 | | | | Volunteer Surveys Reveal Water Quality Trends Across WV By Than Hitt, Senior Scientist for WV Rivers Coalition |
|  | Check out this data visualized thanks to the help of folks monitoring statewide. Keep it up! |
| Watershed organizations are the experts for their home waters – and many volunteer hours go into collecting data on water quality and habitat. These data collections have been instrumental in monitoring baseline conditions and evaluating the effects of roads, pipelines, and other land-disturbing activities. But can these data also be combined to tell a larger story about water quality trends across the state? That’s the question I wanted to address in my presentation for the annual meeting of the Association of Mid-Atlantic Aquatic Biologists (AMAAB) in Cacapon State Park on March 26. Spoiler alert: Oh, yes, they can! In my analysis, I focused on stream conductivity, an index of dissolved materials in water that can reflect pollution from road salt runoff (chlorides) or mine runoff (sulfates). For example, conductivity levels above 300 uS/cm are associated with toxicity to aquatic life in WV due to ionic stress on gill function. For this analysis, I compiled data collected by volunteers through our Citizen Science platform, including 4429 samples collected over 15 years across the state. Here’s what I found: first, observed trends correlated closely with ecoregional boundaries and highland sites were generally less than 300 uS/cm. In contrast, many sites in the southern coalfields often exceeded this threshold. Second, the watershed organization data corresponded with DEP data at the river basin scale (aka. HUC8 watersheds). Third, the watershed organization data showed meaningful relationships to environmental predictors such as land use (road density), biological impairments (303d streams), and other landscape features. Here's the most important part: Data collected by watershed organizations has value not only for local assessments but also for statewide trends! Please feel free to contact me for more information: nhitt@wvrivers.org |
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| | Buckhannon & Tygart Valley River Water Trail - WV’s Newest Water Trail! By Jessica Bryzek for Buckhannon River Watershed Association and WV DEP |
|  | The weather is getting warmer! Make your plan to get on the Buckhannon & Tygart Valley River Water Trail today! |
| We are so excited to share that the Buckhannon and Tygart Valley River Water Trail (BTV) received official designation as a WV State Water Trail! This project has been many years in the making for the Buckhannon River Watershed Association and Save the Tygart Watershed Association. Our volunteers dedicated countless hours to completing river assessments and the Water Trail application, building partnerships, and gaining community support. We dream of creating a paddlers paradise on the BTV, and that includes providing stewardship opportunities to ensure our rivers are cared for by the people who use them. Every time people get on the water, this is where stewardship begins. Our BTV Water Trail logo features a blue heron, a majestic and beautiful creature that calls our riverway home. Herons can be seen poised on a log, cruising through the tree tops, or wading along the riverbanks. They often stand motionless as they scan for prey or wade with long, deliberate steps. Even though they may move slowly, Great Blue Herons can strike like lightning to grab a fish. The Blue Heron symbolizes patience, perseverance, and resilience, all attributes that support the restoration, monitoring, and protection of the natural environment. We want our paddlers and Water Trail users to be as vigilant as Blue Herons, remaining watchful and observant of the rivers to help monitor pollution inputs. Obtaining official designation as a Water Trail is a very exciting step towards our vision of a healthy and connected community. However, our trail is “under construction.” We have years of work ahead of us to accomplish our dream of having a fully functional Water Trail. We hope you’ll join us on the water this year to celebrate this exciting designation! The first event is the Jack Barker Memorial Fun Paddle on May 24 at Buckhannon Riverwalk Park. We are also debuting our Water Trail Stewards Program, a volunteer opportunity for community leaders to become more involved in protecting and promoting our river. Learn more about the BTV Water Trail by visiting our website: btvwatertrail.org |
| | Watershed Groups Make Use of Chemical Spill Funds By Tomi Bergstrom, WVDEP - Watershed Improvement Branch |
|  | Grant funds to improve watersheds statewide in action! |
