- CLEAR - lists.frackcheckwv.net

Letter to the editor — Special places need funding
by Duane Nichols via CLEAR 09 Sep '18

09 Sep '18

Letter to the editor — Special places need funding To the editor: Preston County News & Journal, Kingwood, WV As the executive director of the Preston County Parks and Recreation Commission and someone who moved to West Virginia 10 years ago because she fell head-over-heels for the captivating public land, parks, rivers, rocks and trails in West By God Virginia, I ask our congressional delegation to support to sustain and fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund. LWCF has been a tool to continue transforming human communities by protecting the wild, ecological communities. If the LWCF expires Sept. 30, West Virginia would lose access to an incredible resource that capitalizes on our irreplaceable, uncontainable landscapes. The places most precious to me have all been (and others, hopefully, will be) protected by LWCF: The Cheat Canyon, Canaan Valley/Dolly Sods and other areas of the Mon, New River Gorge, public parks in Preston County and Morgantown area, Twin Falls State Park in Wyoming County and countless other places I’ve enjoyed and cherished. The LWCF has invested hundreds of millions in West Virginia. Last I checked, those investments have paid off many fold in terms of tourism revenue, not to mention the jobs created by the outdoor industry. Until recently, I had no idea that so much of the public land in West Virginia that I enjoy and cherish has been funded by the Land and Water Conservation Fund. I have pursued a career that depends on the funding and protection of public lands because I believe not only do such places foster a more vigorous economy, but they facilitate the health and happiness of families and communities. These are the places that shape us and provide pivot points that anchor and compel us to share memories and skills with each other generation after generation. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito and Sen. Joe Manchin have both made strong statements of support for LWCF. I implore them to do what it takes to reauthorize and fully fund the LWCF. Emily Carlson, Arthurdale

1 0

Paddling in the Yough, Mon or Cheat is Down Right Fun
by Duane Nichols via CLEAR 26 Aug '18

26 Aug '18

Photo: Kayakers enter the Yough River at Connellsville, PA Club Hub: Good 2 Row club enjoys area waterways By Frances Borsodi Zajac, Uniontown Herald-Standard,August 26, 2018 The weather proved perfect — warm and sunny — as the Good 2 Row Kayak and Float Club headed onto the Youghiogheny River in Connellsville. Members and guests of all ages — including a dog named Piper — climbed into kayaks and floats — even a pink flamingo! They entered the water together at Yough River Park and then took off on a relaxing day trip to Dawson, stopping along the way for a riverside lunch. Shouts and laughter rang out over the water as Good 2 Row headed out on what would prove to be a very good day. “We’ll be traveling west to Dawson. It’s a five-mile trip on the Yough River. It’s a lazy river here — light-flowing and very relaxing,’’ said Tomi Kirk of Point Marion, club president, as members prepared for the trip. Good 2 Row was organized in the Point Marion area by a group of friends in the fall of 2016 and began hosting events in spring 2017. “We have really grown since we started our club that brings a lot of people out into nature,’’ said Kirk. “We like to teach people about our waterways, about the environment and just have a lot of fun with it.’’ “Our mission is to get families in the area out on the water and explore the natural beauty of Fayette County and the Laurel Highlands,’’ said Travis Bernard Simpson-Hunt, vice president and a former Point Marion resident who lives in Pittsburgh. Kirk said Good 2 Row wants to “encourage people and families to get together, socialize, get out from in front of the screens and enjoy nature. There’s a lot of rich history along our waterways that people are not aware of. And it’s exciting. It’s fun. We find adventures every time we go out.’’ Instead of challenging rapids, Good 2 Row chooses relaxing trips on area waterways, such as the Cheat River and Cheat Lake. Members just need a kayak, paddle and life jacket. And if you want to try kayaking before you make a purchase, Good 2 Row has a limited number of kayaks available for people to try. They also refer people who want to rent kayaks to Mon River Rec in Point Marion. “It’s not hard to learn. We’re willing to take someone out before they buy one,’’ said Kirk, who estimated it costs about $130 for an 8-foot starter kayak. Jim Stoen, of Point Marion, who joined the club two years ago and enjoys the camaraderie, said, “This was new for me. I did canoeing in Boy Scouts but this was the first time for me in a kayak.’’ People do not have to swim to belong to the club but members make sure they are using life jackets and that someone who can swim is with them. Everyone participates at their own risk but the club makes a point to share safety information. Kirk noted, “Never be on the waterways without knowing the area.’’ Good 2 Row has about 30 members, who come from throughout the area as well as West Virginia, Maryland and Ohio. Chaza Wanamaker, a West Virginia native who now lives in Hawaii, maintains her membership in the club, commenting, “I like the fellowship. It’s good, wholesome fun and you get to meet people in the community.’’ Wanamaker brought a big, pink flamingo float to the Yough trip, saying with a smile, “Pink is my favorite color and I like to flamingle!’’ Basile Gandreaui, an exchange student from Lyon, France who invited another exchange student from Germany to the Yough outing, said of Good 2 Row, “It’s a very nice club. It’s nice to take time for yourself and friends, spending time with people doing this.’’ Good 2 Row members pay annual dues of $20, which help provide snacks for the outings. Their membership also entitles them to a discount at a local sporting goods store. Outings take place a couple of times a month and include day trips like this summer picnic on the Yough River, a fall leaf outing and history tours – participants even schedule an event that includes a visit to FestiFall at Friendship Hill National Historic Site in Springhill Township in September. Some members participate in moonlight runs. Members can pick and choose events. The group is open to suggestions. Meetings are held when needed, usually once a month in the summer, at Two Rivers Marina in Dilliner, Greene County. Good 2 Row enjoys being part of the community. Members participated in parades in Smithfield and at the Albert Gallatin River Festival in Point Marion, both over Memorial Day weekend. They distributed water and held a fundraiser to give away a kayak, paddle and life jacket as well as a year’s club membership and T-shirt. Good 2 Row supports area businesses, such as having their T-shirts locally made, and are beginning work to support charities. Good feelings that come from being part of the community drive the club. For example, organizers came up with the idea for Good 2 Row because they noticed there are a lot of people on land looking at the water when they could be in it. They want to encourage people to get on the water. “Exercise is such a big part of it,’’ said Kirk. “We encourage people to get out on the water as an excellent way of doing exercise.’’ “I grew up boating and swimming on the water,’’ said Simpson-Hunt, who noted his family had a farm in the Point Marion area and has kayaked in different parts of the world. Simpson-Hunt and his husband, Stephen Simpson-Hunt, are both members of Good 2 Row as are their sons Michael, 6, and Parker, 5. Stephen likes the club for many reasons: “getting outdoors, cooling off on a hot day and getting a little exercise. And being with friends and family.’’ Travis commented, “Just getting into a kayak or float is very relaxing.’’

1 0

Rail excursion takes guests to High Falls of the Cheat - West Virginia Explorer
by Duane Nichols via CLEAR 23 Jul '18

