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Mason-Dixon Line Western Crossings
by Duane Nichols via CLEAR 27 Oct '18

27 Oct '18

The Lake Lynn Dam holds back the waters of the popular Cheat Lake, which mostly sits in West Virginia. The dam itself is only a few yards south of the Mason-Dixon Line. Here are some photos from January, 2004, to introduce you to the "dam on The Line." http://www.exploretheline.com/cheatlake.html

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Road Patrol: Route 72 in Rowlesburg
by Duane Nichols via CLEAR 11 Oct '18

11 Oct '18

https://www.wboy.com/news/preston/road-patrol-route-72-in-rowlesburg/151746… Road Patrol: Route 72 in Rowlesburg From the Report by Ryan Decker, WBOY 12 News, October 11, 2018 ROWLESBURG, W.Va. - West Virginia Route 72, also known as River Road, is one of the more heavily traveled roads in Preston County. Some residents are in danger of losing the ability to use that road. River Road is nearly taking on a literal meaning. The two-laned main road in and out of Rowlesburg and other towns in Rreston county is on the verge of being unusable in a spot less than three miles outside of Rowlesburg. "A couple weeks ago we got some pretty good rains. So that's opened it up to where there's a five or six foot section just completely out. And the crack itself is opened up to eight, ten, twelve inches wide, and it's slowly starting to creep across the road, as well," said John Crippin, Fellowsville resident. The problem is getting worse. The changes in the road are happening quickly, with weather and constant travel on the road not helping the issue. Some of the photos attached to the story were taken less than three weeks before the airing of this story, and as you see the road has gotten significantly worse, falling further off the side of what was the road into Cheat River. Residents were told permanent road repairs aren't scheduled to take place until 2019. "Spring 2019 is what we're looking for right now. we'll see what happens over the winter. that's what really makes me nervous. is that it's going to fall even more," said Miranda Snyder, Rowlesburg resident A District 4 Division of Highways crew recently put in a culvert, widened the road and installed temporary stoplights. However th road is effectively just one lane at that spot. From Rowlesburg, Route 72 connects the town to multiple schools and Preston Memorial Hospital. If the road continues to collapse before a permenant fix can be made next year, it could cause serious problems. "It's the main through fare from this area to Kingwood. So if that road would fall in you would have to re-route and go all the way around Tunnelton or go up through Terra Alta. Yeah the hospital's that way, so if something would happen and the road would fall through -- accident-wise -- ambulance, fire trucks would have to go all the way around to get there," said Snyder. The road is still usable in that spot for now, but drivers should be cautious when driving on the road near that slip.

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Sheepskin Rail-Trail Opening Celebration - PA Connection
by Duane Nichols via CLEAR 20 Sep '18

20 Sep '18

http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?m=1118123317033&ca=9fa14135-… Sheepskin Rail-Trail Opening Celebration - PA Connection The event will beginning with the official ribbon cutting followed by a community picnic hosted by the County, The National Road Heritage Corridor, Point Marion Borough and Recreation Authority in partnership with the Point Marion Rotary, Representative Matthew Dowling and Senator Pat Stefano. Post ribbon cutting, there will be children's creative activities hosted by staff from the Phoenix Arts Center in Uniontown. Adventure WV will be bringing a fleet of 10 hybrid style bicycles along with helmets free to event attendees who would like to take a ride on the newly opened Sheepskin Trail. Morgantown Bike Board & Chip Wamsley of Wamsley Cycles will conduct a bike rodeo for kids right on the trail. The children will learn about trail riding and trail etiquette. So make sure you load your kids bikes into the car before you head for the ribbon cutting. For more information, contact the National Road Heritage Corridor - 724-437-9877.