| If you are a long-term WaterNet reader, then you may recall the article from the 2022 Winter Edition, Chemical Spill Funds Awarded to Six Watershed Groups. If not, the quick recap is that unclaimed funds from the January 9, 2014, chemical release into the Elk River were reallocated to Cy Pres funds and awarded by the Honorable John T. Copenhaver Jr, the Southern District Court Judge of the Southern District Court of the United States to the WV Land Trust and six watershed groups in the impacted area. Buffalo Creek Watershed Improvement Association (Clay County), Coal River Group (Kanawha County), Davis Creek Watershed Association (Kanawha County), Fourpole Creek Watershed Association (Cabell County), Morris Creek Watershed Association (Fayette/Kanawha Counties), and Paint Creek Watershed Association (Kanawha County) were each awarded $1,051,424.99 to implement stream restoration, cleanup and habitat enhancement projects in their watersheds. WVDEP’s Watershed Improvement Branch was appointed to oversee the project's suitability and spending. The projects include repairing and replacing septics, stabilizing streambanks, installing stream structures, and installing infiltration trenches to reduce nonpoint source pollution. Fast forward three years, and three of the six groups have completed their watershed projects that resulted from the Class Action Settlement. We invite you to celebrate the work conducted by the volunteer-led watershed groups by watching the videos linked below and sharing their success with your friends and community. WVDEP Environment Matters videos highlighting completed Cy Pres projects: The other three groups are still wrapping up their projects, and we’ll have more to report on them next year. Stay tuned! |
| | Local Work Group Meetings to be Held this Spring By Julie Stutler, Natural Resources Conservation Service |
|  | The West Fork Conservation District LWG Meeting held at the USDA Service Center in Mt. Clare, WV. |
| Locally led conservation begins with the community itself. Across West Virginia, Conservation Districts lead the effort in gathering public input from a broad range of agencies, organizations, businesses, and individuals interested in natural resource conditions and conservation goals. Local Work Groups (LWG) play a key role in this effort, convening to identify local natural resource concerns, discuss possible solutions, and provide recommendations. The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) uses this input to set priorities and establish criteria for conservation programs. Additionally, LWGs help shape local outreach efforts. The participation of farmers and other land managers is especially vital in developing and implementing locally led conservation programs. LWG meetings occur at least once each year and are open to the public. “I would encourage watershed associations to attend their local meetings because the knowledge they bring to the table is extremely valuable,” said NRCS-WV State Conservationist, Jon Bourdon. “NRCS has always been a locally led conservation agency working in cooperation with the Conservation Districts to provide services to local land users on a voluntary basis. Receiving input from a diverse group contributes to successful programs.” Local Work Group meetings are announced in one or more local newspapers at least 14 calendar days prior to the meeting. If you’re interested in participating in your Local Work Group meeting, contact your local Conservation District or NRCS office for details. Your local USDA Service Center can be found at www.nrcs.usda.gov. |
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| | Save the Date for the 2025 Watershed Symposium October 17 & 18 at Battlers Knob in Philippi, WV |
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| | |  | Photo from Paddle Camp 2024 on the Tug Fork River! |
| No matter where you are in WV, chances are there's an event on the river nearby. Check out this incredible list of water events this spring and summer and start planning your trip! Want to see your event on the list? Submit your event here. - April 12: Webster Wildwater Weekend, Webster Springs
- May 2: Cheat River Massacre-ence, Cheat Canyon, Friends of Cheat
- May 2-3: Cheat Fest, Albright, Friends of Cheat
- May 3: Joel McCann Race, Mannington to Farmington
- May 10: Mon River Sweep, Morgantown, Water Research Institute/ Ascend WV
- May 17: WV Girl Paddler Meet Up, Stonecoal Lake
- May 24: Jack Barker Memorial Paddle, Buckhannon Riverwalk Park, Buckhannon Riverwatershed Association
- May 25: Palatine to Prickett's Fort Paddle and Picnic, Fairmont, Fairmont Flotilla
- May 31: Old Mill Festival & Float the Fork, Good Hope, Town of West Milford
- June 1: Blue & Gray Festival Float, Philippi, Save the Tygart Watershed Association
- June 7-8: Winfield Watersports Weekend, Winfield Community Center
- June 7: Paddle Camp with Friends of the Tug Fork River and Big Laurel Learning Center
- June 7: Fundamentals of Whitewater Clinic, Greenbrier River, Wildwater Association
- June 7: Weston Carp Festival, City of Weston, West Fork River
- June 14: Tour de Coal, St Albans, Coal River Group
- June 14: Color the River, Pence Springs, Berry Campground
- July 4: Shallows RiverFest, Fairmont
- July 12: Elk River Summer Float, Braxton County
- July 19: Tygart Valley River Rally, Grafton, Save the Tygart Watershed Association
- August 2: Lurchfest Paddle, Philippi, Save the Tygart Watershed Association
- August 9: Mid Ohio Valley Three Trails Flatwater Weekend, St. Marys
- August 23: Buckhannon RiverFest, Buckhannon, Buckhannon River Watershed Association
- September 12: Parkersburg PaddleFest, Wild River Kayak Co.
- September 20: Gauley Fest, Summersville
Don’t forget to check out the Watershed Improvement Branch Event Calendar for more upcoming events! |
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| | West Virginia Rivers Coalition
3501 MacCorkle Ave SE #129 | Charleston, West Virginia 25304
304-637-7201 | wvrivers@wvrivers.org |
| The WV WaterNet is made possible through an award of Environmental Protection Agency’s 319 funding awarded to the West Virginia Rivers Coalition by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection. |
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