CLEAR July 2012

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Stop the Frack Attack
by Duane 31 Jul '12

31 Jul '12

Water is Life . .. ... .... ..... KEEP IT CLEAN. stop the frack attack 7-28-12 Duane Nichols, Cell- 304-216-5535.

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Illness is sometimes due to polluted water . . .
by Duane 30 Jul '12

30 Jul '12

September 8: Wellness and Water: Health Impacts of Fossil Fuel Extraction Join us at the Morgantown (W.Va.) First Presbyterian Church for this conference sponsored by the Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition (OVEC) and the WV Chapter of the Sierra Club. Our keynote speaker is chemist Wilma Subra, whom you may have seen in Gasland. We'll have workshops and panels with impacted residents, and experts including Dr. Ben Stout, whom you may have seen in The Last Mountain and Burning the Future, andDr. Michael Hendryx, whose research is shining a much-needed light on the extreme human health impacts of mountaintop removal coal mining. Registration begins at 8 a.m. (We will have an online registration page up soon.) Keynote at 9 a.m. Closing reception at 1 p.m. $10 suggested donation. Contact Robin Blakeman at robin(a)ohvec.org or304-522-0246 for more information

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New Research Greenhouse in Morgantown
by Duane330＠aol.com 30 Jul '12

30 Jul '12

Shared research greenhouse complete. WVU and US Forest Service (USDA) Station scientists studying the ecology and management of invasive species and forest ecosystem in Morgantown, W.Va., are moving into a new research greenhouse designed and built in cooperation with the West Virginia University. The greenhouse will accommodate work on invasive species, particularly plants, as well as research related to the natural regeneration of oak forests following disturbance. There will be a state-of-the-art computer-based controls system that allows users to program temperature controls, lights, and, optionally, irrigation systems.

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Egyptian geese visit Cheat Lake
by Duane330＠aol.com 26 Jul '12

26 Jul '12

Egyptian geese visit Cheat Lake............................ .............. see page 1-D of today's Morgantown Dominion Post.......................

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Farewell to the Ices Ferry Bridge
by Duane 21 Jul '12

21 Jul '12

Ices Ferry farewell: Old bridge’s dismantling starts Monday By EVELYN RYAN, The Morgantown Dominion Post, July 21, 2012 Piece by piece, starting Monday, the old Ices Ferry Bridge over Cheat Lake will be taken apart and removed. The West Virginia Division of Highways (DOH) said Friday construction crews will start by removing portions of the old bridge’s rusted steel deck grid. The bridge was closed to traffic in May 2011, when Brayman Construction began work on the new structure, located next to the old one. The $12.5 million new bridge is expected to be completed by Oct. 31, weather permitting. People on foot and bikers have continued to use the old bridge, built in 1922, to cross the lake. That won’t be possible starting Monday, noted Jason Nelson, DOH District 4 construction engineer. “They are going to being cutting off and removing non-structural components of the old bridge the first of next week,” he said. Work will continue on the new bridge, he said. Plans are to begin putting in the deck sometime in the next 10 days or so. Once the demolition starts, and the contractor determines what shape the old bridge is in, plans for the rest of the demolition will be developed. “They will use explosives to break the bridge apart, into usable sections,” Nelson said. It won’t be as spectacular as the Star City Bridge demolition. “They are basically going to blast, drop it into the water (about 10 feet). That’s it.” Workers will cut the steel at the abutments and other key areas so it can drop quickly. The sections will be further cut into pieces so they can quickly be removed from the lake, he added, “so as to not block the lake more than they have to.” Although the contract calls for the bridge to be completed by Oct. 31, First Energy begins lowering the lake to its winter level during October. DOH officials said the water level on Cheat Lake will be too low in the fall to support the barges used during construction. The dry, hot weather has affected the lake level, however. “We have enough water depth right now,” Nelson said, “but it is low, according to our guys, as low as it can go for summer pool.” The lake is created by the Lake Lynn Power Plant, owned by First Energy. Todd Meyers, a First Energy spokesman, said the plant manager reported that because of the dry months, the level has been hovering at 868 feet above sea level. That’s the minimum requirement for recreation on the lake. “It’s a balancing act because we are also trying to generate power there as well,” Meyers said, to meet “the power demand in the northeast from the hot weather.” At 868 feet, there shouldn’t be any trouble with the barges. The lake itself is deepest in front of the dam, 75-90 feet. At the bridge construction site, it is 20-25 feet deep, he noted.

