Description of the Kanawha River BasinThe Kanawha River Basin drains 12,223 mi2 in North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia (Messinger and Hughes, 2000). The New River, the major tributary of the Kanawha River, is formed in North Carolina (fig. 1). Major tributaries (> 400 mi2) of the New River are the Bluestone and Greenbrier Rivers in West Virginia. The Kanawha River is formed at Gauley Bridge, W.Va., by the confluence of the New and Gauley Rivers, and its other major tributaries are the Elk and Coal Rivers. The Kanawha River drains to the Ohio River at Point Pleasant, W.Va.
The Kanawha River drains parts of three physiographic provinces (fig. 2), the Blue Ridge Province (17 percent), Valley and Ridge Province (23 percent), and the Appalachian Plateaus Province (60 percent) (Fenneman, 1938). In the Appalachian Plateaus part of the basin, hilltop altitude ranges from about 1,000 ft to about 4,000 ft, generally from northwest to east and southeast, and relief and stream gradient generally are greater in the area with greater altitude. The differences in altitude and relief within the Appalachian Plateaus have caused differences in environmental conditions including precipitation, streamflow, stream gradient, terrestrial vegetation, and land use (Messinger and Hughes, 2000).
The climate of the Kanawha River Basin is classified as continental, with four distinct seasons and marked temperature contrast between summer and winter (Messinger and Hughes, 2000). The maximum precipitation in the basin is greater than 60 in/yr both in the northeastern Appalachian Plateaus and in the southern Blue Ridge Province. The minimum precipitation in the basin, about 36 in/yr, is in the Valley and Ridge Province and in the Greenbrier Valley, in a regional rain shadow; however, the westernmost part of the Appalachian Plateaus receives only slightly more precipitation, about 40–45 in/yr.
Streams are regulated by four major flood-control dams, three navigation dams, and several smaller dams. All these dams obstruct fish movement. No fish that migrate to or from the ocean have ever been common in the basin, although some native fish, notably suckers, are strongly migratory within and near the basin. Ninety miles of the Kanawha River main stem are regulated for barge navigation by large locks and dams at London, Marmet, and Winfield. This entire reach of the river is dredged periodically.
Streams in the Blue Ridge Province follow a dendritic drainage pattern. Many mountain streams are cold and support (or formerly supported) brook trout populations, but the larger streams are warm. Stream water is typically dilute (less than 200 mg/L dissolved solids) and neutral to slightly acidic. Streams of the Valley and Ridge Province follow a trellised drainage pattern. Bedrock in the valleys is typically shale and limestone, and waters in Valley and Ridge streams are generally slightly alkaline
(7.0–8.0 pH units) and contain more dissolved solids (200–350 mg/L) than do streams in the Blue Ridge Province.
Streams throughout the Appalachian Plateaus follow a dendritic drainage pattern. Many high-altitude streams are cold, and some streams draining areas larger than 100 mi2 support trout populations. Bedrock in the northeastern part of the Appalachian Plateaus generally is inert, insoluble sandstone and shale. Stream water in this area typically is very dilute (30–100 mg/L dissolved solids) and poorly buffered, and some streams have been degraded by acid precipitation (Messinger, 1997). Streams in the rest of the Appalachian Plateaus typically have lower gradients than streams in the areas of highest altitude. The Greenbrier River and its eastern tributaries are underlain by limestone, and their waters are mildly alkaline (7.0–8.0 pH units), well buffered, and moderate in dissolved solids (150–200 mg/L). Bedrock in the western part of the Appalachian Plateaus Province is predominantly sandstone, shale, and coal, with interbedded limestone. The shale typically yields more solutes than the sandstone does, and relative amounts of shale increase in a gradient from south to north. Stream water in the western part of the Appalachian Plateaus contains more dissolved solids than any other part of the basin, with typical concentrations of 500 mg/L in the Coal River and its tributaries, the downstream tributaries of the Elk River, and many minor tributaries of the Kanawha River. Most stream water in this part of the basin is mildly alkaline and well buffered. The basin is mostly forest (81 percent) with a substantial amount of agricultural land (16 percent) (Multi-Resolution Land Characteristics Interagency Consortium, 1997). Major industries in the basin include coal mining and chemical manufacturing in West Virginia, timbering throughout most of the basin, and pasture agriculture in Virginia, North Carolina, and parts of West Virginia (Messinger and Hughes, 2000). The Kanawha River Basin produces about 7 percent of the coal mined in the United States, mostly from a band of Pennsylvanian-age rocks in West Virginia (fig. 3). Where coal is minable, it has usually been mined repeatedly, using different methods (Paybins and others, 2001). Numbers of active surface and underground mines and abandoned mines are all generally greatest in the areas with the most total coal production, complicating attempts to separate the effects of these factors. Major hydrologic effects of coal mining include addition of sulfate, aluminum, iron, and manganese to water, and increase in stream sedimentation. Base flow is increased downstream from valley fills (Wiley and others, 2001), but subsidence from underground mining beneath valley floors can dewater aquifers and streams (Hobba, 1981) The New River may be among the oldest rivers in the world, although the claim that it is the second oldest river in the world is no longer considered to be well-founded (Swift, 2001; Lessing, 1997). Until about 2 million years ago, the New River was the headwater of the Teays River, the master stream flowing from the central Appalachian Mountains toward the Gulf of Mexico (Fridley, 1950). The native fish fauna of the New River is probably affected by both the New River’s ancient position as head of the Teays River, and by combinations of geomorphic barriers and climate changes during times of glaciation (Jenkins and Burkhead, 1994).
