Friends of Blackwater

Highways: obtained an expert engineering report analyzing the favored wv department of transportation (wvdot) route for corridor h from parsons to davis. Funds were also utililized to build a grassroots coalition to anaylze the negative impacts of the wvdot favored corridor h route south and advocating for an alternate route.

Blackwater/northfork watershed: we received multiple grants from the west Virginia department of environmental protection to plan a water treatment plant on the north fork of the Blackwater next to the rail trail. The project consultant, bio most, analyzed the level of acid mine drain pollution, the sources of water pollution and the flow or volume of water from key sites and designed the piping to the plant. In addition bio most engineered the processing and the removal of the waste product from the treatment site. We have also continued to monitor water monthly along the north fork and along beaver creek of the Blackwater.

Public lands: fob is writing a guidebook with maps and tours of the public lands in the Blackwater watershed. Additionally, fob is improving the rail trail from thomas to douglas falls by removing invasive species of plants. The trail is maintained so that it can be open to hikers and bikers. In the upper cheat area fob is advocating for a logging job in the monongahela national forest to reduce the number of old growth trees cut. Additionally, the organization continues to raise concerns over rare bats, logging on steep slopes that could lead to flooding, and the cutting of older trees which diminish the forest carbon sink which is a hedge against the negative effects of climate change.

River trail projects: a grant from the abandoned mine lands pilot program of the wvdep supported planning and design by our consultant cec for an 8.5 mile trail. The trail follows the mon national forest owned rail trail and trails in Blackwater falls state park. The trail will connect thomas, wv on the rail trail to davis, wv near the state park. Thre trail will connect to the state park with a pededstrian bridge over the north fork of the Blackwater. Also, the trail will be extended from thomas north to cumberland following the old railroad grade built in the 1880's. History: fob is researching, writing and producing public meetings and a play on a famous moonshining case in tucker county, wv. The events were free and open to the public