Daryl Lies: Beware the Dreaded Land Carp
t112709 --- submitted photo --- CARP1128c1 --- Heidi Kueller, LaCrosse FRO, dodges flying carp during the Asian Carp assessment on the Illinois River.- FWS photo
Important legislation that was introduced this legislative session has been passed by both chambers and now goes to the governor’s desk for signature. That’s House Bill 1390 dealing with water management, and more specifically, dealing with the management of water through subsurface structures.
This means we’re going to have reduced overland flooding, we’re going to have reduced soils moving, and therefore reduced nutrients moving in times of major rain events.
At NDFB we have policy, we have several policies, in fact, that relate to water management and the use of tile. And one of them that we have, I quote: “We encourage state, counties and townships to help and not hinder field tiling since it helps reduce topsoil erosion and reduces runoff water, thus improving the overall quality of water going down our streams.”
[mks_pullquote align=”right” width=”300″ size=”24″ bg_color=”#ffffff” txt_color=”#000000″]I’ve never seen a carp crawl through the dirt.[/mks_pullquote]
Unquote.
When water rushes across the top of the landscape, you have erosion. You’re moving things that you don’t want to move from one area to the next. You’re moving invasive species from one area to the next.
Oh. Oh. Wait a minute.
According to the Ducks Unlimited, drain tile that is several feet below the ground, of which water has to filter through the soil before it reaches the tile and goes out the tile outlet, they have a different take on this.
In fact, quoting out of the white paper they put together in opposition to House Bill 1390: “Invasive fish species, such as the common carp, entering the system via the tile outlet, thereby reducing the value of individual’s personal property.”
They’re talking about folks living downstream on a lake.
I’ve never seen a carp crawl through the dirt. So, I’m not sure how they’re going to get into the tile outlet to go downstream and affect the property of a lake home, but I have seen those same fish move when overland flooding occurs.
Well, Ducks Unlimited. I’m calling you out. I want to know where these badger-clawed carp exist that are going to dig into the soil and enter our drain tile.
This, folks, is the wackiness of the extreme environmental movement. I guess, for right now, until I hear clarification, we’ll put the Ducks Unlimited in that category.
The good news is folks, we’re hearing that the governor is planning to sign House Bill 1390, which allows the improvement of soil health. And that’s a good thing.
