Articles

Check out this recent announcement from the USGS! AGENCIES WORKING TOGETHER TO CONTINUE OPERATION OF STREAMGAGES Gauging operations at 18 stations throughout West Virginia will continue thanks to funding support by several interested State agencies. The West Virginia Office of Emergency Services hosted a meeting October 25, 2002, to build a coalition of agencies interested in continuing gauging operations at the 18 stations that were previously reported on this web site as threatened by funding reductions. No interruption of gage

American Whitewater’s Conservation Director, John Gangemi, has been nominated to serve on the River Recreation Advisory Council for Montana. The Advisory Council has met three times thus far. The goal of the Advisory Council is to develop a framework, principles, and policies that the Department, working with other agencies, can consistently use to manage river recreation statewide. John welcomes and encourages your input. Email your comments to jgangemi@digisys.net or call 406-837-3155. Please read the River Recreation Advisory Council Charter below.

Yesterday, October 24th, 2002, American Whitewater signed an agreement to remove Marmot Dam, Little Sandy Dam and Portland General Electric’s Bull Run power facility. The agreement was signed by PGE, Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber who has supported the dam removal from the beginning, 8 federal and state agencies and 13 NGOs. It was truly a happy day for everyone, and it is a great acheivement when so many organizations can reach an agreement for the common good. The agreement will

August 23rd, 2002 was a historic day for American Whitewater and for river access. In a meeting between the USFS Sumpter National Forest Plan Revision Team and American Whitewater, the USFS agreed to analyze lifting the ban on paddling the Headwaters of the Chattooga in an Environmental Impact Statement and in the new Forest Plan Revision Process. This marks the first time lifting the ban will be subject to formal public comment, and to official Agency consideration since 1985. This

The following is a transcript of the presentation to TVA’s Regional Resource Stewardship Council that AW Regional Coordinator Dale Robinson gave earlier this week. We would like to thank Dale for stepping up on short notice to make this presentation. Timothy Narron also spoke on behalf of paddlers. The RRSC is one of the key venues for public input to the TVA and we are proud to have a relationship with this group that goes back well over a year.

Boaters that care about the fate of the Blackwater Canyon should write a letter from the website linked below to help stop a large timber harvest and road constuction project in the Canyon. The newest threat to the wild and scenic Blackwater Canyon/River (Class 5 whitewater river) is the application by a logging company for an easement to build a logging road on what is now publicly-owned Forest Service Trail 115, running through the Blackwater Canyon, in order to log

The Pigeon River starts in North Carolina’s Pisgah National Forest in the form of several distinct and beautiful forks, all of which offer excellent paddling, and excellent water quality. The forks converge near Canton, North Carolina and there the good water quality ends. The paper mill in Canton has been polluting the river for nearly 100 years, alarming environmental groups and citizens for decades. As a result environmental regulations, and reports of unusually high cancer rates and toxic fish, water

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) will conduct a fall whitewater release from Lake Nockamixon into the Tohickon Creek in Bucks County, Pennsylvania on November 2 and 3, 2002. Water will be released from the Nockamixon State Park dam on a schedule that will provide boating water at downstream Ralph Stover State Park from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. Most boaters launch their craft at Ralph Stover State Park, near Pipersville, Bucks County, and travel some

WRITE WV GOV. WISE TO SUPPORT LAND ACQUISITION CHEAT GORGE/BIG SANDY RIVER CORRIDOR The WV Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR) is seeking to acquire approximately 6,500 acres of land in Preston County currently owned by Allegheny Energy (AE). Approximately 4,700 acres is in Cheat Gorge; the remaining 1,800 acres are along the Big Sandy. This represents a unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to protect a significant stretch of wild land. Your letters to West Virginia Governor Robert Wise are needed to support

WRITE WV GOV. WISE TO SUPPORT LAND ACQUISITION CHEAT GORGE/BIG SANDY RIVER CORRIDOR The WV Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR) is seeking to acquire approximately 6,500 acres of land in Preston County currently owned by Allegheny Energy (AE). Approximately 4,700 acres is in Cheat Gorge; the remaining 1,800 acres are along the Big Sandy. This represents a unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to protect a significant stretch of wild land. Your letters to West Virginia Governor Robert Wise are needed to support

WRITE WV GOV. WISE TO SUPPORT LAND ACQUISITION CHEAT GORGE/BIG SANDY RIVER CORRIDOR The WV Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR) is seeking to acquire approximately 6,500 acres of land in Preston County currently owned by Allegheny Energy (AE). Approximately 4,700 acres is in Cheat Gorge; the remaining 1,800 acres are along the Big Sandy. This represents a unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to protect a significant stretch of wild land. Your letters to West Virginia Governor Robert Wise are needed to support