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Artists Celebrate The Lives Of Aquatic Life That Perished In Dunkard Creek | Essential Public Radio
by Duane 20 Jul '12

20 Jul '12

http://www.essentialpublicradio.org/story/2012-07-18/artists-celebrate-live… Artists Celebrate The Lives Of Aquatic Life That Perished In Dunkard Creek (Photo: Mountain Institute.) Mimic Shiners by Pittsburgh artist Connie Merriman is one of 90 images in the Dunkard Creek exhibition. Ann Payne and Wendy Henry exchange anxious glances as they walk. They are heading down a path to the bank of Dunkard Creek in Mt. Morris, Pennsylvania. The two haven't been to this spot since Henry asked her friend Payne, a Morgantown artist, to look at an unfolding disaster on the creek near her home. “Remember we walked down this way toward the creek and off to the left there was a bunch of birds and I thought good grief- there’s a bunch of green herons. We got closer and they were eating bodies of dead fish” says Payne. Ann and Wendy recall the scene as the “ perfect storm” for a massive kill of aquatic life. It was September and the creek was low. Scientists later surmised that discharge from a coal mine created the conditions for a toxic algae bloom. As many as 65,000 aquatic animals suffocated in the salty water along the length of the stream. “The smell was unbelievable. It was death. And I'm a country girl and I've smelled many dead things along the woods. But this was a death I never smelt before” says Henry. Payne says she walked away from the creek determined to do something. First, she questioned scientists about the animals that disappeared from the creek. She got an official list of fish, but had to sleuth for the kinds of reptiles, mussels, amphibians and insects that had lived in Dunkard, one of the most diversely populated creeks in the region. When she finished her research, she began painting portraits of individual species. “A year later, I think by 2010, I think I had ten paintings” says Payne. At age 70, Payne realized she'd never be done with this project in her lifetime. So she recruited 89 other artists with close ties to the Monongahela watershed to portray 90 lost species. After months of coordination, Reflections: An Homage to Dunkard Creek hit the road in West Virginia and Pennsylvania. On a recent night, about 100 people crowd into a college art gallery in Fairmont, West Virginia, one of the communities where the Dunkard exhibition will be hung . Ann Payne walks around the space. Small images of fish, mussels, water snakes, frogs, insects hang on the white walls. She says no two artists have used the same materials or styles to produce their portraits. “This is a digital inkjet print.This one is needle work. Is that fun? Uhm, this one cut wood that he has put together in layers . I have no idea how he did that. That's a mudpuppy,” says Payne. Across the gallery, Brandy Fluharty and her boyfriend stare at a portrait of mimic shiners, small fish often used as bait by people who once fished the creek. “Is it eye opening to see something like this” asks Murray. “Yes, it's really sad”, says Fluharty. “I was raised there’s a lot of farmland and we have creeks and I couldn’t imagine if something happened there.” Brent Bailey, director of the Appalachian program of the Mountain Institute, says this kind of conversation is exactly what his nonprofit had in mind when they agreed to sponsor the art show. “People have been coming into this art exhibit who have never been to an art exhibit before. And they might be people who have never been to a public hearing about water quality. It's giving folks an opportunity to look at something and have a conversation about what's happening in their own back yards,” says Bailey. Back at Dunkard Creek, Ann Payne and Wendy Henry hope that people don't stop looking or talking about the fate of the creek. “It just warms my heart knowing we have a chance now. The awareness will keep it in the forefront and not shove it under the rug,” says Henry. OUTRO: Consol Energy, blamed for the mine discharge that contributed to the disaster, has paid WV $500 thousand dollars for creek restoration and is building a $200 million dollar mine water treatment plant that must be finished by 2013. Pennsylvania agencies are currently suing Consol.

