Tornado- For the fourteenth year, watershed groups from all across West Virginia were recognized by the West Virginia Watershed Network for their efforts in protecting and restoring local watersheds. 

Over 100 volunteers and resource providers attended Watershed Celebration Day on September 7 and 8, 2012. The event was hosted by the Coal River Group at their Science and Education Center in Tornado WV.  The theme and program were developed around information on river trails.  On Friday volunteers had the opportunity to paddle the Coal River and experience the Coal River Walhonde Water Trail first hand with a guided trip by Bill Simmons the owner of Coal River Kayak and Canoe Rental.  Others hiked through the Barnett Conservation Preserve and fished from the banks of the river at Meadowood Park.  Friday night volunteers were treated to dinner and a Contra dance workshop provided by the Kanawha Valley Friends of Old Time Music.  On Saturday, the West Virginia Watershed Network organized speakers to describe the process of how to create a river trail and recognized 16 watershed groups and one individual for their hard work and commitment in protecting and restoring streams and educating their communities about the importance of watershed protection. 

“After all of these years watershed volunteers are still excited to come out to talk with one another and learn about new programs and projects that they can take home to their watersheds.” said Jennifer Pauer, Watershed Basin Coordinator for the WV Department of Environmental Protection.  “It is also nice that volunteers get to be recognized in front of their peers for the work they have done all year.  These folks volunteer because they care about our natural resources and are willing to give their time for that cause.  West Virginia is lucky to have them.”   

This year the highest honor went to Warm Springs Run Watershed Association from Berkeley Springs WV.  The volunteers were recognized for their ability to create partnerships, to spread the word on how good streams go bad, and their foresight to take a proactive approach by developing a comprehensive watershed restoration plan.    The Warm Springs Run Watershed Association was named the 2012 Watershed Association of the Year. 

Other Watershed Associations were recognized for their work in the following categories:

Partners

·         North Fork Watershed Association, Davis

·         Plateau Action Network, Fayetteville

Project Implementation

·         Coal River Group, St. Albans

·         Opequon Creek Project Team, Martinsburg

·         Sleepy Creek Watershed Association,  Berkeley Springs

Outreach and Education

·         Buckhannon River Watershed Association, Buckhannon

·         Friends of Deckers Creek, Morgantown

·         Friends of the Lower Greenbrier River, Alderson

·         Greenbrier River Watershed Association, Lewisburg

·         Morris Creek Watershed Association, Montgomery

·         Piney Creek Watershed Association, Beckley

Monitoring

·         Davis Creek Watershed Association, Charleston

·         Friends of the Cheat, Kingwood

            Guiding Light

·         Sarah Veselka, Friends of Deckers Creek

• New Watershed Association of the Year
  Blue Ridge Watershed Association

Sponsors for this year’s event include Dominion Foundation, Chesapeake Energy, Appalachian Coal Country Team,  Coal River Group, Evans Insurance Agency Inc., Capitol Conservation District, Eastern Panhandle Conservation District, Elk  Conservation District, Greenbrier Valley Conservation District, Guyan Conservation District, Little Kanawha Conservation District, Monongahela Conservation District, Northern Panhandle Conservation District, Potomac Valley Conservation District, Southern Conservation District, Tygarts Valley Conservation District, Upper Ohio Conservation District, West Fork Conservation District, Western Conservation District, National Park Service- Rivers and trails Program, US Office of Surface Mining,  West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, West Virginia Conservation Agency, West Virginia Division of Highways, and West Virginia Watershed Resource Center.

The West Virginia Watershed Network is an informal association of interests with a mission to collaboratively support efforts and provide resources necessary to empower local residents to make decisions for sustainable management of their resources.

For more information, contact Jennifer Pauer at (304) 389-1509.

2010 Watershed Celebration Day Award Recipients

Beckley - For the twelfth consecutive year, watershed groups from all across West Virginia were recognized by the West Virginia Watershed Network for their efforts in protecting and restoring local watersheds.

Over 100 volunteers attended Watershed Celebration Day on November 6.  The group gathered at The Resort at Glade Springs to honor 16 watershed groups and one individual for their hard work and commitment in protecting and restoring streams and educating their communities about the importance of watershed protection. 

“It is very inspiring to see how much these volunteer watershed organizations continue to achieve in their communities,” said Rick Buckley, Clean Streams Coordinator for the Federal Office of Surface Mining.  “Their accomplishments are a testimony to each of us that we all can make a positive difference, for the health of our streams and rivers, by working together and being committed.”   

