Into the Canyon - Newsletter of Friends of the Cheat Winter 2024
Board of Directors and Key Personnel
Amanda Pitzer, Executive Director; Owen Mulkeen, Associate Director; Madison Ball, Conservation Program Manager; Garrett Richardson, Project Coordinator; Maggie Biss, Conservation Technician; Beth Warnick, Media and Outreach Specialist; Lisa Maraffa, Program Assistant and Events Producer
Board Members
Chair: Rich Dennis, Vice-Chair: Chris Wade, Treasurer: Miranda Peddicord, Secretary: Michael Strager, Charlie Walbridge, Sarah Hinnant, Connie Miller, Ben Hogan, Rick Chaney, Zach Fowler, Dani Martin, Justin Reedy
New Funding and Partnerships Blossom for FOC Work on Public Lands
by Madison Ball, Conservation Program Director
“I love it when a plan comes together.” This A Team reference aptly describes the series of events that has led to new funding, partnerships, and work for Friends of the Cheat on public lands in our headwaters.
With the absorption of the former Shavers Fork Coalition, our organization began looking to our headwaters to expand monitoring and restoration efforts. Our first step was submitting an EPA proposal for an intensive Watershed Based Planning project to identify, monitor, and plan for the restoration of water quality impairments, as well as plan for the protection of high quality conditions, in Shavers Fork and its tributaries.
Early in 2023, FOC met with the Monongahela National Forest (MNF) staff to see where project priorities overlapped in the Cheat watershed. In the meeting, it became clear that Shavers Fork was also a focal area for monitoring work for the Monongahela National Forest, and merging our monitoring efforts would result in a robust plan that would greatly benefit both parties. The end product of the discussion was the Monongahela National Forest providing funds and a partnership agreement for FOC to build off of our existing water quality monitoring efforts by monitoring for additional factors, such as the impact of historic logging roads to aquatic resources. The watershed staff with the MNF explained how roads left on a landscape can intercept groundwater, routing it along the landscape’s surface, which hastens the warming process and can also cause sedimentation: both of which are issues for species that depend on cold, high quality waters. Identifying these sites now could allow for the future planning and allocation of funding to restore groundwater hydrology on the forest in the future. This process can involve decommissioning roads that are no longer in use and restoring the natural slope on the landscape. FOC staff were excited to build off of this new partnership with the Monongahela National Forest, and dove in headfirst in November of 2023, with a joint training between MNF and FOC staff.
In tandem with our new Shavers Fork & MNF endeavors, midway through 2023 FOC staff were approached by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge (CVNWR) to gauge our interest on partnering on a grant application that would merge habitat restoration techniques for both aquatic and terrestrial animals in the Upper Blackwater River watershed. FOC staff decided to go all in with this proposal idea and further FOC’s work portfolio on restoration techniques that include aquatic organism passage, riparian reforestation, and habitat and species monitoring.
Over the course of a month, FOC, TNC, CVNWR put together a robust application for the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s (NFWF) Central Appalachia Habitat Stewardship Program. Proposal development included a deep dive into existing data, several rounds of edits, and identification of additional partners and land managers to bring into the fold of the work. The work proposed included removing four stream barriers to improve fish passage for brook trout, improving 135 acres of forest to promote the red spruce ecosystem, restoring 74 acres of forest along streams, and monitoring for wood thrush and brook trout. As an added bonus, the project will also involve installing signage in key locations near refuge trail systems that highlight the work and educate locals and tourists alike about the importance of habitat restoration and the species that utilize these efforts.
After submitting the proposal, the project team waited. But during this time, FOC’s partnership with TNC continued to grow: our new project partner is the Cheat Fest Presenting Sponsor for the 30th annual Cheat River Festival, and also secured additional funding for FOC to deploy staff to identify and complete rapid surveys of stream crossings.
The North Atlantic Aquatic Connectivity Collaborative (NAACC) Data Center has identified 2,635 stream crossings in the Cheat River Watershed, and only 19 of these sites have been surveyed to see if these crossings are acting as barriers to fish passage. These new funds would allow FOC staff to start to close the gap on these unassessed sites-- but where to focus?
