GRIZ BEAR COMMENTS: Trash left at lake is simply shameful

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

— Siloam Springs City Lake was beautiful last Wednesday morning, as it is, no doubt, almost every morning.

Steam was rising from the waters, and a group of cormorants had just landed in the water and was swimming - likely fishing - in the middle of the lake, partially hidden by the rising steam. Fish were jumping, creating audible splashes and sending out ripples across the otherwise glassy waters.

The trees along the shoreline were showing tints of yellow and red - a sure sign the full autumn colors will soon be in display aroundthe glassy waters of the lake which reflect the beautiful fall colors with an almost perfect mirror image.

While I usually drive by, admiring the scenery and wildlife as I go, on Wednesday I stopped to take a few photos and look a little closer - I do sometimes when I’m alone, just because I like to admire the beauty of the place. Even though there are often people at the lake and fishing boats on the water, it's a good place to watch wildlife. In addition to cormorants, ducks and geese, I’ve seen eagles there, trumpeter swans, deer and plenty of turtles. On Wednesday, Iwatched a family of cardinals in the scrubby growth on the northwest side of the lake, making me wish I had planned ahead and brought along a good telephoto lens.

Though I enjoyed my brief stop, one thing that disappoints me every time I stop there is the trash almost everywhere. It’s such a beautiful place; but it ranks up there at the top for trashiest, too. It wasn’t just the occasional fishing line and bait containers, not just bobbers caught in the tree branches, but pop and water bottles and cans, food containers and wrappers, tires and about every other kind of trash one could imagine. Some of it was in piles, indicating not just littering but dumping of trash.

First of all, it is an absolute shame that so many who use the lake for fishing or recreation have such little respect for such a beautifulplace. It makes no sense to me that anyone who goes there to fish or have a picnic would destroy the beauty of the place by dumping their garbage there.

Secondly, I wonder, since it is a city-owned lake, why no one cleans up the mess left behind by the trashy folks who abuse the place. The picture doesn’t reflect well on the city with its name attached to the property name.

Now, I realize also that the burden shouldn’t always have to fall on government, and I wish I had planned ahead enough to bring some trash bags so I could have left the place a little cleaner than when I arrived. I think, since I don’t stoop to the ground and get back up again so well anymore, I need to get a cane and affix a nail in the bottom of it to help me pick up trash without blowing out one of my well-worn knees.

I might also suggest, if one of these groups would be willing to help, that a local 4-H group, scouting group, or other, adopt the City Lake and make regular visits there to help clean it up and keep it that way. It’s too beautiful of a place to let it become a trash dump.

Since the police and sheriff’s department can’t patrol it all the time, it might be helpful if other people who use the lake or drive by the lake would be willing to step up and turn in and testify against those who dump there or leave behind their trash and garbage. Perhaps, the irresponsible might become a little more responsible if there were hefty fines and cleanup duties assigned to them for their misdeeds.

With colder weather on the horizon and brilliant fall colors not far into the future, I expect the Siloam City Lake will become evenmore beautiful in the mornings, with even more steam rising from the waters and even more migrating waterfowl arriving for a stopover or to winter. I expect I’ll be stopping again, as well, with camera in hand and binoculars to watch the wildlife, and, yes, a trash bag or two. And if I see someone littering or dumping across the lake, I just might take their picture and turn them in or publish what they’re doing in the paper.

Though not usually as bad, a similar situation sometimes occurs at Crystal Lake in Decatur and at the public fishing area and boat dock on SWEPCO Lake. There are plenty of beautiful places to adopt and keep clean.

Randy Moll is the managing editor of the Westside Eagle Observer. He may be reached by email at rmoll@ nwaonline.com.

Opinion, Pages 6 on 10/17/2012