Fishing Forum

[cool][#0000ff]I rarely watch Channel 4 news. But for some reason (Golf on Channel 2) I tuned in to the 5 PM newscast on that channel last night. I was pleasantly surprised to see a news story on the trash problem at Utah Lake. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff][url "http://www.abc4.com/content/news/slc/story/Utah-Lake-needs-a-cleanup/EPNDgMgX1kiQdhMZI-Wtqg.cspx"]LINK TO STORY AND VIDEO[/url][/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Not surprisingly they showed scenes from the area around the Knolls on Utah Lake...an area that I have made a lot of noise about my own self. They did not name the area but the background and the picture of the POSTED sign were clear evidence that the Knolls was the best example they could find of a trashed public area.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Just in case you don't want to follow the link or watch the video, here is a copy and paste of the writeup on the Channel 4 website. Nice work folks.[/#0000ff]
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Utah Lake needs a cleanup
Reported by: Jonelle Merrill
Email: [url "mailto:jmerrill@abc4.com"][#000000]jmerrill@abc4.com[/#000000][/url]
Last Update: 4/11 8:40 pm


UTAH COUNTY, Utah (ABC 4 News) - Utah Lake is a popular recreational spot in Utah, but it has also become a popular place to dump trash.

For years people have been going to Utah Lake for fishing, [url "#"]camping[/url], boating, and many other activities; but often times they forget to take their trash with them when they leave. Now, one Utah County Commissioner is trying to get people to cleanup their mess.

Commissioner Steven White said, "What we're talking about here is a little self respect. Self respect as a human being and self respect for public lands."

White says Utah Lake hasn't been getting any respect. "I had a farmer show me what people are doing to the lake and the public lands around it. I'm really concerned people are not caring enough about it to clean-up after they use the lake."

Utah's picturesque shoreline is now littered with visible shotgun shell's, shattered bottles, and trash. White calls it an embarrassment to Utah County. "It's sort of like the public dump out here," he said. "There's not a canyon or gully where people haven't dumped TV's, [url "#"]sofas[/url], or garbage."

First time visitors to Utah Lake are appalled by the mess, and those who use it regularly don't even seem to notice the damage they are doing.

With memorial weekend just around the corner, Commissioner White says now is the time to take action and clean-up the growing problem.

"If they would just pick up after themselves, Utah would be a much more beautiful place," said White.

White plans on creating a public service announcement explaining the importantance of keeping Utah Lake clean. In addition, he believes there is a need for volunteers to come help clean up the lake shores so everyone can enjoy it.
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thanks for the info. I am planning on taking a big bag of trash BAGS and my trash trailer, next time I go to the knolls. Joe
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I gotta go to South Dakota this weekend but will be back sometime Tue. I'll haul three volunteers with me Wed. or Thur. if I can get them & we can go pick up trash after the trash that left it. Ya wanna go, shoot me a PM.
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Hey Pat,

I was thinkin and maybe on the next floatilla to the knolls some of us BFT tubers and tooner types can clean up some trash and maybe have a fish fry or some thing to help that area out. Just a thought but it could be fun and could be an excuse to get out and fish and help the lake and meet fellow bft'ers
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[cool][#0000ff]Hey ol' buddy, good ideas. But the fact is that there are only a few slobs that leave trash. If only a few "normal" folks carried trash bags and cleaned up even a little bit each trip it would make a lot of difference.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]In the pics below it shows a typical situation when we go down there. There are several spots that get lots of traffic from the "offenders"...and those are usually the spots we like to park and launch. So, we carry plastic contractor bags and gloves and do a cleanup after we finish fishing. One spot at a time makes a difference.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]My comments remind me that I should make some suggestions. First, don't try to handle the trash with your bare hands. Some things are sharp or bacteria laden. Better to use gloves. Second, be careful about what you put in plastic bags and don't let them bump against you. Better to also carry a heavy canvas duffel bag for the sharp stuff and be careful even then.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I can tell you from past experience that it does little good to confront the perpetrators. A...they just don't care. B...they are often full of beer and testosterone...and there are usually several of them...and they are often armed. Better to avoid confrontation even if you are a big bad football player. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I do hope that more people become concerned and aware and that there might be more patrolling in the area to issue some tickets and/or run off the worst offenders. With tighter budgets it is unlikely that the sheriff's office can devote much more attention to the problem but increased public awareness might help. Gotta let the idiots know that the rest of us will no longer tolerate them treating our play areas like their personal trash dumps.[/#0000ff]
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I could put in a day or two out there doin' some clean up work. My problem is whataya do with the garbage when ya get it bagged up? Can't put it in my residential container and I do not have access to a land fill dump area. Any chance the Commish or someone could arrange for placement of a mega dumpster out there for a given time period? Otherwise it is a matter of a single bag or two every time I fish the area. Probably hard to keep the out-flow ahead of the trashers.

How about more anti-littering signs (yeah, I know they would probably just get shot up) and and more patrolling with a few littering fines.