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News from Monongahela "River Town Program"
by Duane 19 Jul '12

19 Jul '12

> > > > River Town Program Newsletter > Volume 2, Issue 7 July 2012 > In This Issue > Mon River Sojourn Recap > Cal River Fest > RL Concert Series > PM Public Art > Wyatt Park > MBRA Events > River Town Action Team Meetings > California - 3rd Saturday of the month, 10am, after Parks Authority meeting > > Brownsville - Blueprint Community Meetings, 1st Friday of the month, 9am, borough building > > Fredericktown - 1st Wednesday of the month, 6pm, fire hall > > Rices Landing - 4th Wednesday of the month, 6pm, Pavilion by the Lock Wall > > Greensboro - Neighborhood Advisory Council, 2nd Thursday of the month, 6:30pm, log cabin > > Point Marion - 4th Monday of the month, 7pm, Boy Scout building > Town Websites > Brownsville > > Fredericktown - Maxwell Basin Recreation Area > > Greensboro > Local Blogs > SWPA Rural Exploration > > Lost Monongahela > > Ten Mile Creek > > Warrior Trail > Quick Links > For more information > McCollom Development Strategies > > Pennsylvania Environmental Council > > SCA Corps > > Brownsville Area Revitalization Corporation > More > Open Fishing Days > > > > > Mon River Sojourn Recap > First Mon River Sojourn a Success! > > > > On June 9, 2012, over 60 participants in canoes and kayaks paddled the Mon River between Rices Landing and Fredericktown as part of the first ever Mon River Sojourn. The 57 participants and 8 safety boaters were provided a welcome to the region by Ryan Belski, Mayor of Rices Landing Borough, before launching. Just before reaching Millsboro, the sojourners paddled up Ten Mile Creek and stopped at the Greene Cove Yacht Club for a delicious boxed lunch in the pavilion and enjoyed an informative presentation on water quality and citizen water monitoring efforts, presented by Ken Dufalla and Chuck Hummell of the Izaak Walton League of America (IWLA), Harry Enstrom Chapter. > > After lunch, participants enjoyed the scenery of a more tranquil paddle up Ten Mile Creek a few miles, then floated back to the Mon and took out for the day at the Fredericktown Ferry Landing. Most participants walked as a group to the Riviera for Ribfest 2012 and enjoyed food, drinks, and sharing stories about the trip. > > It was a beautiful day to show off the River Towns to plenty of visitors--only 12 participants were from the River Town area! Of the rest of the paddlers, 24 were from Pittsburgh; 11 from Waynesburg; 6 from Morgantown; 2 from Washington; and 2 from north of Pittsburgh. Many were first time visitors and were impressed with the beauty of the river and the number of events occurring throughout the summer. All participants left with a commemorative t-shirt and a packet of information about attractions and upcoming events in all six River Towns. > > > > > Thank you to all of the River Town volunteers who helped to make the day a success and especially to our business sponsors: Bee Graphix, Bower Brothers, Brownsville Area Redevelopment Corporation (BARC), Connie's Pizza n Pies, Fredericktown Butcher Shop, Greene Cove Yacht Club, and The Riviera Restaurant and Lounge. The trip was supported by a grant through the Pennsylvania Organization of Watersheds and River (POWR) and PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR). > Featured Business of the Month > Point Marion Marina, Point Marion, PA > > Point Marion Marina has recently opened for business along the Monongahela River. The marina is located at the corner of Water Street and Penn Street, or at approximately Mile 90 along the river. Owner Bobby Delansky says it is part of a bigger dream to get more people on the water in Point Marion, and to get people on the river to stop and come into town. > The marina currently has space for 20 boats. 19 of those spaces are for rental, with one additional space left for public use. The floating docks are attached to high pilings to raise and lower with the water level. The marina has space for an attached business and addition of more dock space in the future. > For dock space rental, please contact Jim Delansky at 724-557-5344, and for seasonal rental or use, contact Bobby Delansky at 724-998-5407. > California River Fest > > Planning Stages > > On Saturday, August 18th and Sunday, August 19th, California will be hosting the first annual River Fest. This will be a 2-day outdoor festival on lower Wood Street including food and craft vendors, live music, games, and fireworks. It will also be held in