Links for canoeing and fishing

Here is another addition. A couple of links with good information on canoeing and fishing in Missouri. The River Water Level provides real time data on stream flow throughout the state. Great information as many rivers become difficult to float during the dry summer months, or extremely dangerous during flash floods. My friend Josh and I once attempted canoeing Swan Creek, near Forsyth, MO, while it was at flood stage. I would not recomend this, and after several long portages and a cell phone call to my brother at the first low water bridge we left the river with a much greater appreciation for the force of water.

One of the rivers with the most consistent flow, yet one of the least travelled rivers, is the Eleven Point. This river has a constant flow from Greer Spring, one of the largest springs in the country, and has excellent trout fishing. I've attached a link to the only outfitter within walking distance to the Eleven Point. It is one of the original National Wild and Scenic Rivers designated in 1968.

The plan is to add some more links on Ozark rivers soon. Unfortunately, a take-home exam in Federal Income Tax is consuming most of my time.

River Links

I have a added some links to the site. These informative links are intended to represent the broad array of actors required to promote the beneficial management of river resources. While complete by no means, this list should include groups, which working together are representative of what might be referred to as horizontal cooperation. This includes government, academics, non-profit organizations, industry, and individuals.

In addition, to effectively protect rivers as a natural resource, and to promote rivers as a source of sustainable economic development, vertical cooperation amongst government entities is also beneficial. This involves local municipalities and watershed communities taking advantage of the expertise and resources available at the state and federal level.

These links, thus far, focus primarily on Iowa's rivers, as this is where I currently reside, and my research has shared this focus. However, I plan to expand the information available to include efforts in the Ozark Highlands regarding conservation and promotion of this region's river resources. It is important to note that problems, solutions, and opportunities will differ in various regions and that approaches must be tailored based on the geography, geology, changing industrial and demographic demands, as well as societal values and expectations.

My first tangent

I begin with a tangent but an important one - an introduction to my fiance, Nicole Schmidt. Nikki is originally from Dubuque, Iowa, a thriving historic town located on the Father of Waters, the Mississippi River. Both of us are presently living in Des Moines and studying law at Drake University.

Here the two of us are exiting our canoe after a short float on the North Fork River in the Ozarks of southern Missouri, where I grew up. My name is Ed Cox.