Boat Ramp Idea for the Sturgeon Challenge

[Tacklebuster]

This is just an idea so please add to it if you come up with something better.....

We got 40 something teams in this thing so let's all get together on this to ensure everyone a safe launching experience. My vote is for everyone to meet at the same ramp. Let's use Cathedral Park as an example becuase Sturgeon 42 lives in the local area and can give us the best report this afternoon. We all bring a shovel, maybe some salt, chains, that way we can make the ramp launchable if we have to. Safety in numbers guys, we can help each other out and even all pull out the first rig off the ramp if the conditions are too much.

Sturgeon bite anytime so we could all meet say around 8:30 or so. The tide isn't until 8:45 or so anyway.

Just a thought I had to ensure safety plus it also gives all of us an excuse to put some faces to the names.

[goodkarma]

I love it!

[anger management]

I am for it. I can buy a couple bags of rock salt.

[jet]

I am not fishing in the challenge. I might suggest the 42nd street ramp due to the lack of hills. I bet it might be plowed as it is the official ramp of the river patrol.

Maybe if I feel better I might try to get out

Jet~~~

[Kentucky Hog Hunter]

I'm Game....

I usually have a shovel in the truck anyway....

Lets hope Sturgeon42 brings a good report...

Your right Chris...allot of this will be gone today and a little sweat equity at the boat ramp can go a long way...

That big steep hill coming out of there up to St. Johns is what concerns me...

[jet]

I tell ya 42nd street will be the best bet.

jet~~~

[greenbuttskunk]

I too vote for 42nd ramp, less hills, sheriff is right there, a better bet maybe. I like the idea of all launching together to help each other out,
sounds like a solid plan.

[jet]

Drive time is quicker from the west side.

Jet~~~

[FallRiverGuy]

Since my ride is with with GBS I'll be there with my snow shovel and a bag of deicer.

[Kentucky Hog Hunter]

42nd street...

Isn't that the Glisan boat ramp ???

[Tacklebuster]

42cnd Street Ramp is fine with me if everyone wants to meet up there. From I-5 going towords Marine drive, how do you get to that ramp. I have never been there but will hit it in the morning with shovels and good arm strenght if that's what everyone else wants to do.

[Riverkeeper]

James Gleason. Thats the one.

EDIT> Take the exit that says Marine Drive East and take marine drive east to the ramp, its right at the down river edge of the airport.

[ 01-09-2004, 11:00 AM: Message edited by: Riverkeeper ]

[jet]

Tackle, I bet it will be cleared by the sheriff dept.

Jet~~~

[ 01-09-2004, 11:02 AM: Message edited by: jet ]

[No Wishin Just Fishin]

Marine drive is closed from 33rd to 181st dont know about tomorrow

[Miss B Haven]

TB- Try taking Marine drive East to 42nd street...can't miss it... D-OH! :grin:

[CATCH AND EAT]

Chris, check your cell voice message.

[Skipper]

Since there are at least 40+ boats, I would suggest that we use both Cathedral Park and James M. Gleason boat ramps, so we are not caught in a traffic jamb at the ramp and dock.

Cheerio'
Skipper

[ 01-09-2004, 11:20 AM: Message edited by: Skipper ]

[fishingfirst]

Is Marine drive open again? It was closed from 32nd on out??

Scott

[Pitch Pocket]

Is it ok to apply salt to the ramp? What about the salt/de-icer seeping into the water? It's already a superfund site!

[Freakwater]

I think you guys will regret trying to tow your boats on this washboard crap. I say postpone it until next Saturday. Your transoms will thank you.

[El-Kabong]

I thnk adding de-icer/salt to the columbia river is something that would be frowned upon. Doesn't feel like the right thing to do just so we can fish.

[Pitch Pocket]

Tides are upside down for next weekend. Better to make it two weeks if you postpone it.

[TheRogue]

Originally posted by El-Kabong:
I thnk adding de-icer/salt to the columbia river is something that would be frowned upon. Doesn't feel like the right thing to do just so we can fish.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">What he said!!

TR

[greenbuttskunk]

sure seems like de-icer is ok for the airport to use, and it's mighty close to the river. I've always wondered what they do. Sad to say, but I bet a ton of run off ends up in the river somehow.
Guess it's a mute point if marine drive is still closed. Yikes!

[Skipper]

I just was informed that Smily won't be able to get his boat out of his garage by Saturday, so we won't be going tomorrow.

Good luck to anyone who ventures out Sat. [img]graemlins/1zhelp.gif[/img]

Cheerio'
Skipper

[Riverkeeper]

GBS, we're working on getting the airport to keep their deicer OUT of the rivers

The more I think about fishing tomorrow, the worse it sounds. Even if some of us do fish, a lot of us won't, and most of us won't get to fish our favorite spots. Seems like a watered-down challenge at best. I would hate to hear a lot of teams whining that they only got skunked because they couldn't get out or couldn't get to their honey holes :grin:

Besides, I've got another two weeks worth of trash talk in me.

HE WHO SMELT IT

[FallRiverGuy]

At first I though that adding deicer to the ramp would be an environmetally bad idea. However, ODOT sprays tons of this stuff all over the roads. When it melts or rains the run off all gets in to the water system. A bag or two of deicer, which may not even be needed, is small potatos. Riverkeeper, do have any idea what affect Calcium Chloride has on the river.

[CATCH AND EAT]

Sturgeon Challenge Cancelled. Reschedualled for the 24th because there is still a BATON to hand out.

