TAHLEQUAH, Okla. — The Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA) and the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC) are ending their agreement which means float operators will no longer have access to the ODWC’s public access points.
On December 8th, float operators and resorts along the Illinois River received a letter letting them know of the changes.
The ODWC’s Director J.D. Strong said the three month timeline until the expiration date is flexible. He says he wants to find a way for both floats and fishers to coexist
Eagle Bluff Resort owner Austin Bennett said thousands of people come to float on the river every year, bringing in thousands in tourism dollars. He says there needs to be a compromise and to revisit this in the fall, but give commercial operators, GRDA, and ODWC the season to figure out the solutions, not three months.
Strong says the problem comes from the congestion of floaters causing access points to be blocked, leaving no room for fishers. He says fishers having access to these points are his priority.
All parties are meeting again next week to find a solution.