This question led to a win: win: win solution - FOC would complete NAACC surveys on all sites in the Upper Blackwater River watershed to complement the pending NFWF proposal, and would also focus work in the Shavers Fork to further complement our stout watershed planning effort with the Monongahela National Forest.
And finally, in November, we received the great news - our NFWF proposal with TNC and CVNWR was funded! Overall, our journey through 2023 resulted in a new woven fabric of partners, goals, and funding, which braided together shared ideas, watersheds, and resources. Stay tuned to our headwater work in 2024!
A HUGE THANK YOU TO OUR DONORS!
Cheat Watershed Sponsors: Walbridge Family Foundation, Charlie Walbridge, Eliza Walbridge, Margaret Walbridge, Patrick & Lisa Ward, Tom & Hope Covey, Robert Uram, Community Foundation for a greater Richmond
Cheat River Sponsors: Szilagyi Family Foundation, The Reed Foundation, Northeast Natural Energy, Mike & Diane Green
Stream Stewards: Joe Sinsheimer & Toddi Steelman, John & Emy Hinnant, Don & Susan Sauter, David Brisell, Keel-Haulers Canoe Club, Bill & Megan Carlson, Fred & Kim Wright, Mark Gavin & Jodi Goodman, Ryan Radtka, Marina 1, LLC, James Scott, North Fork Recording, LLC, The Oakland Foundation, Richard Volkman, Scott Mitchell & Dan Cardinali, Robert Moore, Anne Kibler Charitable Trust
For the period October 21, 2023 through January 31, 2024
Canyon Contributors: Bronnie Stroud, Adam Webster, Edward Hughes, Heather Lukacs, Mike Plevich, Pamela Schwer, Anonymous, Jay Mullen, Joseph & Lois Knecht, Upper Monongahela River Association (UMRA), William G. Collier, Stephen & Catherine Kelso, Tyler Mayhew & Mary Luckini
Narrows Navigators: Caitlin Sullivan, Johnathan Myers, Ann & Cecil Tickamyer, Bob Gedekoh, Charles Duffy, David Greenwald, David Hough, Mary Wimmer, Stephen Wetmore, Constance Miller, David & Robin Barnett, Everett Mulkeen, Martin Lackovic, Michael Bradley, Ryan Kuehn, Steve Taylor, Allan and Millie Karlin, Allan Fergus, Lea Chidlow, R. Brent Bailey, Ned Egan, Patrick Millham, Giles Wright, Jon Zeidler, Dale and Carolyn McVicker, Rich & Bettina Dennis, Daniel Doyle, Mowry Smith, III, Paula Dinnerstein, David Plott, Bruce & Cindy Wiley
Confluence Crew: Amy Conger, Andre Matheny, Andrew Lindsay, Barbara Fleischauer, Barry & Darlene Pallay, Bill & Anna Mae Thorne, Bill Buda, Bruce & Kathy Jenkins, Daniel McGough, Diane Macklin, Duane Lazzell and Sally Wilts, Jeff Cessna, Jessica Zamias, Laurie Casarano in memory of Christopher (Critter) Cosner, Liz Clough, Megan Lindsay, Michael & Laura Blackburn, Michael Buric and Patricia Kotchek, Robert Harrison, Steven De Boer, Thomas Batchelor, Thomas Pue, Ben Grimm, Jeremy Peterman, Joel Wolpert, Lois Uranowski, Mac Thornton, Mills Group, LLC, Richard Cohen, Tom Williams, Zachariah Fowler, Daria and Randy Jones, Jim Siekmeier and Catherine Tall, Mark Barger, Michael Jones, Robert Vagnetti, George Street, Nathan Williamson, Ben Keifer, Megan Lindsay, Patrick McGinnis
Five Forks Friends: Bill & Anna Mae Thorne in honor of Susan Gordon, Susan Gordon in honor of Bill & Anna Mae Thorne, Caroline Coleman, David Gross, Donna Weems, Dr. Donald DeLorenzo, Glenn Welch, Jen & Greg Short, Rod Cavanaugh, Shannon Orcutt, Carol Nix, Charles and Lee Mullett, Jill Wallace, John & Terrie Peaslee, John Sweet, Julio Scheufele, Kenneth Ferris, Meredith Kiger, Michael & Amy Savage, Robert Alexander, Roger Perry, David Davis, Francis & Barb Slider, Katie Heisler, Pam and Dave Ruediger, Patricia Johns, Judith Clister, Patricia Kelly, Edward Gertler, Susan Gordon in honor of Max Regan