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Farewell from David Petry of FOC
by Duane Nichols via CLEAR 14 Sep '18

14 Sep '18

From: David Petry > Date: September 14, 2018 > > Subject: Farewell Message > > All, > > After three years with Friends of the Cheat, I have decided to pursue the next phase of my career. Today is my last day in the office, and on Monday I begin my new job with West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection's Office of Abandoned Mine Lands and Reclamation, in their construction group for the Northern District, based out of Bridgeport, WV. > > I am truly thankful for the opportunities and friends that Friends of the Cheat has provided me, and I look forward to continuing to support the organization and community that I love. Thank you for being part of my community during my time with Friends of the Cheat - I will still be in the area and look forward to seeing you at the upcoming State of the Watershed events (stay tuned for more information), Cheat Fest, or on the Upper Cheat River Water Trail. > > We hope to have the Restoration Program Manager position filled very soon, but in the meantime, please direct any questions to Executive Director Amanda Pitzer (Amanda(a)cheat.org), or Monitoring Coordinator Madison Ball (Madison(a)cheat.org). > > My personal email is davidwpetry(a)gmail.com, and my cell is (608)289-5790. > > Best wishes, > > David W. Petry > Friends of the Cheat > Restoration Program Manager > 1343 North Preston Highway > Kingwood, West Virginia 26537 > Phone: (304) 329-3621 ext. 4 > > Restore | Preserve | Promote

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Cheat Canyon WMA – WV Rivers
by Duane Nichols via CLEAR 12 Sep '18

12 Sep '18

http://wvrivers.org/2018/09/lwcfcountdown29/ Cheat Canyon Wildlife Management Area Sportsmen depend on LWCF. Ten WVDNR Wildlife Management Areas have been able to improve access for fishing and hunting – including access by sportsmen and women with disabilities – with grants from the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The most recent and most substantial WMA project involved the 2014 purchase of the Cheat Canyon Wildlife Management Area. $1.5 million from LWCF was leveraged with additional public and private money to permanently conserve the land. In addition to hunting and fishing, Cheat Canyon is a cherished recreational resource for hikers and paddlers, and protects the rare flat-spired three-toothed snail. Take action for hunting and fishing access through LWCF here. Visit Cheat Canyon Wildlife Management Area. Learn more about the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

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Letter to the editor — Special places need funding
by Duane Nichols via CLEAR 09 Sep '18

09 Sep '18

Letter to the editor — Special places need funding To the editor: Preston County News & Journal, Kingwood, WV As the executive director of the Preston County Parks and Recreation Commission and someone who moved to West Virginia 10 years ago because she fell head-over-heels for the captivating public land, parks, rivers, rocks and trails in West By God Virginia, I ask our congressional delegation to support to sustain and fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund. LWCF has been a tool to continue transforming human communities by protecting the wild, ecological communities. If the LWCF expires Sept. 30, West Virginia would lose access to an incredible resource that capitalizes on our irreplaceable, uncontainable landscapes. The places most precious to me have all been (and others, hopefully, will be) protected by LWCF: The Cheat Canyon, Canaan Valley/Dolly Sods and other areas of the Mon, New River Gorge, public parks in Preston County and Morgantown area, Twin Falls State Park in Wyoming County and countless other places I’ve enjoyed and cherished. The LWCF has invested hundreds of millions in West Virginia. Last I checked, those investments have paid off many fold in terms of tourism revenue, not to mention the jobs created by the outdoor industry. Until recently, I had no idea that so much of the public land in West Virginia that I enjoy and cherish has been funded by the Land and Water Conservation Fund. I have pursued a career that depends on the funding and protection of public lands because I believe not only do such places foster a more vigorous economy, but they facilitate the health and happiness of families and communities. These are the places that shape us and provide pivot points that anchor and compel us to share memories and skills with each other generation after generation. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito and Sen. Joe Manchin have both made strong statements of support for LWCF. I implore them to do what it takes to reauthorize and fully fund the LWCF. Emily Carlson, Arthurdale

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Paddling in the Yough, Mon or Cheat is Down Right Fun
by Duane Nichols via CLEAR 26 Aug '18