23 Jul '18

https://wvexplorer.com/2018/07/22/rail-to-high-falls-of-the-cheat/ Rail excursion takes guests to High Falls of the Cheat By Lisa Stansell Galitz, West Virginia Explorer, July 22, 2018 Tannins from the high-elevation spruce forest turn the High Falls of the Cheat golden brown. Photo courtesy Chris Galitz. I’ve done a lot of crazy things to get to a waterfall. Most involved hiking perilously up their rocky flanks. Often they involved falling flat on my kiester or buckling down on my knees, wondering for the millionth time why, oh, why, I didn’t have a rope or a donkey or both. Thankfully in West Virginia there are plenty of trees to grab near waterfalls, or I likely would have certainly plunged into the bottom of one of them. What I hadn’t done was take a train to a waterfall. How wonderful would that be? The High Falls of Cheat is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the Monongahela National Forest in eastern West Virginia. The name is misleading as it is actually on the Shaver’s Fork of the Cheat. It is one of the largest and most lofty waterfalls in West Virginia, located in the Allegheny Mounains at an altitude of more 2,800 feet above sea level. It roars fiercely from the mountainside, dropping over a horseshoe bend of rock 150 feet wide and 18 feet high and empties into a crystal pool before tumbling down the mountain to become the serene and leisurely paced (in spring) Cheat River. The ghost town of Bemis makes its appearance from a passenger train. Photo courtesy Chris Galitz. For many years, the High Falls could only be accessed by trail. Maintained by the U.S. Forest Service, the path climbs through old-growth forest and groves of towering hemlock as it winds through the saddle on Shavers Mountain. If hiking is your passion, the trail is ideal. It begins at a pull-out on Beulah Road (Forest Road 44) near Glady in Randolph County. Hikers and backpackers must then climb more than 1,440 feet over 8.2 miles along the stream — a five-hour hike. An eight-mile hike with that kind of an elevation gain is not something this middle-aged lady is going to attempt. But a ride on a train? Yes! Chris (now my husband) and I boarded the train that morning for the five-hour round trip at the Elkins Railroad Depot and chose seats near the back of the car so we could easily reach the “balcony.” Like a kid in a candy store, I couldn’t decide where to look first. It was breathtaking. Spectacular scenery, small communities, like Bemis, and the roar of the Shavers Fork greeted us as we climbed mountain grades through an s-curve tunnel and across the pristine fork. The Shavers Fork of the Cheat River descends out of the high Allegheny Mountains. Photo courtesy Chris Galitz. And then — the jewel of the trip! The train stopped, seemingly in the middle of nowhere, and we disembarked. As I like to introduce myself to new waterfalls with some semblance of restraint, we followed the sign to the view of the upper falls, an overlook just a few feet above the drop. A moment later, I was overlooking a gorgeous, golden falls. This is a waterfall that invites visitors to get up close and personal. We visited in the spring, when the water was high, but in summer the top of the falls is easily walkable. I feel certain the pool is swimmable in the summer months. We backtrack to the rocky beach at the base where I feel the spray on my face. I could stay here forever. Finding a perch on a large rock, I let others walk around, chattering, taking photos. I’m communing. I watch the falls from one side and then the next and find a baby falls within the main horseshoe. On the far left, a rock splits the river slightly, and a small step waterfall revels in its independence. Chris tells me the 45-minute stop is almost up, so I grab a few small round rocks to add to my collection and say my good-byes. I am the last one to leave the beach, of course. I turn and make my way back to the train. I am sad to go. Barely an hour — not nearly enough time! I hear someone say hikers may take the train up, camp a few nights, and catch a return train. That sounds like an awesome idea — truly one for the bucket list. The Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad offers a rail excursion to the falls May through October on an historic locomotive. Excursions are offered weekends in May and every Saturday and Sunday until Memorial Day Weekend. After that, the schedule broadens into weekday and special-event excursions. Schedules, videos, and online reservations are available on their website. See Also West Virginia Rail Excursions Hotels near Elkins, West Virginia

1 0

Once cheated of its fish by pollution, Cheat Lake now a thriving fishery
by Duane Nichols via CLEAR 22 Jul '18

22 Jul '18

https://www.wvgazettemail.com/outdoors/hunting_and_fishing/once-cheated-of-… Once cheated of its fish by pollution, Cheat Lake now a thriving fishery By John McCoy, Charleston Gazette Mail, July 21, 2018 After decades of work, life has returned to West Virginia’s Cheat Lake. Acid mine drainage and acid rain eliminated most of the fish there. In the 1980s, nine-tenths of the fish that managed to hang on were bullhead catfish or white suckers, species that anglers ignored. Today, however, the 1,730-acre impoundment teems with bass, walleye, perch and other popular game fish. Formed in 1926 by construction of the Cheat Lake Dam near Morgantown, the lake had water problems from the very beginning. Pollution from tanneries located along the Cheat River caused major fish kills in both the river and the lake. Coal mining contributed to the problem. “Six to eight of the lake’s major tributaries had serious acid mine drainage problems,” said Dave Wellman, district fisheries biologist for the state Division of Natural Resources. “The acid-rain problems of the 1960s and 1970s made things even worse.” The lake was never considered dead, but it wasn’t far from it. “Frank Jernejcic, who was the district biologist in the 1980s, didn’t deem it worthy to do fish surveys on the lake,” Wellman said. “Most of the fish that existed then were bullheads and white suckers, both of which are very acid-tolerant species. A couple of embayments fed by unpolluted tributaries held a few largemouth bass and a couple of other game fish species, but that was about it.” Dustin Smith, Wellman’s assistant, could be considered an authority on the lake’s fish species; he recently completed a doctoral dissertation on the subject. “In the worst years, there were only 15 species of fish in the lake,” Smith said. “Ninety percent of those fish were bullheads and white suckers. Most of the rest were minnows of one kind or another.” The turnabout began in the early 1970s. Congress passed the Clean Air Act in 1970 and the Clean Water Act in 1972, both of which forced polluting industries to clean up their act. Unfortunately for the Cheat River system, much of the acid draining into the river and its tributaries came from mines long ago abandoned. Finding a solution for such “legacy issues” took years. The river’s water quality began to improve in the early 1990s, partly because the DNR began dumping limestone sand into some of the Cheat’s acidic headwater tributaries. The limestone buffered the acid and added much-needed fertility to the river’s waters. At about the same time, the state Department of Environmental Protection placed a limestone treatment facility on Beaver Creek, one of the watershed’s “hottest” mine-drainage tributaries. Other treatment projects followed. “In 1994, there was a major acid mine drainage blowout on the main Cheat,” Wellman said. “After that, there was an emphasis on getting more treatment facilities. A group called ‘River of Promise’ was formed in 1995. It got private industry, watershed associations and conservation groups involved. Its objective was to treat acid mine drainage and acid precipitation throughout the watershed.” Partners signed on — Friends of the Cheat, the DEP, the DNR and West Virginia University, among others. “Millions of dollars have gone into mine-drainage abatement since then,” Wellman said. “It has made a remarkable difference.” Pollution control isn’t a one-time thing for Cheat Lake and the Cheat River system. Without ongoing treatment, the lake and the river would revert to the sad condition they were in during the 1970s and 1980s. “Without continued funding for these treatment sites, Cheat Lake would be right back to where it was before 1990 — a lake full of bullheads and suckers,” Smith said. Today’s anglers enjoy a lake that is considerably richer and more diverse. Smith said the number of fish species present in the lake has almost tripled, and some of those species are doing remarkably well. “We’ve documented 44 species,” he said. “There are no dominant species anymore. Things are pretty well distributed. We have several species of interest to anglers — smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, walleye, yellow perch, channel catfish and several kinds of sunfish.” The lake, once ignored by anglers, now hosts 20 to 30 bass tournaments a year. “Smallmouth bass numbers, in particular, have shot through the roof,” Wellman said. “Cheat Lake now has one of the state’s highest catch rates for bass.” Smith said the comeback of the lake’s smallmouth is particularly encouraging because the species won’t tolerate acidic water. “We capture 13 times more smallmouth in surveys today than when we started surveying,” he added. “It’s a great sign, because smallmouth were among the first to go when the lake became polluted.” Walleye, once eliminated from the lake altogether, have also made a comeback. In 1999, the DNR began stocking walleye fry and fingerlings. The lake now sports a thriving walleye population and the fastest walleye growth rate of any Mountain State impoundment. “Females stocked as fingerlings get to 27 inches in as little as six years,” Smith said. “Several walleyes in the 34-inch range have been caught in recent years. That’s close to state-record size.” Yellow perch, channel catfish and pumpkinseed sunfish are thriving as well. Smith said Cheat Lake has become one of the best places in West Virginia to catch those species. “There aren’t many lakes that have lots of good-sized yellow perch, but Cheat Lake is one of them,” he said. “We have an absolutely excellent channel cat fishery; lots of fish in the 3- to 4-pound range. And we have lots of really nice pumpkinseeds, close to what I would consider a trophy fishery.” The future for Cheat Lake, Wellman said, will continue to be bright as long as the pollution can be held at bay. “Since 2004, we’ve only had two episodes in which the lake’s pH dropped below 6,” he said. “As long as we can keep that up, everything will be fine.”