Good Ole Friends: Mitchell Hartley, Paul Albin, Don Frew, Joel Beane, Linda Adams, Michael Burk, Aidan Rider, David W Cassell, Lee Maddex, Tim Osborne & Julie O'Hagan, Bernd Potts, Marcia Hamm, Brenden Lingg, Dan Twardus, David & Shelley Poli, David Atkinson, Edward Hanrahan, Fred Varner, Jane White, Karen Frank, Kenneth Durr, Stephen Koch, Steve & Susan Kite, Bill Fischer, Bobbie Sue Burnside & Robin Myers, Brad Field Family, Clover Wright, David & Linda Davidson, Diane and Ed Rader, Donald Case, Kate Leary, R.S. Knight, Gerald Andy, Maggie DeWeirdt, Mark Healey
Swim Guide Donors: Adam Webster, Theo, Colette, Sera, & Nico Zegre
#GivingTuesday Donors: Fern and Rita Mulkeen, Max & Crys Bauer, Dale Griffiths, Francis & Barb Slider, Jane & Steve Andraka, Jason Coffman, Susan Gordon, Elizabeth White, James Hunt, Joan Pitzer, Michael Higgins, West Virginia Entomological Society, Ben and Kendra Hogan, Brianna Cain, Cara Damm, Chris Felton, Chris Preperato, Christopher Lazzell, Donald and Jane Martin, Elizabeth Stearns, Grant Smith, Kelley Burd-Huss, Larry Krall, Madison Ball, Michael Rzesutock, Robert & Dee Leggett, Ryan Adamec, Delbert Royce, Sarah Hinnant, Thomas Beres, Ann Pancake, Bill Shick, Bradley Nichols, Douglas and Margaret Richardson, Ella Belling, Katie Plum, Kim Wimer, Matthew Hokom, Miranda Peddicord, Sara Cottingham, Shawn Odell, Taryn & Evan Moser, Tess Meinert, Todd Fedak, Abigail Amor, Adam Gibson, Allie Smith, David Hough, Christina Parrish, Mrs. Nancy Abrams and Dr. Stan Einzig, Samuel Liston, Christie Warnick, Mike & Diane Green
Whitewater Access and Cheat River Rail-Trail Donors: Brandon Borish, Michael Baldino, John Black, Robert Pfannenstiel, Ben Badger and Jessica Zamias, Peggy A McDevit, Stephanie Bayles, Nathaniel Comfort, Eric Henrickson, Mykl Messer & Terri Brink, Charles Walbridge, Kelly Collins, Randy Robinson, John Rooke, Connard Edlin, Fern & Rita Mulkeen, James Nardozzi, Dale Griffiths, Kelly & Keith Heasley, Ben & Lynn Mack, Janet & Dan Lenox, Leigh Williams, Blaise Hollot
FOC would like to extend a huge THANK YOU to the following excellent humans:
The many donors whose generosity led to the purchase and preservation of the Lower Big Sandy River-Left Corridor. Long-time Friend of the Cheat, Rick Chaney, for his years serving on the FOC Board and donating his time and expertise to a multitude of FOC programs and projects. And WVDNR Officer Zackery France for his diligent stewardship of our watershed!
Bull Run Watershed Reconnaissance Efforts
by Garrett Richardson, Project Coordinator
FOC has begun collecting water quality samples to develop an informed plan for future acid mine drainage (AMD) treatment and restoration of the Bull Run watershed in Preston County.
To gain a better understanding of the largest contributors of AMD in the watershed, the first round of field and lab samples were taken at the majority of tributary mouths. We’ve compiled and reviewed all of the current data available for the watershed, and so far have found 40 known discharges contributing AMD to the Bull Run watershed. FOC will continue water sampling and planning into 2025.