26 Aug '18

Photo: Kayakers enter the Yough River at Connellsville, PA Club Hub: Good 2 Row club enjoys area waterways By Frances Borsodi Zajac, Uniontown Herald-Standard,August 26, 2018 The weather proved perfect — warm and sunny — as the Good 2 Row Kayak and Float Club headed onto the Youghiogheny River in Connellsville. Members and guests of all ages — including a dog named Piper — climbed into kayaks and floats — even a pink flamingo! They entered the water together at Yough River Park and then took off on a relaxing day trip to Dawson, stopping along the way for a riverside lunch. Shouts and laughter rang out over the water as Good 2 Row headed out on what would prove to be a very good day. “We’ll be traveling west to Dawson. It’s a five-mile trip on the Yough River. It’s a lazy river here — light-flowing and very relaxing,’’ said Tomi Kirk of Point Marion, club president, as members prepared for the trip. Good 2 Row was organized in the Point Marion area by a group of friends in the fall of 2016 and began hosting events in spring 2017. “We have really grown since we started our club that brings a lot of people out into nature,’’ said Kirk. “We like to teach people about our waterways, about the environment and just have a lot of fun with it.’’ “Our mission is to get families in the area out on the water and explore the natural beauty of Fayette County and the Laurel Highlands,’’ said Travis Bernard Simpson-Hunt, vice president and a former Point Marion resident who lives in Pittsburgh. Kirk said Good 2 Row wants to “encourage people and families to get together, socialize, get out from in front of the screens and enjoy nature. There’s a lot of rich history along our waterways that people are not aware of. And it’s exciting. It’s fun. We find adventures every time we go out.’’ Instead of challenging rapids, Good 2 Row chooses relaxing trips on area waterways, such as the Cheat River and Cheat Lake. Members just need a kayak, paddle and life jacket. And if you want to try kayaking before you make a purchase, Good 2 Row has a limited number of kayaks available for people to try. They also refer people who want to rent kayaks to Mon River Rec in Point Marion. “It’s not hard to learn. We’re willing to take someone out before they buy one,’’ said Kirk, who estimated it costs about $130 for an 8-foot starter kayak. Jim Stoen, of Point Marion, who joined the club two years ago and enjoys the camaraderie, said, “This was new for me. I did canoeing in Boy Scouts but this was the first time for me in a kayak.’’ People do not have to swim to belong to the club but members make sure they are using life jackets and that someone who can swim is with them. Everyone participates at their own risk but the club makes a point to share safety information. Kirk noted, “Never be on the waterways without knowing the area.’’ Good 2 Row has about 30 members, who come from throughout the area as well as West Virginia, Maryland and Ohio. Chaza Wanamaker, a West Virginia native who now lives in Hawaii, maintains her membership in the club, commenting, “I like the fellowship. It’s good, wholesome fun and you get to meet people in the community.’’ Wanamaker brought a big, pink flamingo float to the Yough trip, saying with a smile, “Pink is my favorite color and I like to flamingle!’’ Basile Gandreaui, an exchange student from Lyon, France who invited another exchange student from Germany to the Yough outing, said of Good 2 Row, “It’s a very nice club. It’s nice to take time for yourself and friends, spending time with people doing this.’’ Good 2 Row members pay annual dues of $20, which help provide snacks for the outings. Their membership also entitles them to a discount at a local sporting goods store. Outings take place a couple of times a month and include day trips like this summer picnic on the Yough River, a fall leaf outing and history tours – participants even schedule an event that includes a visit to FestiFall at Friendship Hill National Historic Site in Springhill Township in September. Some members participate in moonlight runs. Members can pick and choose events. The group is open to suggestions. Meetings are held when needed, usually once a month in the summer, at Two Rivers Marina in Dilliner, Greene County. Good 2 Row enjoys being part of the community. Members participated in parades in Smithfield and at the Albert Gallatin River Festival in Point Marion, both over Memorial Day weekend. They distributed water and held a fundraiser to give away a kayak, paddle and life jacket as well as a year’s club membership and T-shirt. Good 2 Row supports area businesses, such as having their T-shirts locally made, and are beginning work to support charities. Good feelings that come from being part of the community drive the club. For example, organizers came up with the idea for Good 2 Row because they noticed there are a lot of people on land looking at the water when they could be in it. They want to encourage people to get on the water. “Exercise is such a big part of it,’’ said Kirk. “We encourage people to get out on the water as an excellent way of doing exercise.’’ “I grew up boating and swimming on the water,’’ said Simpson-Hunt, who noted his family had a farm in the Point Marion area and has kayaked in different parts of the world. Simpson-Hunt and his husband, Stephen Simpson-Hunt, are both members of Good 2 Row as are their sons Michael, 6, and Parker, 5. Stephen likes the club for many reasons: “getting outdoors, cooling off on a hot day and getting a little exercise. And being with friends and family.’’ Travis commented, “Just getting into a kayak or float is very relaxing.’’

