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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE CO-SPONSORING SECOND ANNUAL SOUTH BRANCH WATERSHED AWARENESS DAY
Moorefield, W.Va. – The West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) will co-sponsor the second annual South Branch Watershed Awareness Day on the South Branch of the Potomac River to increase public awareness of the importance of the South Branch as a water resource for West Virginia and the state’s neighbors downstream.
“The South Branch is a historic and important waterway,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Gus R. Douglass. “It provides a water source for our nation’s capital and it feeds the Chesapeake Bay. The West Virginia Department of Agriculture has been very active in working to protect waterways throughout the state for future generations, and I think this trip will highlight some of the positive things that are being done at this time.”
The trip is scheduled for June 2 at 8 a.m., with a rain date of June 9 in case of high water, lightning or other severe weather. It will begin at the Old Fields Bridge, north of Moorefield, and continue through “The Trough,” a scenic stretch of the South Branch, but participants should meet downstream at The Trough General Store for shuttles to the put-in. Lunch, drinks, boating equipment, door prizes and t-shirts will be provided.
Along the way, there will be presentations focusing on native wildlife and the Potomac River’s influence on Chesapeake Bay.
WVDA Environmental Coordinator and trip organizer Matt Monroe said participants should be prepared for a relatively strenuous day of paddling. The trip will cover approximately 12 miles and will include some medium-sized rapids.
Monroe added that a variety of representatives from government agencies will take part in the trip and he is hoping for a good turnout by the public as well. “This trip is free, and besides being educational, it should also be a lot of fun,” Monroe said.
The trip is free and open to the public, but is limited to 70 participants. Registration deadline is May 18. For more information or to register, contact Carla Hardy at 304-538-7581, or e-mail her at chardy@wvca.us. Online registration will be available at www.wvca.us/wvwrc. Click on the upcoming events tab on right side of page for a registration form.
Co-sponsors include the WVDA, Chesapeake Bay Program, West Virginia Conservation Agency, Potomac Valley Conservation District, West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, West Virginia Division of Environmental Protection, South Branch Watershed Association of Hampshire County, Cacapon Institute, USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, The Conservation Fund – Freshwater Institute, The Trough General Store, Main Street Grille and Baker Run Watershed Association.
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The West Virginia Department of Agriculture protects plant, animal and human health through a variety of scientific, regulatory and consumer protection programs, as mandated by state law. The Commissioner of Agriculture is one of six statewide elected officials in West Virginia. Currently, Commissioner Gus R. Douglass is the longest-serving agriculture commissioner in the nation. For more information, visit www.wvagriculture.org.
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