Project Green Spot

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Comment by Ellen Ley on November 6, 2008 at 9:02am

As a friend of the Wabash for the 21 years I lived in the Tippecanoe area, just hearing about the Mighty Wabash brings back all the majestic moments of just being on that river, how it can change in a heartbeat. Leave the rivers to be, as they have always been!

Comment by Jerry Hay on August 20, 2008 at 8:38am

I just got a trip report from Mr. Howard who visited the site during low water. It is as follows:
Just returned from another trip through the "New Wabash" on Sunday late afternoon. Did many depth measurements and took 125 new pictures. Lots of new surprises once the level dropped to its present depth. A lot of new sandbars plus a major shift of the deepest channel in the New River. A very large sandbar on the south side of Mackey helping to divert the current through the New River. This current has definitely cut new depths in the area with currents of approximately 5.5 knots and carrying lots of silt. Downstream of the mouth of the New River, on the older section of the original Wabash, an island nearly dams the River. Even if the Wabash drops another five feet during the late Summer, the New River will continue carrying a lot of the total flow. Looking at the present channel, one can visualize changes that will occur beginning with the next high water. There is even extensive damage to Wabash Island directly opposite the mouth of the Wabash River. These conditions may very well change a great deal of that portion of the Ohio River, especially the west bank(Illinois) downstream beyond Wabash Island. James Bickett has purchased the Wabash Island earlier this year and he will probably be watching the currents closely. His brother and nephews own the Illinois side opposite the Island. Pictures on a CD or DVD will be sent later.

Comment by Jerry Hay on August 18, 2008 at 4:24pm

UPDATE
I had an interesting conversation with one of the landowners today that was very helpful. Some of the land on the island already has a flood plain easement by the Federal Emergency Watershed Act and the owners are trying to get this for the entire property. There are some mineral rights issues that may make this difficult but it would be another way to preserve the land.

He also indicated that selling the land to a conservation group or the state is of interest. I am mailing letters to the other landowners that I have addresses for to get additional input. As mentioned earlier, the important first step is for the landowners to be willing to sell or in some way make the island a preserve. At this point it would seem to be the case, but I will post more when I hear from other owners.

Comment by Jim Moers on August 9, 2008 at 3:15pm

I talked with Mike and he sent me this response:
Yes. I have a farm there that I put into a perpetual easement with the DNR about 12 years ago. I have planted 24000 trees on it. I lease it for hunting, but apart from that I just gave it back to the earth.

Comment by Jerry Hay on August 8, 2008 at 10:18am

Jim, Contacting the owners is in the works. In a new development, I was contacted by Professor Bruce Rhoads, head of the Dept of Geology at the University of Illinois. They are very interested in the dynamics of the cut-off and have applied for a grant from the National Science Foundation to make a study of the area. The USGS Water Science Center will also be involved with this project. They will be visiting the site next week to do some recon work. Though this project has no direct impact on the issues that we are interested in regarding the future of the island, I think this is important from the standpoint of public awareness. Many people do not understand the significance of the cut-off and new island. I will collaborate with them to the extent of our sharing information. The more we know about the morphodynamics of this site, the better position we will be in to understand what may be in the future for this land.

Comment by Jim Moers on August 7, 2008 at 3:40pm

Point Island is a great name. Solid ownership from the Nature Conservancy is probably a doable thing but they have lots of rules. And of course the farmer would have to be into selling.
Does any one know them? Or have they been approached or contacted about this project.

Comment by Jerry Hay on August 5, 2008 at 11:35am

If you zoom in on most of those images of cut-offs you will see that there is still water in the oxbows. I don't know when the cut-off formed called Ribeye Island across from New Harmony but the painting shown of it was done by Karl Bodmer in 1883. The Island filled in at both ends of the cut-off but the oxbow still has water in it and still looks a lot like it did in this painting, at least in the oxbow itself. The island eventually became accessible where the old bend filled in and is now farmed. It would be wonderful to protect this new island so that the entire area could "green up"

Comment by Eric Stallsmith on July 31, 2008 at 12:55am

Check out how many times the river has changed course down there over the years.

lower wabash river map

Comment by Jerry Hay on July 30, 2008 at 2:21pm

There are several owners of the property. I have a list of seven so far. These owners will be contacted for their input and interest in the project. Their desire to sell the property is obviously very important and contacting them must be the first thing to do. The old channel may take many years to fill in, or it may never. The fact that it is an island, an not accessible by road, is what makes it an attractive site for a reserve. If the old channel does fill in, a reserve to protect the land would already be in place.

Comment by Ron James on July 30, 2008 at 12:19pm

Having viewed the area & considering all the potentials (most of which, for viability, require a long wait till the ultimate ox bow fills in), a green reserve makes the most sense. Point Island sounds good (Collier Island having already been taken on the Wabash up where it turns the corner and heads south). What does the current owner wish to call it?

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