1 0

Maryland man drowns in Cheat River on Saturday
by Duane Nichols via CLEAR 17 Jul '18

17 Jul '18

Maryland man drowns in Cheat River on Saturday | News | wvnews.com From an Article by Theresa Marthey, Preston County News & Journal, July 16, 2018 MASONTOWN — An Oakland, Md., man drowned in the Cheat River near the Jenkinsburg Bridge on Saturday. According to Masontown Volunteer Fire Department Chief Matt Montgomery, witnesses said Derek Noah Bennett, 26, was swimming in the Cheat River when he went under and did not resurface. “We received the call at approximately 5:40 p.m. on Saturday, the victim was located through a heat signature in the water around 7:15 p.m. by the Maryland State Police helicopter Troop 5,” Montgomery said. “The body was recovered at 7:30 p.m.” Bennett was the second drowning in the Cheat River at the Jenkinsburg Bridge this year, according to Montgomery. Michael Lewis, 23, of Petersburg, Ohio, was swept away in the river early May 20 following a heavy rainfall. Rescue personnel were able to use ropes to save a second man stranded in the water, Shane Forame, 23, also of Petersburg. Lewis' body was recovered a day later several miles away near the shore at Cheat Lake. In addition to the Masontown Volunteer Fire Department and Maryland State Police helicopter Troop 5, units from the Bruceton-Brandonville Volunteer Fire Department, Reedsville Volunteer Fire Department, Preston County Sheriff’s Department, Department of Natural Resources, Preston County Dive Team, KAMP Ambulance, Masontown Swift Water Rescue, assisted at the scene. https://www.wvnews.com/prestoncountynews/news/maryland-man-drowns-in-cheat-…

1 0

Swimmer beware: Pennsylvania drownings highlight river risks
by Duane Nichols via CLEAR 17 Jul '18

17 Jul '18

Swimmer beware: Pennsylvania drownings highlight river risks By MICHAEL RUBINKAM, Associated Press, July 16, 2018 Susquehanna River near Marietta, PA JIM THORPE (AP) — Katelyn Carlisle nervously eyed the murky waters lapping at her feet. "It's quick. You gotta swim. You can swim, right?" her friend, Chris Manzi, 23, quipped from the opposite riverbank. With that, Carlisle, 25, jumped into the Lehigh River and began stroking her way to the other side. Neither of them knew that section of the river had recently claimed two lives in 10 days. Nor had they spotted the warning signs that officials at Lehigh Gorge State Park installed in response: "Notice, dangerous currents, not a designated swimming area." As temperatures rise, people are inexorably drawn to water. But several recent drownings highlight anew the hot-weather danger posed by Pennsylvania's tens of thousands of miles of rivers and creeks, where deceptively strong currents, underwater obstacles and steep drop-offs can make for a deadly combination. Five people have drowned in state park waterways alone so far this year, matching the total for all of 2017. Tragedy hasn't been confined to the state parks. A 7-year-old boy waded into central Pennsylvania's Pine Creek on Tuesday, got out of his depth and drowned. His mother died trying to save him. "Even people who know rivers and streams can step into a hole and all the sudden you are over your head," said Terry Brady, spokesman for the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Manzi and Carlisle — who live in Denver and Milwaukee and were in Pennsylvania for work — entered the water with a group of co-workers on a cloudless afternoon last week. The current, at least on the surface, seemed relatively tame. But the river still posed a slight challenge for Carlisle, who had never swam across one before. She paddled in place for several seconds before breaking free of the current and making it to calmer waters. "I'm swimming hard and I'm not going anywhere," she explained after getting out. "I kept telling myself, 'Swim harder, swim harder.'" A few weeks earlier, two other swimmers weren't as fortunate. On June 19, 24-year-old Angel Rivas, of Hazleton, drowned as he and his friends swam across rapids. Then, on June 29, the Lehigh took Jersson Lajara of New York. His body was recovered a day later. Jim Thorpe Fire Chief Vince Yaich is frustrated by the situation at Lehigh Gorge, a popular state park in the mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania, 100 miles (161 kilometers) north of Philadelphia. He said his department is called to Lehigh Gorge an average of 10 times a year, mostly to rescue people injured near the park's Glen Onoko Falls, but also to recover the bodies of drowning victims. Yaich said the state should do more to keep swimmers out of the river by issuing tickets to violators. "If there's no swimming, like the park is saying, then enforce it. Don't just put up a sign," he said. "You catch somebody in there swimming, you fine them. End of conversation." Park manager Rex Bradish said it's not that easy. There are jurisdictional complications, and the state prefers education over enforcement. "These types of tragic events are never something we want to see, and if we can prevent them through increased patrols and signage, and engaging visitors and educating them, that is the way we want to go," he said. The temporary signs near the river do not explicitly state that swimming is banned, only that it's "not a designated swimming area" — which has the same meaning under state law but could sow confusion among park visitors. State officials say they plan to re-evaluate the wording. Signs or not, at least two groups of visitors — teenagers from the Philadelphia suburbs and the out-of-state colleagues that included Manzi and Carlisle — swam across the Lehigh in the span of a couple hours last week. Most said they didn't think twice about going in. Had he spotted the warning sign, Ben Mills would have taken it as a challenge. "It's the cookie jar syndrome," said Mills, 35, of Atlanta. "You want what you're not supposed to have."

1 0

Upper Monongahela River Association Promotes Boating Safety
by Duane Nichols via CLEAR 28 Jun '18

28 Jun '18

President of river association offers safety tips William Dean, The Dominion Post, June 27, 2018 > > > > > > > MORGANTOWN — For some people a relaxing summer day is spent on a boat. > > “Boating gets you outside on the water and it is one of those great experiences you can have,” Barry Pallay, president of Upper Monongahela River Association, said. > > Boating can be dangerous, but following the rules can help mitigate that risk and help everyone have a fun, safe, experience. > > “If you’re a novice the biggest thing is a boat does not have brakes,” he said. “You have to be very careful and keep that in mind. > > Pallay encouraged boaters to be aware of the boating rules published and enforced by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (DNR) and recommended that people new to boating take a boater safety class. He also offered safety tips, but said the tips are no replacement for a class. > > According to the DNR, “no person born on or after Dec. 31, 1986, may operate a motorboat or personal watercraft on any waters of this state without first having obtained a certificate of boating safety education from this or any other state.” > > Pallay recommended people interested try to find a Power Squadron class and said there are free boater safety classes available. > > Much like the driver of a car, truck or any other vehicle, boat drivers should stay sober, he said. > > DNR has a boat that patrols Cheat Lake and the enforcement branch has police powers, meaning boaters can be cited by the DNR for violations, Pally said. > > Friday through Sunday, DNR will participate in Operation Dry Weekend — a national enforcement effort to raise awareness about the dangers of boating under the influence, a DNR press release stated. The DNR will arrest anyone driving a boat with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 or greater. > > Using alcohol while boating impairs judgment, balance, vision and reaction time and is the leading contributing factor in recreation boating deaths in the United States, according to the press release. > > Pallay also advised people planning to go out on the water to use sunscreen and not to underestimate the sun. > > Boating at night, fishing from a boat and boating in areas with dams and locks increase the number of rules and safety concerns. Pally recommended people engaging in those activities look up the relevant rules. > > “It really can add to the quality of your life and that of your family,” Pallay said of boating. > > URL: > https://www.dominionpost.com/2018/06/27/president-of-river-association-offe…

1 0

From Polluted to Playground: It's Taken 25 Years to Clean Up the Cheat River | West Virginia Public Broadcasting
by Duane Nichols via CLEAR 22 Jun '18

