# Foster ramp at Meldahl



## 7thcorpsFA (Mar 6, 2010)

Anybody know what has to be done to get the state or whoever to clean the ramp at Meldahl? The last time I launched before the water came up the ramp was 8" deep in mud. Without 4 wheel drive it would have been impossible. The ramp across the river at Neville was clean as a pin. My boat,trailer and clothes were caked with mud. Others who wanted to launch turned around and left. This has been a problem for as long as I can remember. The Augusta ramp costs me half a tank of boat gas and a long wait getting through the dam. Locust Cr. and Snag Cr. are to tight and nasty for my rig.


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

isnt the Foster Ramp on the Ky side??if so, is it actually maintained as a state ramp? if so, I am guessing that there is a crew in the area that hads to clean several ramps and or other high water duties and if you can just find out who maintains it, get a phone number and use that tool to hound as a squeeky wheel to see if you can get it cleaned up, or better yet, tell the guy youll meet him there and help him. thats should help, or better yet, tell him if he will clean it up, youll take him out fishing...
I know the Neville ramp is an official Ohio public access ramp so its maintained by DNR ( or someone locally doing it for them) so that may help with it being cleaned fairly early int he lowering water process. 

Good luck in your quest Grasshopper...

Salmonid


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## 7thcorpsFA (Mar 6, 2010)

Salmonid said:


> isnt the Foster Ramp on the Ky side??if so, is it actually maintained as a state ramp? if so, I am guessing that there is a crew in the area that hads to clean several ramps and or other high water duties and if you can just find out who maintains it, get a phone number and use that tool to hound as a squeeky wheel to see if you can get it cleaned up, or better yet, tell the guy youll meet him there and help him. thats should help, or better yet, tell him if he will clean it up, youll take him out fishing...
> I know the Neville ramp is an official Ohio public access ramp so its maintained by DNR ( or someone locally doing it for them) so that may help with it being cleaned fairly early int he lowering water process.
> 
> Good luck in your quest Grasshopper...
> ...


Yes it is on the KY. side and you guys are lucky to have your ramps maintained. I have been launching at foster for over 30 years and see this mess over and over again. I just sent an e-mail to the state complaining about this. Also there is nothing to even tie my boat to when parking my truck. We are also routinely intimidated by biker want to be's that are fishing on the ramp and don't want to move over so we can launch. I feel I must be armed to protect myself. This is a sorry excuse for a ramp and the least they can do is to clean it off in a timely manner. You Ohio guys have a good thing going and it is a shame us KY. people have to put up with this stuff. I don't expect anything to change because it's been this way for as long as I can remember. But I will scream bloody murder and be a thorn in somebodies backside from now on.


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## BMustang (Jul 27, 2004)

I've always thought the Foster ramp was maintained by the Corps of Engineers. I certainly could be wrorg.

As stated, it's simply not maintained at all.

I too utilize the Foster ramp whenever I can. There are sometimes major potholes in it, and until a local cleans it off, it is virtually inexcessible.

The parking lot at the dam itself is a disaster. In addition to being filthy, potholed, with mud-sludge areas and broken glass, it is unpatrolled and, like at Foster ramp, you never know what kind of encounters you may run into.

Meldahl has the potential to be a nice recreation area, but instead of maintaining it and patrolling it, they simply shut down access areas that we used to us to fish the sandbar, etc., and it's every man for himself.

Detracts greatly from the pleasure of fishing there.


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## Karp (Jan 3, 2010)

7thcorpsFA said:


> Anybody know what has to be done to get the state or whoever to clean the ramp at Meldahl? The last time I launched before the water came up the ramp was 8" deep in mud. Without 4 wheel drive it would have been impossible. The ramp across the river at Neville was clean as a pin. My boat,trailer and clothes were caked with mud. Others who wanted to launch turned around and left. This has been a problem for as long as I can remember. The Augusta ramp costs me half a tank of boat gas and a long wait getting through the dam. Locust Cr. and Snag Cr. are to tight and nasty for my rig.


Be sure to bend your knees.


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## 7thcorpsFA (Mar 6, 2010)

Karp said:


> Be sure to bend your knees.


Oh,my back! That would my old hide in the horsepistol!


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## 7thcorpsFA (Mar 6, 2010)

Just got an E-mail from the KDFWR in response to my complaint about the Foster KY. ramp at Meldahl. He said they had an agreement with the city of Foster to clean the ramp but the city of Foster basically doesn't exist anymore, so they are trying to get an agreement with Bracken Co. officials to take over the duties. He said the enginneers from the state were very busy now but had cleaned the ramp this morning. A squeaky wheel got some grease today. Lets stay on them with E-mails and maybe we wont have to put up with this much longer. Thanks KDFWR.


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## Aquamac (Jan 14, 2010)

BMustang said:


> I've always thought the Foster ramp was maintained by the Corps of Engineers. I certainly could be wrorg.
> 
> As stated, it's simply not maintained at all.
> 
> ...


From what I understand the days of going to Meldahl will soon be over. What I've been told is that a Hydro Electric plant is being built on the KY side to send power to Hamilton, OH


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## BMustang (Jul 27, 2004)

Aquamac said:


> From what I understand the days of going to Meldahl will soon be over. What I've been told is that a Hydro Electric plant is being built on the KY side to send power to Hamilton, OH


We've been hearing this for quite a few years now.

IF they follow thru with their power plant plans, I would think that they would build a fishing access area similar to that at Greenup Dam, who also sent their power to Hamilton, Ohio.


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## cadyshac (Dec 9, 2005)

Apparently there was something on one of the local news channels recently about the hydro at Meldahl so I assume it is moving forward??


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## kyjake (Nov 21, 2007)

Fished Greenup before the hydro and still fish it years after it was put in and can't see that the fishing has changed much except that there seems to be a lot more hybrids and walleye now which might be from better stocking programs and the river being much cleaner than it was in the 1960's and 70's.
They are now starting construction of a facility for the Ohio division of water at Greenup but can't find out exactly what it will be or how it might effect fishing.
Jake


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