[WaterDog]

Thursday, April 17, 2003

De-icer containment system unveiled at PDX
By ERIK ROBINSON
The Vancouver (WA) Columbian


PORTLAND - By all accounts, glycol is great for melting ice from airplanes.

It's not so good for aquatic life, especially in the meandering slough
just to the south of Portland International Airport. On Wednesday, airport
managers showed off a new system designed to capture the chemical before it
causes environmental problems.

The complex system of pipes, pump houses and high-tech water-sampling
computers, will swing into action with the first autumn chill.

"It's going to protect the environment," said Susan Aha, water quality
manager for the port's aviation division. "That's why we spent $31 million.
It's a pretty amazing system."

In fact, Port of Portland authorities say it's the first of its kind in
the nation.

Designed to capture thousands of gallons of de-icing solution after
ground crews apply it to planes, the system has already won praise from the
coordinator of the Columbia Slough Watershed Council. It still has to pass
muster with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, which will
decide later this year whether the equipment adequately protects the
environment.

"We think the plan they've come up with is very effective," said Jay
Mower, watershed council coordinator. "Even though there's no salmon in the
upper slough, there's still a lot of wildlife and critters that live in the
water there."

Airlines typically use 40,000 to 60,000 gallons of glycol during the
winter, although mild weather this year cut usage to about 11,000 gallons.

Although the de-icing solution eventually breaks down in the
environment, it can dissolve life-giving oxygen in the meantime,
precipitating temporary dead zones in Columbia Slough.

Five years ago, the port purchased two vacuum trucks to suck some of the
solution off the tarmac before it ran to the slough as stormwater.

With 3,200 acres of airport to cover, the trucks couldn't possibly
capture all of the pollutants.

Now, an automated series of storm drains and pump houses typically will
divert the glycol-tainted stormwater to one of two destinations: a
2-million- gallon storage tank, or the city of Portland's sewer system. A
third destination will come into play on days when rainwater overwhelms the
capacity of the storage tank and sewer: a 13- million-gallon retention pond.

Sewage aerators will stir the reservoir in an effort to break down the
glycol before discharging the treated stormwater to the slough.

The port prefers to rarely use the retention pond.

On Wednesday, during an open house for neighbors and news media, a pair
of ducks settled into the plastic-lined reservoir. Because birds and
airplanes don't mix, airport spokesman Steve Johnson said, "We want to get
that water out of the pond and into the slough as quickly as possible."

Airlines calling on PDX, along with the Federal Aviation Administration,
financed the system.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">

[Sturgeon 42]

Don't give up on cathedral yet, The road down should be clear by this evening(the one behind the police shop) the ramp you could shovel two spots for your trailer wheels should be easy shoveling tomorrow.... :grin: :grin: :grin:

[Riverkeeper]

Waterdog, that's exactly what I was refering to. [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

Brian, I think we may have been talking apples and oranges. I imagine the stuff ODOT sprays is not glycol, the industrial aviation deicer. My bad.

[ 01-09-2004, 11:54 AM: Message edited by: Riverkeeper ]

[Ivana Fishalot]

I would be willing to break up the ice and shovel it aside. That is the safest way. I would go and do it today but because of the inclement weather I am working 24/7 for the next couple of weeks. That combined with school means life sucks and no fishing for a couple of weeks. (which happens to coincide with an excellent weekend to hunt a springer.

I really wish that a few would just go break it up. I personally just shoveled my entire driveway in an hour. (it is easily 50 feet long)

If I can't go fishing, I like to live vicariously through the exploits of those on this board. Let's see some gator pics! The crocodile hunter ain't got nothin' on us!

[grumman16]

Sturgeon42,

Just sent ya PM (in case you don't see this request). Plz post an update if you could on the condition of the ramp this evening. I saw Tilla's pics, but that's what my neighborhood roads looked like this morning too and they are quickly getting better as we speak.

I'm still hoping on fishing even if the challenge is called. If I don't hear an update on ifish towards the end of the day, then I'll probably drive and take a look see for myself - if I do I'll post what I find out.

-G16

[fishingfirst]

We will be there either way, besides launching will be easy, just make sure the boat is unhooked from the trailer! :grin:

Good luck tomorrow.
Scott

[wootersen]

WAIT !!!!

I did some recon on the 42nd street river patrol boat ramp. The whole parking lot is glazed over in a thick sheet of ice. There is a cold wind coming in and all of the ice that's melted yesterday is frozen over, resulting in a thicker sheet of ice. :shocked: :shocked:

I was lucky to get out of the parking lot without having to put the chains back on.

My understanding is that none of the ramps are gonna be launchable. I want to fish as much as the next guy, but in terms of safety, it just doesn't make sense.

If you insist on launching tomorrow, Please PM me with location and time. I will be on hand with video camera to record the whole thing. I'll split the prize money I win with you from America's Funniest Videos. :grin:

[Miss B Haven]

Calcium Chloride is the Stuff they use on roadways around here. Same stuff you put in tractor tires to keep them from freezing up.
Much less corrosive than Salt (Sodium Chloride). I don't believe it's too bad on the environment, certainly better on your vehicles.

Propylene Glycol (RV anti-freeze) is MUCH less toxic to the environment than Ethylene Glycol (Automotive anti-freeze).

At any rate- it doesn't do much dang good to spread any of these on top of existing ice. It's got to go down before the ice forms on the road or sidewalks to be effective.

[FallRiverGuy]

I use it all the time to melt ice. I think that is why it is called deicer and not aniticer. :grin: Not doubt it is more effective on roads as a preventative application.