HELP SAVE THE CHEAT CANYON! American Whitewater and a diverse group of stakeholders are working hard to have the Cheat Canyon protected. Below is a fact sheet and a sample letter to the Governor of West Virginia. PLEASE send a letter to the Governor supporting the current effort to protect this beautiful river. It WILL help make a difference. Special Thanks to Charlie Walbridge for spearheading this issue! CHEAT GORGE/BIG SANDY FACT SHEET The WV Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR)

WRITE WV GOV. WISE TO SUPPORT LAND ACQUISITION CHEAT GORGE/BIG SANDY RIVER CORRIDOR The WV Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR) is seeking to acquire approximately 6,500 acres of land in Preston County currently owned by Allegheny Energy (AE). Approximately 4,700 acres is in Cheat Gorge; the remaining 1,800 acres are along the Big Sandy. This represents a unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to protect a significant stretch of wild land. Your letters to West Virginia Governor Robert Wise are needed to support

WRITE WV GOV. WISE TO SUPPORT LAND ACQUISITIONCHEAT GORGE/BIG SANDY RIVER CORRIDOR The WV Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR) is seeking to acquire approximately 6,500 acres of land in Preston County currently owned by Allegheny Energy (AE). Approximately 4,700 acres is in Cheat Gorge; the remaining 1,800 acres are along the Big Sandy. This represents a unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to protect a significant stretch of wild land. Your letters to West Virginia Governor Robert Wise are needed to support this

WRITE WV GOV. WISE TO SUPPORT LAND ACQUISITIONCHEAT GORGE/BIG SANDY RIVER CORRIDOR The WV Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR) is seeking to acquire approximately 6,500 acres of land in Preston County currently owned by Allegheny Energy (AE). Approximately 4,700 acres is in Cheat Gorge; the remaining 1,800 acres are along the Big Sandy. This represents a unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to protect a significant stretch of wild land. Your letters to West Virginia Governor Robert Wise are needed to support this

WRITE WV GOV. WISE TO SUPPORT LAND ACQUISITIONCHEAT GORGE/BIG SANDY RIVER CORRIDOR The WV Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR) is seeking to acquire approximately 6,500 acres of land in Preston County currently owned by Allegheny Energy (AE). Approximately 4,700 acres is in Cheat Gorge; the remaining 1,800 acres are along the Big Sandy. This represents a unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to protect a significant stretch of wild land. Your letters to West Virginia Governor Robert Wise are needed to support this

WRITE WV GOV. WISE TO SUPPORT LAND ACQUISITIONCHEAT GORGE/BIG SANDY RIVER CORRIDOR The WV Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR) is seeking to acquire approximately 6,500 acres of land in Preston County currently owned by Allegheny Energy (AE). Approximately 4,700 acres is in Cheat Gorge; the remaining 1,800 acres are along the Big Sandy. This represents a unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to protect a significant stretch of wild land. Your letters to West Virginia Governor Robert Wise are needed to support this

WRITE WV GOV. WISE TO SUPPORT LAND PURCHASECHEAT GORGE/BIG SANDY RIVER CORRIDOR The WV Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR) is seeking to acquire approximately 6,500 acres of land in Preston County currently owned by Allegheny Energy (AE). Approximately 4,700 acres is in Cheat Gorge; the remaining 1,800 acres are along the Big Sandy. If acquired, these lands would become WVDNR wildlife management areas, probably an expansion of the existing Snakehill WMA. Conservation easements and agreements will be established with the

WRITE WV GOV. WISE TO SUPPORT LAND PURCHASECHEAT GORGE/BIG SANDY RIVER CORRIDOR The WV Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR) is seeking to acquire approximately 6,500 acres of land in Preston County currently owned by Allegheny Energy (AE). Approximately 4,700 acres is in Cheat Gorge; the remaining 1,800 acres are along the Big Sandy. If acquired, these lands would become WVDNR wildlife management areas, probably an expansion of the existing Snakehill WMA. Conservation easements and agreements will be established with the

AW has learned that the rumors that many popular WV streamgages will be cut are true. We have contacted the USGS and are discussing ways that we can assist. If you would like to help, then contact: USGS WV District Chief Hugh Bevins dc_wv@usgs.gov West Virginia Division of Tourism bcarver@callwva.com West virginia Office of Emergency Services mrigsby@wvoes.state.wv.us or