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Rail excursion takes guests to High Falls of the Cheat - West Virginia Explorer
by Duane Nichols via CLEAR 23 Jul '18

23 Jul '18

https://wvexplorer.com/2018/07/22/rail-to-high-falls-of-the-cheat/ Rail excursion takes guests to High Falls of the Cheat By Lisa Stansell Galitz, West Virginia Explorer, July 22, 2018 Tannins from the high-elevation spruce forest turn the High Falls of the Cheat golden brown. Photo courtesy Chris Galitz. I’ve done a lot of crazy things to get to a waterfall. Most involved hiking perilously up their rocky flanks. Often they involved falling flat on my kiester or buckling down on my knees, wondering for the millionth time why, oh, why, I didn’t have a rope or a donkey or both. Thankfully in West Virginia there are plenty of trees to grab near waterfalls, or I likely would have certainly plunged into the bottom of one of them. What I hadn’t done was take a train to a waterfall. How wonderful would that be? The High Falls of Cheat is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the Monongahela National Forest in eastern West Virginia. The name is misleading as it is actually on the Shaver’s Fork of the Cheat. It is one of the largest and most lofty waterfalls in West Virginia, located in the Allegheny Mounains at an altitude of more 2,800 feet above sea level. It roars fiercely from the mountainside, dropping over a horseshoe bend of rock 150 feet wide and 18 feet high and empties into a crystal pool before tumbling down the mountain to become the serene and leisurely paced (in spring) Cheat River. The ghost town of Bemis makes its appearance from a passenger train. Photo courtesy Chris Galitz. For many years, the High Falls could only be accessed by trail. Maintained by the U.S. Forest Service, the path climbs through old-growth forest and groves of towering hemlock as it winds through the saddle on Shavers Mountain. If hiking is your passion, the trail is ideal. It begins at a pull-out on Beulah Road (Forest Road 44) near Glady in Randolph County. Hikers and backpackers must then climb more than 1,440 feet over 8.2 miles along the stream — a five-hour hike. An eight-mile hike with that kind of an elevation gain is not something this middle-aged lady is going to attempt. But a ride on a train? Yes! Chris (now my husband) and I boarded the train that morning for the five-hour round trip at the Elkins Railroad Depot and chose seats near the back of the car so we could easily reach the “balcony.” Like a kid in a candy store, I couldn’t decide where to look first. It was breathtaking. Spectacular scenery, small communities, like Bemis, and the roar of the Shavers Fork greeted us as we climbed mountain grades through an s-curve tunnel and across the pristine fork. The Shavers Fork of the Cheat River descends out of the high Allegheny Mountains. Photo courtesy Chris Galitz. And then — the jewel of the trip! The train stopped, seemingly in the middle of nowhere, and we disembarked. As I like to introduce myself to new waterfalls with some semblance of restraint, we followed the sign to the view of the upper falls, an overlook just a few feet above the drop. A moment later, I was overlooking a gorgeous, golden falls. This is a waterfall that invites visitors to get up close and personal. We visited in the spring, when the water was high, but in summer the top of the falls is easily walkable. I feel certain the pool is swimmable in the summer months. We backtrack to the rocky beach at the base where I feel the spray on my face. I could stay here forever. Finding a perch on a large rock, I let others walk around, chattering, taking photos. I’m communing. I watch the falls from one side and then the next and find a baby falls within the main horseshoe. On the far left, a rock splits the river slightly, and a small step waterfall revels in its independence. Chris tells me the 45-minute stop is almost up, so I grab a few small round rocks to add to my collection and say my good-byes. I am the last one to leave the beach, of course. I turn and make my way back to the train. I am sad to go. Barely an hour — not nearly enough time! I hear someone say hikers may take the train up, camp a few nights, and catch a return train. That sounds like an awesome idea — truly one for the bucket list. The Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad offers a rail excursion to the falls May through October on an historic locomotive. Excursions are offered weekends in May and every Saturday and Sunday until Memorial Day Weekend. After that, the schedule broadens into weekday and special-event excursions. Schedules, videos, and online reservations are available on their website. See Also West Virginia Rail Excursions Hotels near Elkins, West Virginia

