. The more voices they hear and the more input they receive....all the better.

You are absolutely correct, I agree 100%. That is exactly what I am suggesting and advocating for boulders to prevent offroader idiots but preserve access to the end of the point and parking there. Kelli Ward seemed flexible and was willing to look into the issue and find a solution.

Please try and encourage others that you may know, friends perhaps that are interested in access issues to email (this is best, so they have a collection of emails from users) or voicemail Kelli Ward and Christopher Carlton. A quick short succinct email to both addresses will make a big difference.

THANKS AGAIN!
GOOD FISHING TO YOU!

I never heard back from Christopher Carlton.

Apparently Keli Ward was replaced. I received an email from her replacement, Rachel Bauer:

Thank you for your message. I just took over as acting District Ranger for the Beckwourth District and am getting up to speed on the issue. I will respond to your message in more detail shortly.

Thank you,



Forest Service Shield


Rachel Bauer
District Wildlife Biologist

Forest Service

Plumas National Forest, Beckwourth Ranger District

p: 530-836-7160
rachel.bauer@usda.gov

23 Mohawk Rd
Blairsden, CA 96103
www.fs.fed.us

I just received this email this morning. Fingers crossed. Stu


Hello Mr. Booth

Thank you for sharing your concerns regarding access to Lake Davis. I have attached USDA's non-discrimination statement which includes our agency's procedure for filing a discrimination complaint should you wish to utilize it. I want to let you know that the Plumas National forest is currently located within the Emergency Forest Closure- Regional Order No. 21-07 effective through September 17, 2021. Although Lake Davis is currently closed, I value your input and will bring it forward to leadership for consideration.

What you described in your email below is precisely what our recreation staff has been envisioning at Jenkins; and we will continue to explore options to preserve car top access at other locations around Lake Davis while maintaining visitor safety and minimizing natural resource damage. Due to an extremely challenging fire season on the Plumas, I do not anticipate discussions/planning efforts to continue until things slow down this winter. We appreciate your input and look forward to working on a solution.

Best,
Keli


Keli Ward
NEPA Planner
Forest Service
Plumas National Forest
Beckwourth Ranger District
p: 530-836-7157
keli.ward@usda.gov
PO Box 7, 23 Mohawk Rd
Blairsden, CA 96103
www.fs.fed.us

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