If you are a landowner in the Bull Run watershed with AMD on your property, or access to a stream from your property, please reach out to FOC Project Coordinator, Garrett Richardson, by email at Grichardson@cheat.org.
2024 Cheat River Festival
by Lisa Maraffa, Fest Coordinator
As we gear up to host the 30th Cheat River Festival, there's an undeniable buzz surrounding this landmark occasion. For three decades, the annual gathering has been a cornerstone of community spirit, environmental stewardship, and conservation efforts along the banks of the Cheat River.
For Friends of the Cheat staff and the dedicated volunteers who've poured their time and passion into this event over the years, the 30th festival isn't just a celebration of past accomplishments; it's a testament to the enduring impact of grassroots activism.
As we take a moment to look back on the journey that's brought us here, we pay tribute to the invaluable contributions of our supporters and recommit ourselves to safeguarding the Cheat River watershed for generations to come.
Cheat Fest, FOC’s largest annual fundraiser, brings folks together from all over to celebrate the inspiring story of the Cheat River. Attendees will enjoy a top notch art and vendor market, many local food trucks, outdoor gear vendors, local non-profit groups, an ever-growing kid's tent, and more during this fun-filled weekend - held rain or shine! Make sure to visit www.cheatfest.org to learn more, and follow Cheat Fest on Facebook and Instagram.
Downriver Race
The Cheat River Festival weekend kicks off on Friday with the largest mass start, whitewater downriver race in the country known as the Cheat River “Massacre-ence”. A race steeped in history, the DRR hosts some of the best whitewater boaters on the East Coast. Come join the race and show us what you got! Online registration closes at midnight on Sunday, April 28th, 2024.
5K Foot Race
The Cheat Fest 5K Foot Race is held the Saturday morning of Cheat Fest at the Preston County Country Club where participants cruise along the gently rolling course through the grounds of the golf course, the rhododendron lined banks of Buffalo Creek, and along the mighty Cheat River. Online registration closes at noon on May 3rd, 2024.
Volunteers
Our festival is not just an event; it’s a celebration of the Cheat River community. By volunteering, you become an integral part of the community effort to create something truly special while bringing awareness to the issues affecting our watershed. Volunteer shifts are typically 4 hours and include perks such as festival entrance, onsite camping, and food backstage on Saturday. Register to volunteer on our website today!
Food Drive
We are once again partnering with Food for Preston to collect non-perishable food items and hygiene items to stock their 11 pantries around Preston County. We encourage everyone who attends to contribute an item to our Drive. Click here to see the Food for Preston Suggested Donation List.
Introducing Maggie Biss : FOC’s New Conservation Technician
Maggie Biss was born and raised in Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania. She attended Saint Francis University in the mountains of Loretto, Pennsylvania and graduated with a B.S. in Biology with a concentration of Ecology and Environmental Biology in 2023. During college, Maggie was on the women’s swim team which took up most of her time besides her studies. She also conducted research on the effects AMD has on macroinvertebrate diversity, which has given her an even greater passion for clean waters and the diversity and abundance of organisms living in them.
After graduating, Maggie spent her first summer out of college in Bartow, West Virginia working with Trout Unlimited as a Watershed Survey Technician. This consisted of surveying roads, habitat assessment in streams, AOP surveys, and electroshocking. Maggie fell in love with the mountain state after spending this summer in the national forest and being by the water all day. During her free time, she loves fly fishing, swimming in the river, painting, drawing, gardening, and hiking.
Who/What had the most influence on you growing up?
I would say my parents had the most influence on me growing up. If I never grew up attending WVU games with my mom and dad, I don’t think I would have known or established a connection with the state. I’m glad that I spent time going to those games and coming down to Canaan Valley with family. My dad has also been a fly fisherman all his life and I think that exposure drew me closer to wanting to work in fisheries and learning how to fly fish.
Where’s your favorite place in the world outside of WV?
One of my favorite places I’ve been was the Chiricahua Mountains in southern Arizona. I went to the Chiricahuas for research for a class I was taking. The mountains were beautiful and the resemblance of the Cave Creek Canyon to the rock faces of Seneca Rocks, before I knew it at the time, was uncanny. It was a place so rich in history and diversity that I couldn’t help but love it and want to go back again.