Sunday, October 2, 2011
New River Musky
Muskellunge were first stocked in the New River in 1972. The total number of fish stocked varied from year to year until a stocking rate of 1-2 fingerlings per pool acre became the standard. Tiger musky were stocked a few years but survival was poor and anglers were not seeing them, so we went back to stocking pure strain musky. A musky habitat study began in 1992 and lasted through 1995. Pool lengths, widths, and depths were measured on the Clinch, New, James, and Shenandoah Rivers. Aquatic vegetation was identified. Stocking rates and stocking locations were then adjusted to more efficiently allocate the muskies produced in our hatchery system.
Beginning in 2000, a cooperative musky research project between Virginia Tech and our Department, began to evaluate management of the New River musky fishery. Musky captured by electrofishing in the Whitethorne section of the river were outfitted with radio transmitters and tracked weekly for three years. During that time, additional sampling was done each winter and early spring throughout the New. Stomachs of each collected musky were pumped for food items, and most fish were released back into the river. A select few were sacrificed for additional internal investigations, and a bone called the cleithra, found in the gill covering plate, was removed for aging of the fish. Data analysis lead researchers to recommend an increase in the minimum harvest length from 30 inches to 42 inches, and a decrease in the creel limit from two fish per day to one fish per day on the entire New River and its impoundments. The new regulations were approved and went into effect on July 1, 2006.
Current Management Project
One of the goals of the New River musky stocking program has been to produce a self sustaining, naturally reproducing population of fish, with the understanding that periodic stockings would have to be done to support the population. For the last 20 years or so,
musky reproduction was considered possible in the New, particularly in the lower river below Claytor Lake because of the abundant habitat, forage, and adult population found there. To document reproduction, a plan was devised to skip a couple of years of stockings in the lower river in 2004 and 2006, and to intensively sample for young-of-year (YOY) musky the following winters (when the fish would be nearly a year old). If young fish were found, it would be assumed that they were naturally reproduced. In addition, all musky stocked in 2005 received a fin clip, and all those stocked in the lower river in 2007 were clipped and given a pink visual implant elastomer (plastic) mark in their anal fin.
Our musky, produced at the Buller Fish Cultural Station near Marion, VA, are usually four to six inches in length when stocked. A change was made in the program in 2007 for the New River fish. Following the draining of the production pond at Buller, the New River fish were stocked back into the pond after it was refilled. They were fed with minnows for an additional three months and when the pond was drained in September, the musky averaged nine inches with some as long as twelve inches in length. The purpose of the grow-out plan was to stock a larger fish, hoping for better survival the first year.
Management Project Results
Electrofishing on the lower New in January and February, 2005, resulted in the capture or close observance (defined as just out of reach of the net!) of 25 YOY musky, which equates to a catch-per-effort (CPE) rate of 1.6 YOY musky per hour of electrofishing
(Table 1). On the upper New at Fosters Falls and Austinville during that same time period, only one YOY was captured for a CPE of 0.1 per hour (Table 2). All of these 26 YOY had to have been naturally reproduced since no musky were stocked in 2004.