22 Jun '18

http://wvpublic.org/post/polluted-playground-its-taken-25-years-clean-cheat… From Polluted to Playground: It's Taken 25 Years to Clean Up the Cheat River From an Article by Brittany Patterson, WV Public Broadcast, June 11, 2018 On a recent sunny Wednesday, Paul Ziemkiewicz, director of West Virginia University’s Water Research Institute, was standing on a bridge looking out at Big Sandy Creek. It was a balmy afternoon, perfect for kayaking, and the creek running the Cheat River was clear. But 25 years ago, this water was a shocking orange color -- from acid mine drainage. "Look at this," Ziemkiewicz said, gesturing to the raging water below. "This is a fishery now, but it was completely dead back then." This year the last heavily-polluted stretch of of the watershed is set to be cleaned up. "In my lifetime a river that was dead has now come back," said Amanda Pitzer, executive director of Friends of the Cheat, a local conservation group that was formed by a motley crew of river guides and enthusiasts in 1994 to deal with acid mine pollution. The group also hosts the annual Cheat River Festival to celebrate the river and raise money to restore it. The Cheat was known to be polluted for decades, but the pollution grabbed national attention after two blowouts at the active T&T coal mine in 1994 and 1995 poured millions of gallons of acidic water into the main stem of the Cheat. Fish were killed 16 miles downstream in Cheat Lake. More than two decades later, Friends of the Cheat, local residents and businesses and state and federal regulators have a reason to celebrate: Once fully operational, an active water treatment plant run by West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection near the T&T mine will clean polluted water currently running through Muddy Creek. Once the 3.4-mile stretch of Muddy Creek is clean, fish will be able to travel the entire length of the Cheat River -- one of the longest free-flowing rivers in the eastern United States -- unimpeded by pollution. "It was such an accomplishment to bring the Cheat back, but to bring Muddy Creek back -- I mean we’re kicking ass and taking names," Pitzer said. A New Approach This success is largely the result of a decision among regulators, scientists and a local conservation group to treat the pollution problem as an entire watershed. Across the Cheat River’s 1,422-mile watershed, more than 340 abandoned coal mines feed pollution into the Cheat and its tributaries, like the Big Sandy. Acid mine drainage, or AMD, is one of the largest contributors of pollution to thousands of miles of rivers and streams from Alabama to Pennsylvania. The bright orange, and sometimes milky white, pollution contains iron, aluminum and manganese. It forms when pyrite, a mineral buried deep underground with coal, is exposed to air and water. State regulators have limited federal dollars to ensure water coming from these mines meets federal Clean Water Act standards. An estimated 300,000 abandoned mines dot Appalachia, complicating the problem. Water that comes from mines built before 1977, when the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act went into effect, must be treated by the state. The law mandated that mines built after 1977 must be bonded, or have insurance, in case they go out of business or the operator chooses to stop maintaining the site. If that happens, DEP takes the money from those bonds and must reclaim the land and treat the water from these so-called “bond-forfeiture” sites. Ziemkiewicz, of WVU, said originally in the Cheat River watershed -- as is the case in many places dealing with AMD across Appalachia -- regulators tried to address the problem by treating each individual mine contributing pollution to the river. But it’s not always effective. "You can throw almost infinite amounts of money trying to treat point sources like that in a watershed like this that has both abandoned mines and also bond forfeiture sites and not make any impact at all on the quality of the stream because the abandoned mines dominate the whole picture," he said. A key piece to making this new approach work was some innovative thinking on the part of state regulators. The state DEP created an alternative clean water permit, which allowed the agency to address streamwide water quality, rather than treat individual pollution sources. "The watershed scale strategy that DEP is using here actually restores the creek and for a lot less money," Ziemkiewicz said. Scientists also needed to show federal regulators they could get results treating AMD pollution on a watershed level. A Testbed in the Watershed Standing in a grassy clearing overlooking this forested valley, it’s just possible to see the entry to a now-abandoned coal mine here in the headwaters of Sovern Run, a tributary of Big Sandy Creek, which runs into the Cheat. Ziemkiewicz and his team built what’s called a "passive treatment" system. At Sovern site No. 62, AMD pollution flows through a series of limestone-lined ponds and channels. The alkaline limestone turns low pH, acid water coming out of the mine into much cleaner water through naturally-occurring chemical reactions. Passive systems don’t require power or the addition of chemicals and are often lower maintenance. "We were able to knock off something like 80 percent of the acid load, most of the iron," Ziemkiewicz said, of the passive treatment system. "The idea was to put a lot of these all over the watershed." During the first Cheat Fest in 1995, Friends of the Cheat and Ziemkiewicz and his team took federal officials from the Interior Department and Office of Surface Mining the treatment system at Sovern site No. 62. The strategy being employed in the Cheat River watershed could be valuable to other communities struggling with AMD pollution. To help widen the scope, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement created a federal plan inside its acid mine drainage program that allowed states to dole out federal Abandoned Mine Land dollars to local government agencies and watershed organizations, like Friends of the Cheat, to clean up streams impaired by acid mine drainage. Friends of the Cheat took it and ran with it. They installed more than a dozen passive treatments. Today, they maintain those and a series of active treatments, or engineered systems. Active treatments include in-stream dosers, which deposit a steady stream of alkaline lime to help neutralize the water. Active treatments also include things such as water treatment plants. Toddi Steelman, one of the founding members of Friends of the Cheat, studies watershed restoration She said the collaboration between Friends of the Cheat and regulators at both state and federal levels has been a 25-year experiment. "Having the university close by and invested was a huge stroke of luck," she said. "Having several sources of financial support in the 90s has really been essential." She also underscored the importance of having a local conservation group that is deeply invested in seeing the restoration of a river come to fruition. "You need a local champion that is going to see it through because it’s really a labor of love," she said. "It’s really about love the land, love of the river, love of community and I would say that’s really what has really characterized the group over time." This type of grassroots model can be a template for others, according to Scott Hardy, with the Ohio Sea Grant program at Ohio State University. He studies collaborative watershed management and said the federal government moved toward providing resources for more grassroots, collaborative watershed restoration in the 1990s, with plenty of success stories. Hardy said although collaboration can take longer than traditional top down restoration efforts, having local groups that are passionate about their watershed helps. The Last Piece It takes a lot of heart, but it also take a lot of money to clean a watershed. Since 2000, the Environmental Protection Agency has contributed more than $5 million to the Cheat watershed. The state DEP has spent more than $13 million constructing and maintaining treatment systems across the area. Now, one of the last treatments is almost in place. Once fully operational, a water treatment plant near the T&T mine will take care of the last major polluted stretch of the watershed. You can see the T&T Treatment plant just off Route 26 near Albright. In some ways, it can best be described as a dishwasher for dirty mine water. The plant will process AMD polluted water from three abandoned mine sites. Water pumped in from the polluted Fickey Run, will also be piped to the plant, said Larry Riggleman, the regional engineer for northern region of DEP’s Office of Special Reclamation. Riggleman helped design the plant. It can treat between 800 to 4,200 gallons of polluted water each minute. A lime slurry is added to the two 80-foot tanks, or clarifiers, as they’re called. When the lime is added the iron and aluminum to drop to the bottom. The metal sludge is pushed to the middle, drains out, and is pumped back into the T&T mine nearby. "And then from here it’s a straight discharge to the river," Riggleman said. If another mine blowout were to happen similar to the events in 1994 and 1995, the plant can handle up to 7,600 gallons per minute, which will flow through the two tanks and come out the other side clean. The site cost about $8.5 million to construct and $30,000 a month to run, funded in part by the bond forfeited by the T&T mine. DEP also received support from oil and gas company, Southwestern Energy. The company has a policy to offset its water use by contributing in other water restoration efforts. "Within West Virginia we were looking for meaningful projects that were out there that we could be a contributor towards and the Cheat River is a beautiful river and one that stood out to us as a place that we could make a positive impact," said Rowlan Greaves, manager of strategic solutions for Southwestern Energy. Riggleman has been working in this watershed for years and he said once the plant is fully operational, Muddy Creek, which has been the single largest contributor of acid mine drainage for years, will be clean. He said it’s hard to quantify what that will mean. "I mean, to be able to bring a stream back to life -- which I can’t tell you when the last time it was it had a life -- but from an environmental standpoint on the Cheat it’s huge," he said. "I think from a recreational standpoint with people wanting to fish, kayak, things of that nature, I think that’s huge. I think it’s very important that this gets done and I think it’ll be very successful." Paul Hart, president of local rafting company, Cheat River Outfitters, agrees that the work done over the last two decades has made a difference in the water quality of the river. Today, he said, guides will often catch fish in the clear, clean water. "A lot of people have seen it and decided 'you know we can do better,'" he said. "And they’ve put their heads together and made it happen, which is a dream turned into a reality. The Cheat is just too much of a gem to be lost to something like acid mine drainage, it really is." But Hart added the river was already losing appeal as a rafting destination before the big mine blowouts in the 90s, and it has yet to recover. Pitzer, with Friends of the Cheat, said they recognize overcoming a polluted reputation takes time. "Just like anything it takes time to change people’s perception of what a river is," she said. "If you came here in the 80’s and you paddled the river and you remember it being orange and awful and then someone tells you 'oh my gosh, I went and I caught walleye down in Jenkinsburg,' they might be like 'oh, get out of here' you know. So, I think it just takes time." The groups plans to continue working to restore the river in the hopes that one day the Cheat has a different reputation: One of a clean, beautiful river.

