I attended the Texas Committee on Water Use meeting yesterday (see http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=32655) and one of the invited testimony on the issue of restricting 4x4 use in riverbeds was a Sierra Club rep. Well he goes on and on doing his spiel about how we should be banned from the sensitive riverbed areas when Senator Bivens asks him "Do you think OHV vehicles are a legitimate recreational activity?" SC's response was "Yes they are a legitimate activity in the right enviroment" I was like wow! Did he just say that? :) Bivens went on to ask him what enviroment exactly did the Sierra club feel was less sensitive then others? :) It really was quite amusing..he had this guy all twisted up in his words.

It seems like it's going to be quite a fight on our hands here in Texas. I think our greatest hope is that, again as pointed out by Bivens, if they pass legislation banning people from riverbeds they need to appropiate $$$ for law enforcement, and there ain't no money

Watch out for 'em. They'll likely try to copy the Natural Streams Act that Missouri passed in 1993. Essentially, it is not only illegal to drive in riverbeds, it's illegal to CROSS them unless a "legitimate" road extends on both sides of the river.

TEX

Iowa code 462A.34A pretty much states the same thing.

That is pretty much the fight we are in in Texas right now. Pretty much the only public land that exists here is the riverbeds. We have been relying on a 100+ year old law that states navigable waterways are open to any vehicles to go wheeling in the beds. That is now under fire from private landowners along the rivers.

Just to clarify, the rivers we wheel on have a large rock/gravel roiverbed of up to 1/4 mile, other then floods only a small portiuon is wet

I just joined United Four Wheel Drive Associations yesterday, you should do the same.

This is compounded if the river supplies any water purification facilities.

Mark Twain said it best, "Whiskey is for drinkin', water is for fightin'."

What is the environmentalists (or anyone else for that matter)problem with driving in riverbeds. You can't erode or deface the bottom of a river, can you? I suppose there is the problem of oil or fuel spillage but that is nothing compared to what happens every time it rains. Rain water washes off of greasy streets and into the rivers and the effect is negligable. The lack of common sense of these people frightens me.

Flexo... I believe the issue that they raise is the sediment that is stirred up and washed downstream to other bodies of water...supposably affects algea growth and other things....

BULLSHIT!!!

That is such bullshit. Species are gonna die, become extinct, whatever! Billions of species have become extinct in natural disasters throughout time...

Also, I dont care if we routed major highways throuhg streambeds, it wouldnt make any impact 1/1,000,000 of the impact that one factory has on waterways...

I HATE THOSE FUCKERS!!!

One thing that really burns my ass, is that, its socialy acceptable to for some past times to exploit our natural resources, but, we are labeled as the "The Blight of the Planet" if we go Off Road for a little adventure and relaxation.
I find it hard to believe how it is environmemntaly acceptable to drain the Colorado River to the point that it no longer flows to the Sea of Cortez, so that they can irrigate millions of acres of Golf Courses, in every millionair back yard from Las vegas to Palm Springs. The Golf Courses(in most cases) completely, displace every native Flora and fawna species, re route water flows and water shed, and bring permanent utilities, and roadways to every area where they are established. Golf Courses probably tax our resources, and lands, on a "per person" use, more than any other recreation on the planet. And Golfers still complain if they have to share their course to the point that they have to wait a few minutes on the T. And all so a few guys can do the same thing we like to do, "get away, meet with friends and relax.
But then again, how many Yuppie Lawyers spend their free time, piuffin stogies, and bringing down their handicap, while discussing the next environmental abuser they should attack, as compared to, the ones hopping in their rigs for a cruise through the Box.
This countries, brainwashed perception of acceptable land and resource, allocation is all fucked up! :mad3:

Originally posted by Nate C
I just joined United Four Wheel Drive Associations yesterday, you should do the same.

Yep...my club just joined Southwest Four Wheel Drive Assoc (SWFWDA) which gets us membership in UFWDA. I need to see if Blue Ribbon is aware of this issue, seems like they would want to get involved.

H8monday I agree with everything you said. Half of this meeting was for the water allocation process. It was just great hearing about voluntary enforcement and that the state only knows about violations if the water grant user reports himself :rolleyes: That and water grant owners from 100 years ago can now sell their agricultural grants to developments and cities is just BS!