What’s your favorite spot in WV?
I love being in the Monongahela National Forest. Working there for a summer showed me how much diversity the Appalachian Mountains have and how peaceful it is to be tucked away in the mountains either hiking, fishing, swimming, or just spending time with friends.
What are you passionate about?
My biggest passion in life is the outdoors and everything outdoors. I have always loved being outside, especially around water, whether it was a pool, lake, ocean, or river. Because of this, I developed a desire to protect it and the organisms living in it. Being a part of the work to help protect these organisms and being able to collect data on streams or areas that have had no record of any data is very rewarding!
What drew you to Friends of the Cheat?
I was introduced to FOC through my previous work with Trout Unlimited and working through the Forest Service. It was inspiring to me to see the amount of work that a small non-profit has done in such a short amount of time. Because of this, I knew the passion and dedication behind this organization, and I wanted to be a part of it.
What else would you like us to know about you?
I’m excited to establish relationships here at FOC, become closer to everyone in the community, and to be able to work with others who are also passionate about the Cheat River!
Greetings friends! Although it is that time of year, I am not going to waste my word count on the West Virginia Legislature. As of February 12, there isn’t much action related to the work of FOC. It’s an election year, so the culture wars are taking center stage and, in my opinion, wasting everyone’s precious time.
FOC staff did get a kick out of the 24-hour French Creek Freddie saga - a series of quotes and headlines that felt so very “West Virginia” with Senator Manchin saving the day but Governor Justice not willing to acknowledge the groundhog’s true savior. Freddie (and Phil) both saw their shadows to the dismay of every winter sports enthusiast. I’m pleased I got up to White Grass before the big melt. Wouldn’t it be something if we had another Cheat Fest week like last year - skiing on Tuesday in the Valley and splashing in the sun on Friday!?
Cheat Fest excitement helps tamper the challenges of our program work, which are many. Lately, I’ve been worried that I’m just being whiney versus working towards real solutions. But then I remind myself that progress is incremental and change is hard, especially at the institutional level. My resolve may be dimmed from time to time, but my vision is not. I see endless potential for collaboration, expansion, and improvements to existing projects and programs. Our communities need more than just funding; they need people and their capacity to engage. FOC can only do so much. Everyone can only do so much.
Just a few weeks ago a group of individuals made something really great happen! Under the leadership of Charlie Walbridge and Dave Hough, a coalition of paddlers negotiated and funded the acquisition of 4.25 river miles along the river left of Big Sandy Creek. The land includes river frontage spanning almost the entire river-left side of the gorge, the remainder of which is already under conservation ownership (WV Land Trust and WVDNR Cheat Canyon WMA). This purchase safeguards the river-left Rockville Access and portage routes at Wonder Falls and Big Splat. In addition to river access, the importance of protecting the Big Sandy corridor is evidenced by research identifying this area as a critical corridor for climate refuge. This means that plant and animal species impacted by climate change will move and are already migrating to the area. To help visualize this movement, check out this awesome map created by our partners The Nature Conservancy.
American Whitewater took ownership of the land with a plan to transfer to the WV Land Trust for long-term stewardship. While partners complete their due diligence, including updated land surveying, we ask that eager hikers tread lightly and make no alterations to the landscape. This is a crucial time for developing and maintaining good relations with neighbors, and we don’t want to start off on the wrong foot. We look forward to working with neighbors and partners to balance access and conservation in this very special place.
We recently completed improvements to the parking lot at Rockville and have a big signage package coming along for river access sites from Hendricks all the way downstream to our new Cheat River Trailhead. Big thanks to the critical eyes of the FOC staff, especially Beth, Owen, and Garrett. Crafting information for the public that stands the test of time is no small feat. The work has taken a lot of coordination and communication between Cheat River communities, which is rewarding and resource intensive. I really hope you like them! We will need some help installing all of the new kiosks - if you can donate time, machinery, or materials - give us a holler.
I trust this edition of Sinuosity and the other good news in this newsletter brings excitement and smiles your way. With Cheat Fest less than 3 months away, now's the time to start planning your carpool and campsite arrangements!