conjunction with the California Grand Prix bike race in town. > > > > > > > > > > > > > If you or anyone you know would like to become a vendor or sponsor the event, please contact: > Marah Vecenie at (724) 603-3151 or at sca.mvecenie(a)gmail.com. > > Go Green with the River Towns Program! > > Interested in saving energy, reducing waste, and protecting our environment? > > For more information on how you can help the River Towns "go green," contact Lindsay Baxter at lbaxter(a)pecpa.org. > > Like Us On Facebook! > Take a few seconds to like the River Town Program on Facebook! Get community updates more often and check out photos from River Town events! > > Rices Landing Summer Concert Series > A Growing Audience > > The Rices Landing summer concert series has been growing with each concert. The most recent event saw over 120 people along and on the Mon in anchored boats rocking out to local band, Hit n' Run. > Local vendors were in attendance, including Jefferson Morgan Marching Band selling nachos and hotdogs, Rices Landing Boy Scouts selling deep fried oreos and funnel cakes, Fredericktown area vendor selling shaved ice and a variety of foods, and a Fredericktown artist selling hand-made bracelets. > > All concerts are free and open to the public. They occur 6PM-9PM, every second and fourth Saturday through September. Concessions and crafts are available for purchase from local vendors and recycling is available at each concert. > > Join us for the remaining 2012 concerts: > July 28: Jaguar Mountain Rundown > August 11: Flashback > August 25: The Jades > September 8: Proof Positive & The Classics > September 22: The Split > > Bring your lawn chairs out and sit by the river for this free, family-friendly event. > > Are you a vendor? Please contact us to sell your product at our concerts! > Samantha Lichtenwald, SCA River Town Outreach Corps, sca.slichtenwald(a)gmail.com, (724) 603-3151. > Point Marion Public Art Project > Update for ongoing public art project in Point Marion, PA > An exciting, and very visible, step was taken last month for the Point Marion Public Art Project. All of the signs were taken down off of the blue building in town to prepare the wall for power-washing and a fresh coat of paint later this month. The colors for the background of the mosaic were voted on during the Regatta on Memorial Day weekend. By the end of August we will hopefully see this great work of art completed. > > If you would like to help with this project there are still workshops and work days you can get involved in! > > > July 18 (Wednesday): 1PM to ? - Artist Debbie will be directing work on the large panels > July 24 (Tuesday): 9AM to 5PM - Cut glass will be glued on the large panels > August 3 (Friday): 9AM to ? - Artist Debbie will be back to work on the large panels > > On the first floor of the Jordan Building, and it has been hot - so dress appropriately. Bottled water will be available. > > Sadler Building painting begins on Saturday, July 21! Prior to painting, the building must be spray washed, degreased, and sprayed again. Can YOU help by providing sprayers, extension ladders, or labor? > > Help spread the word by telling your friends, family, and neighbors! > Wyatt Park - California, PA > California's Wyatt Park improvements > > In the heart of downtown California sits Wyatt Park, a beautiful piece of public green space right on the river. But there is a predicament with the park; you cannot see the river without peering through undergrowth and vines. > The SCA Corps members started fixing up the park in late June by clearing out undergrowth, small trees, and vines that were covering the fence (before and after photos shown below) but this park needs a lot more TLC to be able to see the water on the other side. > Recently, the California Borough Recreation Authority (CBRA) decided to give $4,000 to clean up Wyatt Park and open up view corridors to the river. > Bids were taken from three different tree service companies in > the area. After much discussion, one was chosen. > > After > Treecision, from Charleroi, will be taking on the job > clearing vegetation up to 8 feet, leaving all large trees. They will also be removing dead and small invasive trees, as well as removing other trash and debris. The project is expected to be complete in the very near future. Once complete, the SCA Corps members will go back in and pick up where the tree service company left off and continuing to improve upon the beauty of this park. > > Before > Maxwell Basin Recreation Area > Fredericktown Area Summer Events > > > Photo by Randy Miller. > > The summer fun is continuing in the Fredericktown area, thanks to the Maxwell Basin Recreation Area's (MBRA) schedule of events. Ribfest at the Riviera was delicious as usual, and the fireworks prior to the 4th were spectacular. The show lasted more than 25 minutes, and both the town and river were packed. The businesses partnering to host some of these events are having some of their best years ever, as they attract both visitors and residents! > > > > Upcoming events include a beach volleyball tournament, concerts, and the return of Dock Dogs! > > Visit the MBRA website for the full summer schedule and more information! > > What the SCA Corps Has Been Up To > As summer set in along the Mon River in June, the SCA corps were busy as usual with a wide variety of projects. The corps members ran in the "Oyster Race" in Pittsburgh, which benefited our partner agency, the Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC). PEC also hosted the Mon River Sojourn, in which more than 50 people came out to paddle. The SCA corps helped with the logistics of the event, and served as the safety crew during the excursion. Town-by-town, here else is what was accomplished: > > Point Marion: > > The corps recently spent a day working on the currently unfinished bike trail leading to West Virginia. They cut, sawed, and removed downed trees and branches, picked up trash, and removed tires and other large debris. This trail will someday connect Point Marion to the network of biking trails in northern West Virginia. Also, corps members hung some window clings in businesses around town. Look for them next time you are out and about! > > > > > > Greensboro: > > Planning for Greensboro's annual "Art Blast on the Mon" event is underway, with assistance from the SCA corps. The event will be held on Labor Day weekend, and will feature a wide variety of musical and artistic acts, vendors, etc... More information will be released in the coming weeks and months. > > > > > Rices Landing: > The corps assisted with the planning and the logistics of the Mon River Sojourn, hosted by PEC, which left from the boat launch at Rices Landing. Corps members also served as the safety boaters during the event. The summer concert series is also well underway, with increasing attendance at each event. These concerts will run through September. > > > Fredericktown: > > Fredericktown served as the end-point for the Mon River Sojourn, with paddlers taking out at the ferry landing. After helping everyone unload and packing the gear, the corps stopped by Rib Fest for a bit. And while there have not been as many work days in Fredericktown this past month, planning is underway for meetings, events, and projects throughout the late summer and fall. > > Brownsville: > > The SCA corps is working to expand its activities in Brownsville. They are reaching out for more community members to attend meetings and get involved in projects. The corps is also working to plan more work days in Central Park and at the wharf. Finally, the corps is looking to do some creek clean-ups, and will start in Brownsville. > > > > > > California: > > The entire corps spent a work day in Wyatt Park this past month. They worked to cut small trees, remove invasive species, and pull vines and debris from along the fence. Thanks to their hard work, there is now a beautiful view of the river from Wood Street, the Library, and Wyatt Park. The corps will be back for more park and river improvements, and are continuing to plan River Fest. > River Town Events & Projects! > > California > - Wed., July 18, 5-7PM: Annual Kids Fair, The Center in The Woods, 724-938-6800 FMI > - Thurs., Aug 2, 8PM: Budd Grebb Mem. Summer Basketball League Championship game, > Mechanic Street Park, contact Phil Pergola 412-721-7300 > - Wed., Aug 8, 5-8PM: Car & Bike Show, free, The Center in The Woods, 724-938-3554 FMI > - Sat., Aug 18 9AM-5PM: ABRA California Grand Prix bike race > - Sat.