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Once cheated of its fish by pollution, Cheat Lake now a thriving fishery
by Duane Nichols via CLEAR 22 Jul '18

22 Jul '18

https://www.wvgazettemail.com/outdoors/hunting_and_fishing/once-cheated-of-… Once cheated of its fish by pollution, Cheat Lake now a thriving fishery By John McCoy, Charleston Gazette Mail, July 21, 2018 After decades of work, life has returned to West Virginia’s Cheat Lake. Acid mine drainage and acid rain eliminated most of the fish there. In the 1980s, nine-tenths of the fish that managed to hang on were bullhead catfish or white suckers, species that anglers ignored. Today, however, the 1,730-acre impoundment teems with bass, walleye, perch and other popular game fish. Formed in 1926 by construction of the Cheat Lake Dam near Morgantown, the lake had water problems from the very beginning. Pollution from tanneries located along the Cheat River caused major fish kills in both the river and the lake. Coal mining contributed to the problem. “Six to eight of the lake’s major tributaries had serious acid mine drainage problems,” said Dave Wellman, district fisheries biologist for the state Division of Natural Resources. “The acid-rain problems of the 1960s and 1970s made things even worse.” The lake was never considered dead, but it wasn’t far from it. “Frank Jernejcic, who was the district biologist in the 1980s, didn’t deem it worthy to do fish surveys on the lake,” Wellman said. “Most of the fish that existed then were bullheads and white suckers, both of which are very acid-tolerant species. A couple of embayments fed by unpolluted tributaries held a few largemouth bass and a couple of other game fish species, but that was about it.” Dustin Smith, Wellman’s assistant, could be considered an authority on the lake’s fish species; he recently completed a doctoral dissertation on the subject. “In the worst years, there were only 15 species of fish in the lake,” Smith said. “Ninety percent of those fish were bullheads and white suckers. Most of the rest were minnows of one kind or another.” The turnabout began in the early 1970s. Congress passed the Clean Air Act in 1970 and the Clean Water Act in 1972, both of which forced polluting industries to clean up their act. Unfortunately for the Cheat River system, much of the acid draining into the river and its tributaries came from mines long ago abandoned. Finding a solution for such “legacy issues” took years. The river’s water quality began to improve in the early 1990s, partly because the DNR began dumping limestone sand into some of the Cheat’s acidic headwater tributaries. The limestone buffered the acid and added much-needed fertility to the river’s waters. At about the same time, the state Department of Environmental Protection placed a limestone treatment facility on Beaver Creek, one of the watershed’s “hottest” mine-drainage tributaries. Other treatment projects followed. “In 1994, there was a major acid mine drainage blowout on the main Cheat,” Wellman said. “After that, there was an emphasis on getting more treatment facilities. A group called ‘River of Promise’ was formed in 1995. It got private industry, watershed associations and conservation groups involved. Its objective was to treat acid mine drainage and acid precipitation throughout the watershed.” Partners signed on — Friends of the Cheat, the DEP, the DNR and West Virginia University, among others. “Millions of dollars have gone into mine-drainage abatement since then,” Wellman said. “It has made a remarkable difference.” Pollution control isn’t a one-time thing for Cheat Lake and the Cheat River system. Without ongoing treatment, the lake and the river would revert to the sad condition they were in during the 1970s and 1980s. “Without continued funding for these treatment sites, Cheat Lake would be right back to where it was before 1990 — a lake full of bullheads and suckers,” Smith said. Today’s anglers enjoy a lake that is considerably richer and more diverse. Smith said the number of fish species present in the lake has almost tripled, and some of those species are doing remarkably well. “We’ve documented 44 species,” he said. “There are no dominant species anymore. Things are pretty well distributed. We have several species of interest to anglers — smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, walleye, yellow perch, channel catfish and several kinds of sunfish.” The lake, once ignored by anglers, now hosts 20 to 30 bass tournaments a year. “Smallmouth bass numbers, in particular, have shot through the roof,” Wellman said. “Cheat Lake now has one of the state’s highest catch rates for bass.” Smith said the comeback of the lake’s smallmouth is particularly encouraging because the species won’t tolerate acidic water. “We capture 13 times more smallmouth in surveys today than when we started surveying,” he added. “It’s a great sign, because smallmouth were among the first to go when the lake became polluted.” Walleye, once eliminated from the lake altogether, have also made a comeback. In 1999, the DNR began stocking walleye fry and fingerlings. The lake now sports a thriving walleye population and the fastest walleye growth rate of any Mountain State impoundment. “Females stocked as fingerlings get to 27 inches in as little as six years,” Smith said. “Several walleyes in the 34-inch range have been caught in recent years. That’s close to state-record size.” Yellow perch, channel catfish and pumpkinseed sunfish are thriving as well. Smith said Cheat Lake has become one of the best places in West Virginia to catch those species. “There aren’t many lakes that have lots of good-sized yellow perch, but Cheat Lake is one of them,” he said. “We have an absolutely excellent channel cat fishery; lots of fish in the 3- to 4-pound range. And we have lots of really nice pumpkinseeds, close to what I would consider a trophy fishery.” The future for Cheat Lake, Wellman said, will continue to be bright as long as the pollution can be held at bay. “Since 2004, we’ve only had two episodes in which the lake’s pH dropped below 6,” he said. “As long as we can keep that up, everything will be fine.”