Sampling on the lower river in 2006 resulted in approximately the same YOY CPE at 1.5 per hour, and a slight increase in the upper river to 0.5 YOY per hour. The increase in CPE on the upper river is not really significant as it reflects the capture of only two young musky rather than one the year before. None of the YOY captured in 2006 exhibited the fin clip done to 2005 stocked musky. Here again is evidence of natural reproduction. In addition, several two year old musky were captured in 2006 that came from a non-stocked year in 2004. It was decided that sampling for YOY musky should be concentrated more on the lower New for the next two years where natural reproduction appeared to be much more significant.
There was a slight drop in YOY CPE on the lower New in 2007 to 1.2 per hour. But as in 2005, all 25 fish were the result of natural reproduction since no stockings took place in 2006. CPE remained the same on the upper river but again, only two YOY were caught there.
A dramatic increase in the number of YOY musky collected took place below Claytor Lake in 2008, all the way to West Virginia. Young fish were found in high numbers at almost every sampling location for a CPE of 7.7 per hour. The most significant thing about this was that only three fish exhibited the pink elastomer mark and fin clip of the 2007 stocked musky. The rest of the more than 100 YOY were wild fish. Only one short sample was done above Claytor and no musky were seen.
Adult musky were captured and/or observed each year of the investigation. Adult CPE had been slowly increasing on the lower river but then dropped significantly in 2008. Sampling conditions were poor for adult collections in 2008 as the
water was low and extremely clear for most of the sample dates. Large musky tend to remain more in the middle of the river under these conditions and they are not easily sampled there. They can also easily avoid the electric field when the water is clear and they can see
the boat from a distance. CPE on the upper river decreased each year on the upper river but was most likely the result of the decrease in sampling effort there. The most abundant size group of adult fish observed on both sections of the New has been fish in the mid to upper 30 inch range. However, musky up to 45 inches were routinely seen.
Current Population Status
The New River, particularly the reach from Claytor Dam downstream to West Virginia, has been and remains today, the premier destination to fish for large musky in Virginia. Anglers have registered 361 citation size musky (40 inches or 15 pounds)
over the last eleven years, including eight over 50 inches (Table 4). The present state record, a 53 inch, 45.5 pound giant, was caught in the lower New June 1, 2007. Based on the weight of eggs taken from a 39 pound musky sacrificed during the joint VT/DGIF study, this female musky undoubtedly would have weighed over 50 pounds back in the spring during spawning
season.
Almost half of the registered citation musky were caught during the May through July time period. The coldest months of December through January produced the second highest total of citation fish. Many large musky are caught by smallmouth anglers throughout the year, but the majority of the winter citations are registered by dedicated musky anglers fishing the river pretty much by themselves. March and September are the two months when the lowest number of citations are registered from the New. During March there is a migration from winter holes to spawning areas, and in September, the migration is back to their winter holes. It becomes difficult for anglers to find the moving fish during those months.
This high rate of angler harvest was one of the main reasons that the size limit was raised to 42 inches in 2006. Almost 50% of the citations were for fish under 42 inches and it is a good thing that those size musky are now protected from harvest. Up to about 40 inches or so, musky grow more in length than weight, but from there on up they really pack on the pounds and become true trophy fish.
Musky natural reproduction was first documented in 2005, and verified in 2007 and 2008. Natural reproduction by musky in the lower New produced an outstanding year class of young fish in 2007. Aquatic weed beds and backwater eddies covered in leaves are prime spawning areas for musky and the lower New has these habitats in great abundance. The question remains as to whether or not natural reproduction alone can maintain the musky population at its present level in the lower New. Although winter musky sampling has not yet been as frequent on the upper river, spring bass, sunfish, and walleye sampling has not shown musky reproduction to be significant upstream of Claytor Lake.
A couple of weeks after this report was written, we spent almost two hours electrofishing two sections of the lower New in order to collect adult brood fish for Buller Hatchery. All total, close to 30 adult musky (up to approximately 30 pounds) and eight YOY were collected in that short time.
Management Recommendations
The 2008 lower New River musky stocking should be cancelled due to the finding of an extremely abundant 2007 year class. Natural reproduction in 2007 should be able to support the fishery without stocking in 2008. Fin clips collected from sampled musky in 2007 and 2008 should be genetically analyzed at Virginia Tech to determine if a unique native stock of musky exists in the New River. Intensive sampling should continue on the lower New during January and February 2009, to continue documentation of natural reproduction. The results of that sampling and the genetic research should be used to develop a long term stocking plan for the lower river. One idea is to base whether to stock and the number to stock on winter surveys of the abundance of the previous years YOY portion of the fishery. Consideration should be given to always stocking advanced fingerlings of at least nine inches to increase the chance of survival. Smaller musky are too easily preyed upon immediately after stocking.