-Sun., Aug 18-19, all day: River Fest, lower Wood Street, 724-301-3151 FMI > - Sat., Sept 8: Waffle Breakfast & Flea Market, The Center in The Woods, 724-938-3554 FMI > > Brownsville > - Now to Aug 6: Kara Ruth Snyder's "Inward Morning", Frank L. Melega Art Museum, > 71 Market St., FMI visit melegaartmuseum.org > - Wed., Now to Sept. 26, 4-7PM: Farmers Market sponsored by Buy Local, Downtown Market St. > parking lot, FMI call 724-437-7913 or visit buylocalfayette.org/brownsville > - Sun., July 22, 11AM-5PM: Spaghetti Dinner Fund Raiser put on by Friends of Market Street > Arts and the Brownsville Sons of Italy, Frank Ricco Lodge 731, 16 Race St, $7 per adult > - Sun., July 22, 6-8PM: Music on the Mon, The Jades classic rock band, Nemacolin Castle, 136 > Front Street > - Fri., July 27-Sun., July 29: 50th Anniversary of Nemacolin Castle Public Opening, 136 Front > St. Hours: Fri. 11AM-10PM, Sat. 10AM-10PM, Sun. Noon-10PM, FMI call 724-785-6882 or visit > www.nemacolincastle.org > - Thurs., Aug 2: Kennywood Community Picnic, Patsy Hillman Community Park > - Sat., Aug 4, 11AM-8PM: 3rd Annual Brownsville Community Festival and 4th Annual > Ducky Race, Snowden Square, FMI call 724-785-3363 > - Sun., Aug 5, 4-8PM: Classic Car Show, Fiddle's Restaurant, 101 Bridge Street > > Fredericktown > - Fri.-Sat., July 20-21: Great American Food Drive, Washington County Fairgrounds > - Sat., July 21: Beach Volleyball Tournament, Greene Cove Sand Volleyball Court-POSTPONED! > - Sat., July 21, 1PM: Horseshoe Tournament, Owls Club in Millsboro > - Sun., July 29, 1PM: Rockin' on the Mon, South of Ten Mile Creek > - Sat.-Sun., Aug 4-5: Dock Dogs Competition, Greene Cove > - Fri., Aug 10, 8PM: Bachelor Auction, Benefit for Tyler Miller > > Rices Landing > - Sat., July 28, 6-9PM: Gazebo Concert - Jaguar Mountain Rundown, Min Love Park Gazebo > - Sat., Aug 11, 6-9PM: Gazebo Concert - Flashback, Min Love Park Gazebo > - Thurs., 5:30PM open: Bingo Night, Rices Landing Fire Hall > > Greensboro > - Sat., May-Oct 9AM-1PM: Farmer's Market at the Gazebo > - Sat., Sept. 1 10AM-5PM & Sun., Sept. 2, 12-4PM: Art Blast on the Mon, Log Cabin > > Point Marion > - Wed., July 18, 1PM: Public Art Workshop, Jordan Auto Building, Penn & Main > - Mon., July 23, 7PM: River Town Meeting, Boy Scout Building > - Tues., July 24, 9AM-5PM: Public Art Workshop, Jordan Auto Building, Penn & Main > - Fri., Aug 3, 9AM: Public Art Workshop, Jordan Auto Building, Penn & Main > - Tues., Aug 7, 11AM: Kids Summer Reading Program, Meet birds from WV Raptor Center, > Point Marion Public Library > - Sun., Aug 12, 1PM: General Membership Meeting, Prepare for FestiFall, Friendship Hill > Green Tip of the Month > Prevent the Spread of Aquatic Invasive Species > > Aquatic invasive species are plants and animals that have been introduced into new ecosystems. > These organisms can have environmental, recreational, economic, or health impacts in the areas they affect. The invaders may damage equipment and compete with native species. Anglers and boaters commonly introduce aquatic invasive species into new waters on accident. Many species are virtually invisible. They can easily hitch a ride on boats, boat trailers, fishing equipment, > diving equipment, or even clothing that comes in contact with the water. These hitchhikers can > then be transported to different water ways. Once invasive species become established, they are > very difficult to control, and often times they are impossible to remove completely. That is why > preventing the spread of invaders like zebra mussels, Asian clams, purple loosestrife, Asian carp, > and didymo in Pennsylvania is such a high priority. > > You can help protect Pennsylvania's waterways by following these guidelines: > Check for and remove plants, mud, and aquatic life from your boat and the following equipment before transporting: > Anchor, rope, motor lower unit, hull, trailer hitch, rollers, lights, axle, life jackets,swimming floats, water skis, wakeboards, tubes, shoes, boots, clothing, fishing vests, waders, rod, reel, line, hooks, lures, and tackle boxes. > Always drain water from the following before transporting: > Motor, jet drive, live well, compartments, boat hull, bilge, shoes, boots and waders, bait buckets, life jackets, swimming floats, water skis, wakeboards, and tubes. > Clean boat and gear by spraying with a high-pressure washer with hot water (140° F) or dry everything for at least five days. Thick and dense material like life jackets and felt-soled wading gear will hold moisture longer and can be more difficult to clean. > Dispose of bait properly; do not release bait back into the water unless you collected the bait there. > Never dip your bait bucket into a lake or river if it contains water from another water source. > Visit PA Fish and Boat Commission for more information. > Contact Info > Cathy McCollom > Principal, McCollom Development Strategies > csm(a)mccollomds.com > 814-521-3520 > > Forward this email > > > River Town Program | 716 Oden Street | Confluence | PA | 15424