Frustrating situation. Guess the bottom line is people who use the area need to respect it. If the trashing continues we will lose access to the area and rightly so. No one can blame a farmer or property owner for protecting his land. Really ticks me off to see people who have no regard for the trash they leave behind.

I'll help with clean up however/whenever I can.
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I drove down there Saturday evening and saw the news van driving out of that road. I was wondering what they were reporting on. I assumed someones body washed up.
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TD's recommendation of using gloves and heavy bags is an imperative. Our Service Corps class did a clean up along the road behind Geneva several years ago and they were not prepared for all the TOXIC material that they encountered. There were bags of material that would have been classified as toxic medical waste. To bad that we can't incinerate it on site rather than try and haul it out, much safer !!!

I agree it is the few that make it bad for the majority. If anyone knows any scout troops that need service hours give them a call and hand some bags to them.
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Sounds good. When we have gone most of the trash tends to be piled up, and others just simply add to the pile. It makes it easier for us to gather some and take it out. It would be easier yet if they would stop treating it like a garbage can without the can tho. This should raise awareness and make it better for all. I also think that some (not all) are only littering because it is already there.....if there were no trash, they may think twice....maybe.
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I wonder if the county would haul in some of those big dumpsters and then get the DWR to allow dedicated hunter hours for the clean up. Scout would do a good job too.
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It's getting pretty bad everywhere. All the places I used to go to at Newton are now posted No Trespassing because all the idiots who think they have the right to use other people's property as their dump/shooting range/party spot. Besides the garbage, people are just starting fires where ever they want. The Blacksmith Fork is pretty awful too. Too bad we can't dispose of these people like we do with the carp. [mad] Filthy vermin.
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"Too bad we can't dispose of these people like we do with the carp."

[cool][#0000ff]Well, we could always put a bounty on 'em. But an even better plan would be to make them a protected species...no hunting...no bag or possession limit. Then the poachers would get rid of all of them. Two wrongs make a right.[/#0000ff]
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Ha! Funny how that goes.[sly] You're dead on.
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Hey Pat, a big clean up party would be awesome. It might help to get some publicity for fishermen doing a good thing. If you guys get a fishing/clean up party going, let me know. I could bring out one of my trailers to load trash on. The closest dump would be the big county landfill, but I don't know if the public is welcome out there. I'll check into it. Maybe we can get a special use permit or something to haul straight into there.
I wonder if they timed this story to show how trashy people are. A perfect example of why landowners dont want fishermen on their property.
I can only help during the week. Never on weekends. I will be working every weekend until October or so.

Might be a real good opportunity for BFT to be shown as a conservation type organization.
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[cool][#0000ff]Thanks Bob. But I doubt that it will take a big cleanup party to help the cause. I already know of a couple of private (quiet) trips planned by guys with scouts or just other family members. That will do a lot to improve things...for a week or so. Contrary to what the news item might lead us to believe, there is really not a vast area inundated with knee deep trash. There are just a few "campsites" that chronically see lots of stuff left behind.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The good news is that there are more and more folks who make an effort to pick up the worst of it when THEY visit. If it were not for the efforts of a few responsible visitors the area would be far worse than it it.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]In fairness to the slobs...who leave plenty of garbage themselves...there is a lot of that stuff along the shorelines that blows in from all over the lake when the wind direction is right...or wrong. The Knolls does not have an exclusive on getting trash left behind. But, when someone litters the shore at Lincoln Beach...directly across the lake...the wind can and does take it over to the Knolls. Whenever I go tubing there I kick along the shoreline well past the fence line and there is always a "bloom" of new trash in the shoreline brush from the latest deposits by the wind. Sometimes the wind blows offshore and sends it back out to sea...to be redeposited somewhere. But, it all starts with people not cleaning up what they brought in.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]It would be cool to have a BFT trash party, and get some good publicity. But if there are just a few more folks who make an effort to stop the littering and pick up what is left by others we can keep it down to a manageable level.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Not much chance of getting someone to put a dumpster out there. One of the sheriffs got a good laugh out of that when I suggested it once. He said they have tried leaving 55 gallon barrels...labelled TRASH...but they get shot up or stolen as soon as they are put out.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Let's go fishin'.[/#0000ff]
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I was there Saturday. Still plenty of trash, was able to pick up 2 garbage bags, but still plenty around.
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Would it help there was a heavy fine on those caught littering?
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[cool][#0000ff]There are already anti-littering laws in place and fines can be significant.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The problem is not the laws...it is enforcement. Just not enough officers to patrol all areas where litter is a problem. Unless they catch violators in the act they cannot fine them. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]As I understand it all agencies...DNR, DWR and sheriff department can all issue citations. But, they are seldom around. A lot of the littering occurs "after hours", when officers are not on duty. Then, when anglers show up for the "early shift" they find tons of trash but nobody left to confront.[/#0000ff]
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Great start! If we all do that and are more watchful I think it will be a great place in only a short amount of time. The incresed patrols of the area, that I am sure will come as a result of the increse of public intrest, will also be a big aid.
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