Every Lake that belongs to the Corps has a group of Rangers assigned to it. Old Hickory will probably be the group of Rangers representing the Corps at the boat show, but it could be Priest.
These Rangers are charged with protecting the resources on the lakes, conservation biology, environmental protection, safety and boating safety awareness. They patrol the waterways constantly and I see them all the time out on Old Hickory, either on a boat or in vehicles driving around taking care of boat ramps, campgrounds, or providing PFD's to swimmers in the recreation areas.
On Old Hickory, where people own property on the shoreline, the Corps Rangers ensure the waterways are protected from careless homeowners who, while usually are good people, sometimes go beyond the boundaries of their property and cut trees or make changes to the shoreline that can affect erosion or put pollutants in the water.
They are US Army Corps Rangers, Federal Rangers, much like Forestry or the National Parks Service. They wera uniforms and are easily recognizable on the water.
They don't create policy and they don't sit at the highest echelons of power within the Corps of Engineers.
I speak to them all the time when I am on the water, whether it be Old Hickory, Priest, or even the Caney. The ones I have talked to are avid outdoors men and fishermen, and therefore have a vested interest in the projects they work at.
To be honest, I kind of envy that kind of job....to be on the water I love to spend my free time on as much as possible, and yet they get paid to do it.
I just don't think it's fair to take out frustrations about the damn restrictions, which I share completely with many in this forum, on the kind of people who probably don't even agree with those restrictions, but can't say or do anything about it.
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