Kents private wwpotter archive : The dreaded ramp near Fort Dupont

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The ramp that Bill is talking about is an example of a collosal failure, =
by design, of failing to take into account the numerous forces in play =
at this location. Because of the sometimes opposing current flow off =
this ramp and the nature of the tide there, this ramp is condemned to be =
a silty mess. I remember when this site was being renovated to be added =
as a new park to the Parks & Rec structure of DNREC that there was an =
outcry by experienced boaters in the area as well as some =
environmentalists that the ramp would have horrific sludging problems =
and a negative environmental impact, respectively. =20

Bill has already commented on the silting problem, which will not go =
away. It will be a continual process of maintaining the ramp unless the =
state installs the same "silt buffers" out in the water that they did to =
a ramp down here in lower DE, which is supposed to alter the way the =
current plays around the entrance to the ramp, changing the pattern of =
silt buildup. We've seen only marginal effectiveness with this.

The other thing that will happen at the ramp Bill mentioned (because it =
has already happened down here) is that the silt will become an oily, =
stinking, globule-like mess that will rise to the surface now and again =
in these vile smelly blobs, coating the shoreline. It is beyond nasty.

Cheers to the state of DE for thinking this one through! The location =
of this ramp makes about as much sense as the state's plan from a few =
years ago to place a solid causeway between the mainland and Burton's =
Island between Rehoboth & Indian River bays.. What that did was severely =
restrict the tidal flow & flush to Rehoboth Bay, severely silting it up =
and nearly killing the bay with powerful algae blooms and pockets of =
stagnant water.. (This situation was partially reversed and the bay is =
much better.) This ramp idea also makes as much sense as what the state =
of DE did 2 years ago when they decided that the ongoing problem with =
sea-lettuce (growing out of control in Rehoboth and Indian River bays, =
especially Indian River bay) was not a problem at all and they no longer =
had to get out there and harvest these plants every day or every few =
days.. They let it go for nearly an entire summer and the end result =
was an 8 sq. mile patch of Indian River bay that was completely =
decimated, all dead, NOTHING alive in the water. This situation has =
reversed itself as far as the state now maintains the harvesting, but =
the bay has not yet recovered from this stupidity of two years ago..

--Lars S. Mulford, President
East Coast Potter Association (ECPA)
Come see us at http://members.tripod.com/~SpeedSailor
"Forgive, and live. Life is worth the challenge of living." --lssm
"Love is good, love hurts, love sustains, love remains." --lssm

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The ramp that Bill is talking about is an example of = a=20 collosal failure, by design, of failing to take into account the = numerous forces=20 in play at this location. Because of the sometimes opposing = current flow=20 off this ramp and the nature of the tide there, this ramp is condemned = to be a=20 silty mess. I remember when this site was being renovated to be = added as a=20 new park to the Parks & Rec structure of DNREC that there was an = outcry by=20 experienced boaters in the area as well as some environmentalists that = the ramp=20 would have horrific sludging problems and a negative environmental = impact,=20 respectively.

Bill has already commented on the silting problem, = which will=20 not go away. It will be a continual process of maintaining the = ramp unless=20 the state installs the same "silt buffers" out in the water = that they=20 did to a ramp down here in lower DE, which is supposed to alter the way = the=20 current plays around the entrance to the ramp, changing the pattern of = silt=20 buildup. We've seen only marginal effectiveness with = this.

The other thing that will happen at the ramp Bill = mentioned=20 (because it has already happened down here) is that the silt will become = an=20 oily, stinking, globule-like mess that will rise to the surface now and = again in=20 these vile smelly blobs, coating the shoreline. It is beyond=20 nasty.

Cheers to the state of DE for thinking this one = through! =20 The location of this ramp makes about as much sense as the state's plan = from a=20 few years ago to place a solid causeway between the mainland and = Burton's Island=20 between Rehoboth & Indian River bays.. What that did was severely = restrict=20 the tidal flow & flush to Rehoboth Bay, severely silting it up and = nearly=20 killing the bay with powerful algae blooms and pockets of stagnant = water.. =20 (This situation was partially reversed and the bay is much = better.) This=20 ramp idea also makes as much sense as what the state of DE did 2 years = ago when=20 they decided that the ongoing problem with sea-lettuce (growing out of = control=20 in Rehoboth and Indian River bays, especially Indian River bay) was not = a=20 problem at all and they no longer had to get out there and harvest these = plants=20 every day or every few days.. They let it go for nearly an entire = summer=20 and the end result was an 8 sq. mile patch of Indian River bay that was=20 completely decimated, all dead, NOTHING alive in the water. This = situation=20 has reversed itself as far as the state now maintains the harvesting, = but the=20 bay has not yet recovered from this stupidity of two years = ago..

--Lars S. Mulford, = President
East=20 Coast Potter Association (ECPA)
Come see us at http://members.tripod.com= /~SpeedSailor
=20 "Forgive, and live. Life is worth the challenge of=20 living." --lssm
"Love is good, love hurts, = love=20 sustains, love remains." --lssm