1 0

West Virginia Guardsmen Train For Water Rescue In This Intense Video
by Duane Nichols via CLEAR 17 Jun '18

17 Jun '18

https://taskandpurpose.com/west-virginia-national-guard-video/ Watch West Virginia Guardsmen Train For Swift Water Rescues In This Intense Video By Brad Howard on June 15, 2018 Looking for a great career? Or know another veteran, service member, or military spouse who is? Get started at Hirepurpose. On June 11th, the West Virginia National Guard practiced rescuing mock victims out of fast moving river winding through the rolling hills of Appalachia. The harrowing training involves nerves of steel by the skilled helo pilots, and in video captured by reddit user M109A6Guy, the UH-60 Blackhawk skirts just above the churning waters as one guardsman scoops his target to safety. The Swift Water Rescue Team is assigned to the Army Interagency Training & Education Center. Training missions like these help prepare guardsman for unpredictable weather events, like the floods that ravaged West Virginia in 2016. They also certify the unit to support Federal Emergency Management Agency operations across the country, which can range from flooding search and rescue to hurricane response. We here at Task & Purpose want to give a shout out to not only the amazing helo crew, but also the National Guardsman who volunteered to be literally be sucked down a river in the name of realistic training. If anyone deserves a free beer in Greenbrier, West Virginia, it’s you. Sent from my iPad

1 0

How Kayakers Saved a River and Started a Movement
by Duane Nichols via CLEAR 09 Jun '18

09 Jun '18

http://nationswell.com/kayakers-saved-cheat-river/ How Kayakers Saved a River and Started a Movement From Eric Jankiewicz, Nation Swell, June 8, 2018 The Cheat River in the Appalachian region was doomed — until a group of local outdoor enthusiasts stepped in. While most mines in the eastern region of the Appalachian Mountains are no longer in operation, they are far from inactive. In lightly populated places such as Albright, West Virginia, water with heavy metals seeps from mines into tributaries — the small streams that flow into rivers — finally pooling in reservoirs near the Chesapeake Bay. It’s also here where a group of kayakers made it their mission over 20 years ago to clean up one of the most polluted rivers in America: the Cheat River, a 78.3-mile tributary that runs through eastern West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania. And they’re still at it today. Jim Snyder, a 64-year-old thrill-seeker who lives on the banks of the Cheat River near Albright, was one of those initial kayakers. “The pollution there would burn your eyes,” Snyder says, recalling the condition of the river in the mid- to late-’90s, when a series of underground coal mine blowouts released orange-tinged water thick with heavy metals into the river. The first blowout, in 1994, lowered the pH of the water to dangerous levels, killing off fish as far away as 16 miles downstream. Another blowout a year later eventually devastated the area’s tourism industry, known for its whitewater recreation. The Cheat River soon after became ranked as one the nation’s most endangered. To reckon with the pollution and damage to the river’s ecosystem, Snyder and other kayakers in the community formed Friends of the Cheat to clean up the dirty streams and creeks that fed into the Cheat River. Their efforts helped the river recover and, with it, a tourism industry centered around its rapids. “I’d never done much work on committees at that time so it was an awkward fit for me, but we kept making it work,” Snyder tells NationSwell. “We were rookies, but we endured.” Eastern Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation works to counteract the damage done to rivers by mining.Photo courtesy of EPCAMR After the mine blowouts, the whitewater industry suffered from more than a 50 percent drop in business, while whitewater participation increased nationally by 33 percent during the same time period. “Twenty-thousand people were going down the canyon annually in the ’80s and ’90s,” says Owen Mulkeen, associate director of Friends of the Cheat. “Albright [became] a ghost town compared to what it was like at the height of rafting.” Friends of the Cheat led an effort with the Environmental Protection Agency to use various methods of water treatment, such as limestone filtration, to clean up the tributaries in the area. The success Snyder and the others had with bringing back the Cheat River became widely considered one of the most successful conservation stories. “[Kayakers] have a passion and that usually keeps them in West Virginia,” says Mulkeen. “We are blessed with the natural beauty and recreation here.” And that has helped keep the organization’s ranks filled — a necessity, given that mine pollution is still a very real problem in the waters around the Cheat. Over 7,500 miles of streams in Appalachia are still polluted by heavy metals from abandoned mines, according to data collected by Friends of the Cheat. Before the passage of the Surface Mining and Reclamation Control Act in 1977, mining companies could seal their operations in whatever way they liked, with little or no oversight. And over the decades many of those seals have busted open. “Mining had a huge impact on the industrial revolution, and allowed us to win or at least participate in two wars,” says Gavin Pellitteri, a recreational kayaker and outreach specialist for the nonprofit Eastern Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation. “There’s a lot of that culture and pride left in the area.” Pellitteri’s coalition works to correct for acid mine drainage, known as AMD. Similar to Friends of the Cheat, EPCAMR’s treatment strategy is to find an empty piece of land that can be filled with mine water into a pondlike basin. Limestone is used to neutralize the water’s acidity, and exposure to oxygen removes iron and drives off sulfates. Once done, the clean water is put back into a river. “If you look at where these impacts are, it’s the spine of Appalachia — Northern Georgia, Tennessee, West Virginia, up to Pennsylvania,” says Pellitteri, who estimates that there are over 400 billion gallons of mine water in the Scranton, Pennsylvania, area alone. As water conservationists like Snyder and Pellitteri continue to clean up the area’s waterways, where a virtually endless flow of polluted water streams from abandoned mines, there’s a fear that they’ll fail to attract a younger generation of outdoor activists to the mission. “Unfortunately, there’s a brain-drain out of West Virginia,” Mulkeen says. “But we’re born and bred by paddlers, and we hope to continue that relationship. That’s our base.” Because unlike a tree falling in the forest, a blown-out mine will matter, even if no one is around to witness it. Share Get the best of NationSwell in your inbox. Sent from my iPad

1 0

Time to see the sites - Morgantown Dominion Post
by Duane Nichols via CLEAR 05 Jun '18

