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Duke Lake marks its fifth year of being dry
That's right, five years.
That's one anniversary that we won't celebrate.
At the current rate at which things are moving forward with the rebuilding of the dam , it may be another five years before that lake is open for public use again.
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DCNR has filed a lawsuit against Consol seeking $58 million, but has denied a number of requests, including those of this newspaper, to view its report. Because of that, at this time, we are forced to accept DCNR's word that Bailey Mine was responsible.
It does, however, make you wonder exactly what the DCNR is afraid the public will find when/if the reports are ever released.
Consol has, of course, disagreed with that assessment and has appealed the decision to the state Environmental Hearing Board.
The losers in this high-stakes game of political posturing continue to be local taxpayers and outdoors enthusiasts. While the future of Duke Lake is haggled about in court, the weeds continue to grow in what was once a lake bed.
And, not surprisingly, every month that goes by without a resolution to what actually occured at Duke Lake, the more the price tag to fix it goes up.
• While late July and August aren't exactly known as great times to go fishing, word has it that smallmouth bass fishing has been very good in the Youghiogheny River of late.
In addition, anglers are also catching an occasional trout in the river, while the tailrace is, as always, still producing trout.
If it is trout you seek, Dunlap Lake just west of Uniontown continues to produce.
Minnows and night crawlers continue to get good results on the Monongahela River. The locks and dams have been good spots for catfish, walleye, sauger and different varieties of bass.
Outdoors Editor F. Dale Lolley can be reached at dlolley@observer-reporter.com
Dryerson Station State Park : 7/25/2010
It is my opinion that the truth, if it ever comes out will reveal two things. First, that longwall mining did in fact cause the damage to the dam. Second, that there was absolutely no reason to drain Duke Lake. As Mr. Lolley so aptly states it is a high stakes game of political posturing. It is my opinion that DCNR wanted both a new building (which Consol provded) at the park and the lake dredged as well so long as someone else was paying. Wouldn't it make for interesting reading and discussion if it were revealed that there was no reason whatsoever to drain Duke Lake? In a few more years someone could lay the park out in contour and plant corn at least there would be something to look at besides weeds.
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