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Boy Drowns in Cheat Lake Tuesday, July 17, 2012
by Duane 18 Jul '12

18 Jul '12

Teen dies in lake: Victim believed to have drowned BY CASSIE SHANER, The Dominion Post A teenage boy died Tuesday afternoon while swimming in Cheat Lake with family and friends. The group was swimming under the Interstate 68 bridge that crosses the lake. The Monongalia County Sheriff ’s Department did not identify the boy, 16, of Point Marion, Pa., on Tuesday. According to a press release, his identity is being withheld to allow the family to make proper notification. The boy’s brother, Josh Williams, 29, said they had just arrived and were swimming toward the closest pier when he looked back and saw his brother going under the water. Williams said he and a friend swam to the boy and tried to keep his head above water. Williams started “taking on water,” left his brother with his friend and swam back to the rocky shoreline under the bridge to call 911. “By the time I got back to the guardrail, I didn’t see him no more,” Williams said, fighting back tears. “It happened so fast.” A volunteer firefighter estimated the water’s depth at 15 feet, perhaps slightly deeper by the pier. Three other boys appeared to have been swimming with Williams and his friend. They watched the search from the pier before being brought back to shore by Monongalia EMS. Williams, his friend and the three boys were all visibly upset. Williams’ friend angrily struck the guardrail along W.Va. 857 while watching the search. He declined to describe what happened, saying simply, “My buddy drowned.” Family members and friends arrived throughout the afternoon. “Oh, my God,” one woman shouted, as she hugged one of the boys. Another woman yelled at Williams and the other swimmers. “He should have never been allowed in the [lake],” she said. “I’ve told you all summer.” After calming down, she sat quietly with other family members and watched the search. The sheriff ’s department said the death is believed to be accidential and no foul play is suspected. The drowning was reported to MECCA 911 at 1:38 p.m. Police, fire and EMS officials spent more than four hours searching the water by boat. Emergency radio traffic indicated that the boy’s body was found at about 6 p.m., just after lightning was reported within a 15-mile radius. Emergency workers removed his body from the lake before the feared storm arrived, pulling him out at Sunset Beach Marina. EMS dragged the water with a pole until divers from the Morgantown police and fire departments arrived. A few recreational boaters appeared to be searching the water, too, before other emergency vessels arrived. The Granville Volunteer Fire Department used its VideoRay — a submersible robotic device with a camera — to search the murky water, which seemed to be moving slowly. The Cheat Lake Volunteer Fire Department and Point Marion (Pa.) Volunteer Fire Co. assisted, the latter with a rescue boat. The state Division of Natural Resources and the Monongalia County Medical Examiner’s Office assisted, as well. Tuesday’s incident was the second drowning in the area this year, but the first since 2010 involving a swimmer. Fred McCauley, 62, is believed to have fallen into the Monongahela River while fishing at Edith B. Barill Riverfront Park on Feb. 28. His body was found June 7 by two people fishing from a boat just north of Point Marion Borough, in Fayette County, Pa. The last swimmer who drowned was Tyler James Murphy, 21, of Morgantown. His body was found more than four hours after he went under water while swimming in the Cobun Creek Reservoir, in June 2010.

