To: CLEAR participants and friends From: Duane Nichols, CLEAR.
RE: Triennial Review of the Cheat Lake Park and Trail, March 29th (Wednesday), 7 pm at the Cheat Lake Fire Hall, WV Route 857, North.
The following position statements are intended for presentation to Allegheny Energy and to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Do you have any comments on this statements or other input? Do come out to this meeting, as it will be quite informative. Charles Simons of Allegheny Energy will present the draft Triennial Review, discuss plans for the future including new security plans, etc. The WV Department of Natural Resources will provide a report on their recent "Cheat Lake fish survey".
NEW STATEMENTS FROM THE CHEAT LAKE ENVIRONMENT AND RECREATION ASSOCIATION:
A. Water quality monitoring has shown that the Lake is reasonably clean and sufficiently clear of sediment and bacteria for swimming most of the time. A periodic monitoring and reporting program should be established to inform the public if general or specific warnings are needed.
B. Shoreline erosion and sedimentation from storm events has created conditions that should be documented so that an overall remediation plan can be integrated with plans for handling hillside subsidence along the north and south trails.
C. An interconnection to the Sheepskin Trail should be feasible along the existing railroad grade as it passes the Dam itself, to eliminate the need for hikers, runners and bikers to ascend and descend the steep steps as well as the steep and winding road around the Dam. [Video monitoring and night gates could be used if necessary.]
D. CLEAR and other organizations stand ready to cooperate and assist in the planning and implementation of most of the proposals for continuing the improvement of the recreational and environmental aspects of Cheat Lake and its surroundings.
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TOPICS TO BE DISCUSSED AT A PUBLIC MEETING [from March 1st letter of CLEAR]
1. CLEAR believes that a systematic plan is needed to deal with shoreline erosion and the frequent landslides that have closed one or the other of the two main trail segments.
2. If the landslide problems can be managed, then the possibility of opening the South Trail for a greater number of months per year may become feasible.
3. The safety and security plans for the Park and Trail are worthy of detailed discussion, given that security is to be provided by a private agency as compared with the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Department, according to our understanding.
4. The “day use camping area” is not being used hardly at all; and, this area could well serve as an “overnight camp area”.
5. A swimming beach is needed at the Park to provide an opportunity for swimming from the shore, given that substantial swimming takes place throughout the Lake from boats, from boat docks, etc.
6. Given that the usage of the Lake has increased substantially, it is now time to consider whether guidelines are appropriate for a limit to the number of boat slips on the lake, the size and type of boats to be accommodated, and the upper horsepower of these boats; and, further, whether high speed personal water craft (PWC or “jet-skiis”) should be limited to specific hours of the day on weekends, whether the no-wake zone at the Emma Kaufmann Camp should be extended out beyond the shoreline profile, etc.
7. Consideration should be given to the development of a formal communications system protocol with regard to Lake safety and security among EMS - 911, the Fire Department, the Sheriff’s Department, the Department of Natural Resources, the Emma Kaufmann Camp, any relevant private security agent, and Allegheny Energy; and, consideration could be given to including the primary marina operators in this system.
8. An interconnection to the proposed Sheekskin Trail would be a highly desirable feature that could be accomplished without great expense, as plans are finalized for the extension of a trail along the old railroad bed [east side of the Cheat River in Pennsylvania] from Pt. Marion upstream to the Lake Lynn Dam.
9. An opportunity to show appreciation for the hard work and effective management provided to the Park and Trail by Allegheny Energy during the past few year.