05 Jun '18

https://www.dominionpost.com/2018/06/03/time-to-see-the-sites/ Time to see the sites 30 Columns/Opinion, John Samsell, The Morgantown Dominion Post, June 3, 2018 The geographic territory in which we live was developed through the centuries in a manner that included oceans and glaciers too big it’s hard to imagine. If you are taking a mobile vacation this summer, you might try the Piedmont area on one side of the mountain ranges and the mountains and valleys of West Virginia on the western side. That’s how they were left after a large sea and glacier receded. The geographic makeup can be observed along I-68. A rest area pinpoints the separation of the mountains and valleys of the Mountain State and the less mountainous area east to the Atlantic Ocean and Tidewater area. Actually the eastern area is divided into four different sections. One begins at the Atlantic Ocean and goes westward to a Fall Line, a granite ridge connecting Fredericksburg, Richmond, Petersburg and other cities to the north, the Tidewater area. West of the Tidewater area are the Piedmont and Blue Ridge Mountains. that leads to the Appalachian Valley. Between the top of the Alleghenies and Lake Erie is part of the Allegheny Plateau. Land immediately to the west is the Central Lowland and Plain. That’s West Virginia with its combination of fertile soil and fine climate. It also has “easy communication and possibilities for manufacturing and commerce, according to early geologists. Temperature between warmest and coldest is 20 degrees. The Allegheny Highland has an area of about 6,000 square miles. Because of its scenery West Virginia has the name Mountain State. Its topography causes its varied climate and ample rainfall. The state’s natural resources represent vegetative life aged from an ancient sea bed. Rivers poured mud, sand and stones under conditions that led to the formation of the area now known as West Virginia. Under the conditions present stones were formed. In deeper parts of the sea, from its shores were many marine animals that shed their shells and skeletons that fell to the bottom and pressure cemented them into limestone, a prime state product in this 21st Century. Through the ages the processes continued and coal also was developed. The geologists explain the formation of the state’s Natural Wonders are now tourist attractions. The emergence of rivers in the north and east was gradual. Potomac, South Branch and New rivers and others cut beds across the rising surface. The Ohio River originally flowed north to create lakes and possibly a sea. The glacial movement from the north cut rivers into lakes and left the Ohio as it is today. Lakes in the West Virginia area were drained completely dry. Glacial movements also left deposits of gravel and fertile soils. Much of the soil had large amounts of sandstone. West Virginia has nothing but sedimentary rocks. Thus, there is nothing but bituminous coal. Pennsylvania has the “hard coal” and some “soft.” Tourist attractions include “Hanging Rock,” in the South Branch River in Hampshire County. The rocks reach 300 feet, while the state’s highest point, Spruce Knob is over 4,600 feet. “The Trough” in Hardy County the South Branch travels 7 miles between the “Image Rocks.” Blackwater Falls in nearby Tucker County is at the bottom of the Blackwater River that travels down a hillside. It not only is a site of beauty but is a state park, with many attractions. The Blackwater River flows into the Cheat River, that flows into Cheat Lake (Lake Lynn) that empties into the Monongahela River at Point Marion, Pa. Seneca Rocks in Pendleton County is said to be a “picturesque scene of the Far West.” Seneca Caverns is nearby at Riverton.

1 0

Ices Ferry Bridge finally has its history back - Dominion Post
by Duane Nichols via CLEAR 29 May '18

29 May '18

https://www.dominionpost.com/2018/05/28/ices-ferry-bridge-finally-has-its-h… Ices Ferry Bridge finally has its history back Submitted to The Dominion PostMay 28, 2018 1:15 pm The Ices Ferry historical marker at Cheat Lake. MORGANTOWN — Ices Ferry Bridge, a historical landmark and a vital part of the history in Cheat Lake got its history back. Two years ago, the historical marker for the bridge was destroyed due to an automobile accident. This Ices Ferry marker had been on display for many years and gave visitors to the area a brief history of the bridge. The damaged marker actually ended up in a garage of a local resident, where it sat for months before the local West Virginia Division of Highways picked the marker up and sent it to the DOH facility. It sat in the DOH facility for years, until that same resident thought it was important to do something. Nine months ago, Cheat Lake residents reached out to Pokey Weiss, of the Cheat Lake Rotary. They knew the Cheat Lake Rotary Club did community projects and hoped the organization could help get the sign restored. Since July 2017, Weiss has worked with Matthew McGrew, coordinator of Highway Historical Marker Program, and with the state Division of Culture and History in Charleston to have the marker replaced. McGrew and Weiss believed that having a new marker built was important to the local community and the Ices Ferry Bridge history. That history is unique. The first bridge was built to cross Cheat River in 1900, but an ice flow took it out in 1918. The bridge that came to be known as the Ices Ferry Bridge was built in 1922 by the Independent Bridge Co., of Pittsburgh. It spanned the lake along Monongalia County 857. Due to years of deterioration, the original bridge was dismantled and imploded in 2012, as a more modern version with wider lanes and lighting was constructed. The new bridge was named the Col. Garry Bowers Bridge. Bowers was the first president and one of the founders of the Rotary Club of Cheat Lake in 1979. On April 2, the state Division of Highways installed a brand-new marker at the end of the bridge; this will now give all visitors the chance to learn more about the bridge history as the first, and for many years, the only way to cross Cheat Lake.

1 0

BUGS-27MayY2K18.doc
by Duane Nichols via CLEAR 28 May '18

28 May '18

Sent from my iPhone

1 0

Authorities recover body of man who drowned - Dominion Post
by Duane Nichols via CLEAR 22 May '18

22 May '18

https://www.dominionpost.com/2018/05/21/crews-searching-for-possible-drowni… Authorities recover body of man who drowned 210 The Dominion Post May 21, 2018 11:25 am MASONTOWN — Authorities on Monday recovered the body of an Ohio man who drowned after being swept away by the Cheat River in the Bull Run area early Sunday. The body of Michael A. Lewis was found Monday afternoon in Cheat Lake. According to the Preston County Sheriff’s Department, at about 4:21 a.m. Sunday, deputies were dispatched to the Bull Run area to a report of a drowning. A deputy arrived and learned that Shane Nelson Forame, 23, was stranded in the water and another man, Lewis, 23, had been swept away by the swift Cheat River current. Both men are from Petersburg, Ohio, and were camping in the area. Preston Deputy 1st Class R.A. Stockett Jr. was able to reach Forame with a series of ropes tied together and the assistance of Aaron Williams, also of Petersburg, Ohio, and drag Forame to the shore. Lewis could not be located and an ongoing search by multiple agencies was conducted Sunday and Monday. On Sunday, a West Virginia State Police helicopter flew over the area, searching for a heat signature or sign of Lewis. A drone was deployed Sunday and Monday in the search, without success. The National Weather Service reported the Cheat River crested about 8-9 a.m. Sunday, Preston Emergency Management/911 Director Duane Hamilton said. State Division of Natural Resources (DNR) officers and boats were involved in the search from the area where Lewis entered the water to Cheat Lake. Hamilton estimated it is 7.5 miles from the Jenkinsburg bridge to the backwaters of Cheat Lake. Masontown Volunteer Fire Department deployed its boats on the river as well. Volunteer fire departments from Masontown, Reedsville and Newburg, along with KAMP Ambulance, West Virginia State Police, Mountaineer Area Rescue Group, Preston County Dive Team and a Grafton volunteer K-9 unit assisted in the search.

1 0

Ohio man missing in Cheat River | News | wvnews.com
by Duane Nichols via CLEAR 21 May '18

21 May '18

https://www.wvnews.com/prestoncountynews/news/ohio-man-missing-in-cheat-riv… Vehicles are parked at the Bull Run area for a search in the Cheat River for an Ohio man who was swept away early Sunday. Save MASONTOWN — An Ohio man remains missing after being swept away in the Cheat River, the sheriff’s department said Monday. Michael A. Lewis, 23, of Petersburg, Ohio, was in the Bull Run area when he was swept away by a strong current early Sunday, deputies said. At 4:21 a.m. Sunday, the sheriff’s department was alerted to a reported drowning at Bull Run. A deputy found Shane Nelson Forame, 23, also of Petersburg, Ohio, stranded in the water. With the help of Aaron Williams of Petersburg and several ropes tied together, the deputy was able to reach Forame and drag him to shore. Lewis, however, could not be located, and an ongoing search is being conducted with volunteer fire departments from Masontown, Reedsville and Newburg; KAMP ambulance; State Police; Mountaineer Area Rescue Group; the Preston County Dive Team; and the Grafton Volunteer K-9 unit.