The highest honor went to the Piney Creek Watershed Association of Raleigh County as the 2010 Watershed Association of the Year.  The group received a $5,000 cash award donated by the Dominion Foundation.  The Division of Highways also provided highway signs designating the watershed association as the watershed of the year.

Other Watershed Associations were recognized for their work in the following categories:

Partners

·         Davis Creek Watershed Association, Charleston

·         Elks Run Study Committee, Harpers Ferry

·         Friends of the Cheat, Kingwood

·         Morris Creek Watershed Association, Montgomery

Project Implementation

·         Meadow River Watershed Association,  Rupert

Outreach and Education

·         Dunkard Creek Watershed Association, Morgantown

·         Friends of the Second Creek, Union

·         Greenbrier River Watershed Association, Lewisburg

·         Sleepy Creek Watershed Association,  Berkeley Springs

·         Upper Guyandotte Watershed Association, Mullens

·         Opequon Creek Project Team, Martinsburg

Monitoring

·         Buckhannon River Watershed Association, Buckhannon

·         Friends of Deckers Creek, Morgantown

New Watershed Association

·         Friends of Milam Creek, Milam

·         Warm Springs Watershed Association, Berkeley Springs

            Guiding Light

·         Martin Christ, Save The Tygart Watershed Association

Sponsors for this year’s event include Dominion Foundation, Lime Doser Consulting LLC, Capitol Conservation District, Eastern Panhandle Conservation District, Greenbrier Valley Conservation District, Guyan Conservation District, Little Kanawha Conservation District, Monongahela Conservation District, Northern Panhandle Conservation District, Southern Conservation District, Tygarts Valley Conservation District, Upper Ohio Conservation District, West Fork Conservation District, Western Conservation District, Appalachian Coal Country Watershed Team, Canaan Valley Institute, Crab Orchard PSD, National Park Service, Plateau Action Network, Piney Creek Watershed Association, United States Environmental Protection Agency,  US Office of Surface Mining, US Environmental Protection Agency, West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, West Virginia Conservation Agency, West Virginia Division of Highways, and West Virginia Watershed Resource Center.

The West Virginia Watershed Network is an informal association of interests with a mission to collaboratively support efforts and provide resources necessary to empower local residents to make decisions for sustainable management of their resources.

For more information, contact Jennifer Pauer at (304) 389-1509.

2009 Watershed Celebration Day Winners Announced!

 Davis – West Virginia Watershed Network recognized watershed groups from all across West Virginia for their efforts in protecting and restoring local watersheds on November 13, 2009 at Blackwater Falls State Park during the 11^th annual Watershed Celebration Day.

Over 100 volunteers attended the event and were given awards for their work to create partners, to implement projects, to educate their communities and to monitor water quality to determine project success.  “We host this event to show our gratitude for the many hours volunteers give to improving West Virginia’s streams and rivers” says Jami Thompson, Manager, WV Watershed Resource Center.

The highest honor went to the Coal River Group as the 2009 Watershed Association of the Year.  The group received a $5,000 cash award donated by the Dominion Foundation.  The Division of Highways also provided highway signs designating the watershed association as the watershed of the year.

Other winners were:

Partnerships

• Baker Run Conservation Society, Hardy County
• Elks Run Study Committee, Jefferson County
• Friends of Deckers Creek, Monongalia County
• Upper Guyandotte Watershed Association, Wyoming County
• Warm Springs Watershed Association, Morgan County

Project Implementation

·    Guardians of the West Fork, Harrison County

• Morris Creek Watershed Association, Kanawha County

Outreach and Education

• Plateau Action Network, Fayette County
• Buckhannon River Watershed Association, Upshur County
• Sleepy Creek Watershed Association, Morgan County

Monitoring - Opequon Creek Watershed Association, Berkeley County

New Watershed Association of the Year

• Meadow River Watershed Association, Greenbrier County
• Potomac Valley CommuniTree Chapter, Hardy County

Guiding Light – Bill Thorne, Monongalia County

Sponsors for this year’s event include participating West Virginia Conservation Districts, American Electric Power, Burgess & Niple, Canaan Valley Institute, Dominion Foundation, Friends of North Fork, River Network, West Virginia American Water, US Office of Surface Mining, US Environmental Protection Agency, US Fish and Wildlife Service, US Natural Resources Conservation Service, West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, West Virginia Conservation Agency, West Virginia Division of Highways, West Virginia Watershed Resource Center, West Virginia Soil and Water Conservation Society, West Virginia Commission for National and Community Service.

The West Virginia Watershed Network is an informal association of interests with a mission to collaboratively support efforts and provide resources necessary to empower local residents to make decisions for sustainable management of their resources.

For more information, contact Jami Thompson at (304) 558-0382.