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MEETING TONIGHT
by Duane 17 Jul '12

17 Jul '12

Upper Mon Lock Service to be Cut; Informational Meeting Scheduled Due to budget cuts the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers were forced to close Locks 8 and 9 on the Allegheny River this year and they also reduced service hours on the remaining 6 locks. Unfortunately it looks like a similar fate is upon the Locks on the Upper Monongahela River. The USACE’s preliminary plan will close the Hildebrand and Opekiska Locks to recreational traffic and reduce service at the Morgantown Lock to weekends and holidays only for recreational boaters. This will mean that boaters that like to travel to the origin of the Monongahela River in Fairmont, WV will no longer be able to make that trip. Prior to finalizing any plans, the USACE, Upper Monongahela River Association (UMRA), Mon River Recreation & Commerce Committee (MRRCC) of Morgantown Chamber of Commerce will be sponsoring an informational meeting this Tuesday, July 17 from 6-8 pm in Morgantown, WV. This will be the public’s opportunity to hear and provide input and comments on the USACE Proposed Upper Monongahela River Service Reduction Plan. The Plan may include severe restrictions/reductions to recreational boat lockages at the Hildebrand and Opekiska Locks, and reductions in Morgantown Lock operations. Impacts on commercial passages will also be outlined. Public input is important as the USACE reviews the options available. The meeting will take place at the WVU National Research Center for Coal and Energy (NRCCE) Assembly Room 101 A/B, Evansdale Campus, Morgantown WV. Boaters that can’t make the meeting are urged to email their comments on the service reductions to the UMRA, courtesy of their secretary Don Strimbeck. Please provide contact information including phone number and give permission for the UMRA to share your comments with the local newspaper, the Dominion Post. The USACE held similar meetings in 2010 and 2011 prior to the service reductions on the Allegheny River. The meetings did allow various stakeholders including boaters, marina owners, commercial interests, and others to provide input on what service plan will work the best for those parties involved. For more information on the Monongahela Lock service reductions, please got to UpperMon.org and MonRiverSummit.org. GO TO UpperMon.org . Click on Lock Hours in menu. Read the resolution we proposed back in 2003, which asks congress to add boating recreation to Corps of Engineers job jar for navigable rivers. Note support for this resolution from entities in Monongahela and Allegheny river watersheds!

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BOATING UNDER THE INFLUENCE, NOT
by Duane 17 Jul '12

17 Jul '12

DOMINION POST Monday 16 July 2012 EDITORIAL In the wake of law enforcement, Division of Natural Resources and local police helping to clean up waterways It must be something in the water. On just about any given day you can look for a what’s what and a who’s who of alcohol-related offenses in our newspaper ... on land. But on the water — Cheat Lake and the Monongahela River — not so much. Actually, not at all this year. And only three boating under the influence cases last year on Cheat Lake. And boaters on the Mon River have gone dry for the past two years. Though Division of Natural Resources (DNR) Law Enforcement officers admit it still happens on local waterways, it’s not as prevalent or as out in the open as it once was, especially on Cheat Lake. But make no mistake, it’s not that everyone’s decided to start paying attention to the law while boating. The DNR attributes this increasing compliance to more than a dozen new boats its officers now use to patrol state waterways during eight-hour shifts on weekends, that vary. Morgantown’s police, who patrol the rail-trail along the Mon River, and other officers who man the city’s boat during special events also watch for drunken boaters. It’s also worth noting the state requires younger boaters — age 25 and younger — to complete a boating safety course and the federal Army Corps of Engineers is promoting a water safety program for anyone using the pools formed by its lock and dams. And although the decline of BUIs cannot be directly linked to Morgantown’s designation of a no-wake zone this summer on a large swath of the Mon River near downtown, it has definitely slowed the pace down. We don’t have any firm numbers on the number of recreational boaters on Cheat Lake or the Mon River, but a random survey in the summertime would leave anyone to conclude there’s a lot. For instance, given that the three marinas on Cheat Lake alone are home to scores of boats that traverse the 13-mile long reservoir daily, and a score of others who launch their boats into its waters, there’s plenty of traffic. If the DNR cannot find cause to issue a single BUI charge in that milieu, somebody is doing something right. When compared to the numbers of alcohol-related offenses on shore locally, this news is very welcome. As the DNR can attest, a few short years ago Cheat Lake was overrun with partiers who seemed to consider themselves immune from the law of the land while afloat. That has clearly changed, thanks to law enforcement and public education. Though the DNR and others have not made any big waves about their efforts to enforce BUI and other safe boating laws, they may have left a lasting wake.

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CLEAR July 2012