1 0

Fayette County gets $906K to extend trail along Cheat River | TribLIVE
by Duane Nichols via CLEAR 09 May '18

09 May '18

http://triblive.com/local/regional/13625593-74/fayette-county-gets-906k-to-… Fayette County gets $906K to extend trail along Cheat River | TribLIVE Officials in Fayette County Monday broke ground for a 1.7-mile section of the Sheepskin Trail in Point Marion and Springhill Township. They also announced funding has been approved to develop another 2-mile segment extending farther east into the township. The Point Marion segment is the southernmost section of the bicycle trail and is slated for completion this year, to connect with the 48-mile Mon River Trail System in West Virginia. Fayette County Commissioner Dave Lohr noted the trail's interstate connection should provide economic as well as recreational benefits for the area. “We're only 9 miles from the economic hub of Morgantown, and more investments will be made to provide services to trail users and visitors alike,” he said. The county also has secured a $906,360 grant, through the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission's Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside Program, to construct the adjoining 2-mile Nilan Road trail segment. Running parallel with Nilan Road, that section will follow an abandoned Baltimore & Ohio rail corridor. It will offer trail users scenic views of the Cheat River and a glimpse into history, via remnants of the Cheat River Coke Works that once was a vital part of the local economy. “It's an amazingly beautiful meander of the river,” said Donna Holdorf of the National Road Heritage Corridor, which is partnering with the county and other entities to develop the trail. Design and engineering of the Nilan Road project have been funded through a previous $96,000 grant from the SPC. Planners have yet to negotiate some right-of-way agreements and easements for that segment, Holdorf said. Holdorf is seeking grants from two state funding sources that, together with some money in hand, would provide $840,000 to extend the trail nearly two additional miles east and north and through Springhill. A 34-mile route has been proposed for the Sheepskin Trail, which would connect the West Virginia biking paths to the Great Allegheny Passage trail, near Dunbar. South Union Township last year completed a 2.2-mile trail section from Pennsylvania Avenue to Hutchinson Park, incorporating part of a pedestrian bridge that used to cross Interstate 70 in New Stanton. Jeff Himler is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 724-836-6622, jhimler(a)tribweb.com or via Twitter @jhimler_news.

1 0

Community concerns expressed at Leadmine roundtable event
by Duane Nichols via CLEAR 02 May '18

02 May '18

https://www.parsonsadvocate.com/community-concerns-expressed-at-leadmine-ro… Community concerns expressed at Leadmine roundtable event From Matt Cloak, Parsons Advocate, April 30, 2018 The community of Leadmine hosted the Tucker County Commission’s fourth roundtable event. The event was held at the Methodist Church’s Fellowship Hall. The county roundtable provided a forum for different entities in the area to express challenges, opportunities, and items of interest. The last roundtable was held at the Hendricks Town Hall on November 13. This roundtable hosted a different batch of community actors. Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security Director Kevin White provided an update on the ongoing debris removal project from the branch of the Cheat River that runs through Leadmine. The Human Resource Development Foundation is managing the project. The goal is to remove debris in order to clear up the stream and reduce the chance of flooding. The project began in response to the flooding of July 2017. Work began in April with a crew of about 10 working Mondays through Thursdays. “Currently, under the funding it will end in September,” White said. “It was started late, so we’re hoping that it may go for a year, we’re hoping for an extension.” “That stream is in the shape it’s in, when a tree falls across the stream, river material piles up,” Commissioner Lowell Moore said. “When you take that material out, Mother Nature will take care of itself by rerouting the stream,” Moore said. “I do think it’s going to help,” White said. “Anytime you remove debris that is deflecting water it’s going to help. We’re going to work hard to get other help, but this is step one,” White said. Community members questioned the effectiveness of the project. A frustration was raised about FEMA assistance being provided to Parsons to elevate three houses, when Leadmine has not received federal funds. “The county commission, all three of us and Kevin, we have done our best, we’ve talked to senators and legislators. We’ve talked to FEMA people, we haven’t forgotten you, we just don’t know where else to go,” Moore said. In July, the Department of Highways will work to fix the baskets on a bridge that spans over Leadmine Run. DOH is providing the manpower and equipment, and the County Commission is supplying the project materials. During that time, DOH will work on a bridge over Wolf Run. Steven Leyh updated the attendees on his progress as newly appointed executive director of the Development Authority. A tenant for the Corridor H industrial park signed a lease for the building. “We are getting ready to put a long term tenant in that building, and it will be announced very soon,” Leyh said. Leyh said expanding existing businesses, especially in Parsons, is one of the Development Authority’s main objectives. The Development Authority is co-hosting an entrepreneurial pitch contest to give away $15,000. “It’s an opportunity, if you have a business idea, it’s a chance to get money for it,” Leyh said. The tentative date is June 18 at the high school. The contest is open to new or existing businesses. Commissioner Patrick Darlington represented Tucker County Parks and Recreation. Plans are developing to erect a 30 by 70 feet multipurpose metal building as a practice facility and to host events such as flea markets. Camp Kidd is receiving revenue from a timbering project. “We plan on using some of the funds for an update to the camp itself,” Darlington said. Parks and Recreation is looking to host baseball tournaments as another prospective revenue generator. Other presenters included Tucker County EMS, Art Spring, Camp Horseshoe, St. George Medical Clinic, Hamrick PSD, and the municipalities of St. George, Parsons, and Davis.

1 0

Trout for Cheat celebrates 20 years by stocking river - Dominion Post
by Duane Nichols via CLEAR 29 Apr '18

29 Apr '18

https://www.dominionpost.com/2018/04/28/trout-for-cheat-celebrates-20-years/ Trout for Cheat celebrates 20 years by stocking river - Dominion Post April 28, 2018 7:00 am Logan Hinebaugh from Mountaineer Challenge Academy, tosses a bucket of trout in the Cheat River near Rowlesburg. 15 thousand pounds of fish went in at 20 stops along the Cheat. KINGWOOD — Trout for Cheat is celebrating it’s 20th year, according to Art George, president of the program. Each year the group stocks the narrow section of the Cheat River from Riverview Lounge on Route 50 to Rowlesburg with trout. “Mr. George started the program,” committee member Bo Burnside said. “He did it to give people a unique place to fish.” He said the Challenge Academy cadets carry the fish to the river and deputies from the Preston County Sheriff’s Department handle traffic control. All of the people who help stock the river are volunteers. George said members of Trout for Cheat stock the river eight times each year. He said 1,800 pounds of trout, ranging in weight from two to 12 pounds are released at each stocking. Indian Lakes Fisheries out of Elkview transports the fish, George said “We’ll have one more spring stocking in May,” George said. He said it cost $5,500 each time the river is stocked. “We have people coming to fish from Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio and the Carolinas,” he said. Burnside agreed. “People make a special trip just to fish in the cheat,” he said. “Some have come from as far away as New York.” The distance from New York to Rowlesburg is about 383 miles. Other members of Trout for Cheat who help with stocking the river are Bob Martin, Jim White, Jon Hunter and Buzz Halterman. Sent from my iPad

1 0

Recent rains cause flooding on Shavers Fork & Cheat Rivers
by Duane Nichols via CLEAR 25 Apr '18

25 Apr '18

https://www.parsonsadvocate.com/recent-rains-cause-flooding/ Recent rains cause flooding in Tucker County From the Parsons Advocate, April 23, 2018 On April 16, 2018 Tucker County experienced river flooding thru out the county but mainly in the western end. Tucker County OEM Director Kevin White said, ” The Shavers Fork and Cheat Rivers were the primary concern. A large rain event that moved across the state producing several inches of rain in a 16 hour period causing rivers and streams to reach dangerous levels.” Tucker County Office of Emergency Management Homeland Security activated its Emergency Operation Center around 0800 on the 16th and at that time ask local fire departments, EMS, law enforcement, WVDOH and Tucker 911 for any assistants they could provide. At approximately 1000 the County Commission signed a Declaration of a State of Emergency. Photo by Teri Cayton Department of Highway workers removing debris backed up against the bridge across the Shavers Fork River after last weeks high waters. Photo by Teri Cayton Department of Highway workers removing debris backed up against the bridge across the Shavers Fork River after last weeks high waters. This home, located in the Pulp Mill Bottom, in Parsons, got water inside the residence. The house is owned by Brandi Kopec. Brett and Ashley Ware work to remove water from a residence in the Pulp Mill Bottom. Photo by Teri Cayton Department of Highway workers removing debris backed up against the bridge across the Shavers Fork River after last weeks high waters. White said “Flooding largely affected roads and city streets but there were a few structures in the county that reported water in them. The bridge across Shavers Fork in Parsons was closed for approximately six hours with a debris pile around its pillars being a concern as it was obstructing the water flow.” The water on the Cheat below Parsons showed a crest of 17 ft. at 1500 and operations concluded at 2000. “Tucker County Office of Emergency Management Homeland Security would like to thank all entities for the help during this event.” White said.