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Maryland man drowns in Cheat River on Saturday
by Duane Nichols via CLEAR 17 Jul '18

17 Jul '18

Maryland man drowns in Cheat River on Saturday | News | wvnews.com From an Article by Theresa Marthey, Preston County News & Journal, July 16, 2018 MASONTOWN — An Oakland, Md., man drowned in the Cheat River near the Jenkinsburg Bridge on Saturday. According to Masontown Volunteer Fire Department Chief Matt Montgomery, witnesses said Derek Noah Bennett, 26, was swimming in the Cheat River when he went under and did not resurface. “We received the call at approximately 5:40 p.m. on Saturday, the victim was located through a heat signature in the water around 7:15 p.m. by the Maryland State Police helicopter Troop 5,” Montgomery said. “The body was recovered at 7:30 p.m.” Bennett was the second drowning in the Cheat River at the Jenkinsburg Bridge this year, according to Montgomery. Michael Lewis, 23, of Petersburg, Ohio, was swept away in the river early May 20 following a heavy rainfall. Rescue personnel were able to use ropes to save a second man stranded in the water, Shane Forame, 23, also of Petersburg. Lewis' body was recovered a day later several miles away near the shore at Cheat Lake. In addition to the Masontown Volunteer Fire Department and Maryland State Police helicopter Troop 5, units from the Bruceton-Brandonville Volunteer Fire Department, Reedsville Volunteer Fire Department, Preston County Sheriff’s Department, Department of Natural Resources, Preston County Dive Team, KAMP Ambulance, Masontown Swift Water Rescue, assisted at the scene. https://www.wvnews.com/prestoncountynews/news/maryland-man-drowns-in-cheat-…

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