1 0

Chest Canyon Incident
by Duane Nichols via CLEAR 24 Apr '18

24 Apr '18

West Virginia News Report By Joe Hauger, Preston News Journal, April 25, 2018 KINGWOOD — The Preston County Sheriff’s Department arrested a Morgantown man on charges of felony strangulation for an incident that allegedly happened, April 14 in the Cheat Canyon. According to the criminal complaint, Gilbert Bruce Bueno, 33, allegedly assaulted the victim while camping there. The complaint reads Bueno had been drinking and became violent and began to punch, choke and strangle the victim. Bueno would not permit the victim to leave the area, taking a cell phone, car keys and other items. Bueno allegedly continued to punch and assault the victim until he went to sleep, and the victim was able to get away. The victim went to Monongalia General Hospital for treatment. Visible bruising could be seen on the victim’s face, chin and right ear area, the complaint states. The victim said there was a nasal bone fracture, as well as injuries to the throat. Deputies photographed the injuries. Bueno had been arrested in Monongalia County for felony strangulation against the victim March 31, and deputies reported he has a history of domestic assault and battery. Bueno was being held in the Tygart Valley Regional Jail in lieu of $500,000 bail. https://www.wvnews.com/prestoncountynews/records/for-the-record/article_464…

1 0

Sheepskin Trail remains to be developed
by Duane Nichols via CLEAR 21 Apr '18

21 Apr '18

CHARLESTON GAZETTE 20 APRIL 2018 Parkersburg to Pittsburgh rail trail could become reality within a decade • By Rick Steelhammer Staff writer Rick Steelhammer Recreation Reporter Apr 19, 2018 Bicyclists along the Mon River Trail, in Monongalia County, which would be part of the proposed Parkersburg to Pittsburgh Trail. Much of the larger trail’s route is already complete, and advocates hope it could be finished within a decade. • STEVE SHALUTA | Rails to Trails Conservancy Several smaller trail systems in West Virginia would be part of the proposed Parkersburg to Pittsburgh Trail, including the North Bend Rail Trail near Cairo in Ritchie County. • Rails to Trails Conservancy | Courtesy photo The West Fork Rail Trail, in Marion and Harrison counties, would be part of the 238-mile Parkersburg to Pittsburgh Trail. • Rails to Trails Conservancy | Courtesy photo Biking on a 238-mile rail trail from Parkersburg to Pittsburgh could become a reality in the next 10 years under a plan to link existing rail trails coordinated by the national Rails to Trails Conservancy. The Parkersburg to Pittsburgh Trail, known as the P2P by those involved in its planning, is already about 80 percent complete, thanks to existing rail trails along its corridor. From Parkersburg to the Pennsylvania border, only 22 miles of the 155-mile trail— nearly all of it along abandoned railroad tracks — have yet to be connected. Once the P2P is completed as far north as Connellsville, Pennsylvania, bicyclists can connect with the existing Great Allegheny Passage trail and ride to Cumberland, Maryland, for a link to the C&O Towpath Trail, which ends in Washington, D.C., or continue north to Pittsburgh on the completed GAP. But links to Pittsburgh and Washington will just be the start of destinations for long-haul bicyclists 20 years from now. The P2P Trail is one of eight “mega-corridors” in the planned 1,500-mile Industrial Heartland Trails system of linked rail-trail routes stretching through 51 counties in western Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio, northern West Virginia and the southwestern corner of New York. “Of all the mega-corridors, the Parkersburg to Pittsburgh corridor is most likely to be completed first,” with completion of the West Virginia segment leading the way, said Kelly Pack, director of trail development for the Rails to Trails Conservancy and a West Virginia University grad. “The biggest challenge for this corridor will be making the connection from the Pennsylvania-West Virginia border to the Great Allegheny Passage trail,” a gap of 27 miles, said Pack. The Sheepskin Trail extending north from Point Marion to Connellsville and now under development, would fill that gap. West Virginia’s missing gaps on the P2P include a 4.6 mile section through Fairmont, which will depart from an abandoned rail bed and loop through the city, connecting with the completed Mon River Trail and Marion County trails to the north and the West Fork River Trail to the south. Between the completed West Fork River Trail and the Harrison North Rail Trail, a six-mile gap remains between the Harrison County communities of Spelter and Shinnston. Seven miles south of Shinnston, a 5.9-mile gap exists between the Harrison North Rail Trail and the 72-mile North Bend Rail Trail. At the southern terminus of the North Bend, a 5.2 mile gap remains to be linked to Point Park along the Ohio River in downtown Parkersburg. Once complete, the Parkersburg to Pittsburgh trail will be the fourth-longest rail trail in the nation and is expected to attract riders from across the country, including many of the 800,000 bicyclists and hikers who travel the Great Allegheny Passage annually. The GAP has an economic impact of $40 million annually on the communities through which it passes, Pack said. In coming months and years, the Rails to Trails Conservancy will be “working with communities along the Parkersburg to Pittsburgh corridor to help them capture economic opportunities” and encourage exploration off the trail and into the towns along it, Pack said. The trail should also prove popular with West Virginians, one-third of whom live within a few miles of the trail, “wanting to stay active and feel safe,” Pack said. A presentation on the Parkersburg to Pittsburgh Rail Trail and the results of a new study on the processes needed to complete it will take place Tuesday, starting at 10 a.m., in the Steptoe & Johnson law office at 400 White Oaks Boulevard in Bridgeport. Reach Rick Steelhammer at rsteelhammer(a)wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-5169 or follow @rsteelhammer on Twitter. URL: https://www.wvgazettemail.com/outdoors/recreation/parkersburg-to-pittsburgh…

1 0

EARTH DAY: 1970 to Today, Let’s Now End Plastic Pollution
by Duane Nichols via CLEAR 21 Apr '18

21 Apr '18

http://www.frackcheckwv.net/2018/04/21/earth-day-1970-to-today-lets-now-end… Sent from my iPad

1 0

Cheat Lake Debris Collects in Backwater Areas
by Duane Nichols via CLEAR 18 Apr '18

18 Apr '18

High water debris accumulated in Emma Kaufman Cove. Sent from my iPhone

2 1

Sheepskin Trail being improved into Pt. Marion
by Duane Nichols via CLEAR 18 Apr '18

18 Apr '18

Sediment liner in place for further work on Mon River Trail system.

1 0

WV MetroNews – Preston County officials optimistic, but waiting for river to crest Monday night
by Duane Nichols via CLEAR 17 Apr '18

17 Apr '18

http://wvmetronews.com/2018/04/16/preston-county-officials-optimistic-but-w… Preston County officials optimistic, but waiting for river to crest Monday night KINGWOOD, W.Va. — High water is expected in Preston County, but the threat isn’t reported to be widespread. “What they’re predicting is that the Cheat is going to crest at 17.9 feet, which is just almost two foot above flood stage,” said Preston County OEM Director Duane Hamilton. “It’s going to effect like the Rowlesburg Park and stuff, but we don’t anticipate any structures being damaged.” In addition to the park, Hamilton said those who use campers on the river and some parts of Rt. 72 might be impacted. “We’ve put out warnings to people with campers and stuff along the river already,” he said. “Rt. 72 would close at 18 feet, which is going to be right with where they’re predicting it’s going to crest. That would be right there at that margin. We’re not really predicting any kind of major problems right now.” Though Hamilton feels better about the chances of avoiding a major flood event in Preston County, he said they are watching what’s happening in the Tucker County town of Parsons closely. “Anything that happens there is going to eventually happen there,” he said. “And they’re saying they should be cresting any time now.” The Cheat River is expected to crest around 7 or 8 p.m. Monday night. “It may get into it a little bit, but for the most part traveling shouldn’t be bad,” Hamilton said. “Rt. 72 would be the only one I know that would be affected by it.” A flood warning is in effect for the Rowlesburg area until 3:20 a.m. Tuesday morning. A mixture of rain and snow showers are expected Monday evening. Sent from my iPad

1 0

2025

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

CLEAR