The 650 musky to be stocked in the upper New River in 2008 should be grown to advanced fingerling size as they were in 2007. Those to be stocked in 2009 should also be grown to advanced fingerling size prior to stocking, and also marked in some way to
facilitate an investigation into quantifying natural reproduction. Surveys should occur during the winter of 2009 as time allows, but intensive sampling needs to be a priority in 2010 to look for the marked individuals stocked in 2009.
Beginning in 2000, a cooperative musky research project between Virginia Tech and our Department, began to evaluate management of the New River musky fishery. Musky captured by electrofishing in the Whitethorne section of the river were outfitted with radio transmitters and tracked weekly for three years. During that time, additional sampling was done each winter and early spring throughout the New. Stomachs of each collected musky were pumped for food items, and most fish were released back into the river. A select few were sacrificed for additional internal investigations, and a bone called the cleithra, found in the gill covering plate, was removed for aging of the fish. Data analysis lead researchers to recommend an increase in the minimum harvest length from 30 inches to 42 inches, and a decrease in the creel limit from two fish per day to one fish per day on the entire New River and its impoundments. The new regulations were approved and went into effect on July 1, 2006.
Current Management Project
One of the goals of the New River musky stocking program has been to produce a self sustaining, naturally reproducing population of fish, with the understanding that periodic stockings would have to be done to support the population. For the last 20 years or so,
musky reproduction was considered possible in the New, particularly in the lower river below Claytor Lake because of the abundant habitat, forage, and adult population found there. To document reproduction, a plan was devised to skip a couple of years of stockings in the lower river in 2004 and 2006, and to intensively sample for young-of-year (YOY) musky the following winters (when the fish would be nearly a year old). If young fish were found, it would be assumed that they were naturally reproduced. In addition, all musky stocked in 2005 received a fin clip, and all those stocked in the lower river in 2007 were clipped and given a pink visual implant elastomer (plastic) mark in their anal fin.
Our musky, produced at the Buller Fish Cultural Station near Marion, VA, are usually four to six inches in length when stocked. A change was made in the program in 2007 for the New River fish. Following the draining of the production pond at Buller, the New River fish were stocked back into the pond after it was refilled. They were fed with minnows for an additional three months and when the pond was drained in September, the musky averaged nine inches with some as long as twelve inches in length. The purpose of the grow-out plan was to stock a larger fish, hoping for better survival the first year.
Management Project Results
Electrofishing on the lower New in January and February, 2005, resulted in the capture or close observance (defined as just out of reach of the net!) of 25 YOY musky, which equates to a catch-per-effort (CPE) rate of 1.6 YOY musky per hour of electrofishing
(Table 1). On the upper New at Fosters Falls and Austinville during that same time period, only one YOY was captured for a CPE of 0.1 per hour (Table 2). All of these 26 YOY had to have been naturally reproduced since no musky were stocked in 2004.
Sampling on the lower river in 2006 resulted in approximately the same YOY CPE at 1.5 per hour, and a slight increase in the upper river to 0.5 YOY per hour. The increase in CPE on the upper river is not really significant as it reflects the capture of only two young musky rather than one the year before. None of the YOY captured in 2006 exhibited the fin clip done to 2005 stocked musky. Here again is evidence of natural reproduction. In addition, several two year old musky were captured in 2006 that came from a non-stocked year in 2004. It was decided that sampling for YOY musky should be concentrated more on the lower New for the next two years where natural reproduction appeared to be much more significant.
There was a slight drop in YOY CPE on the lower New in 2007 to 1.2 per hour. But as in 2005, all 25 fish were the result of natural reproduction since no stockings took place in 2006. CPE remained the same on the upper river but again, only two YOY were caught there.
A dramatic increase in the number of YOY musky collected took place below Claytor Lake in 2008, all the way to West Virginia. Young fish were found in high numbers at almost every sampling location for a CPE of 7.7 per hour. The most significant thing about this was that only three fish exhibited the pink elastomer mark and fin clip of the 2007 stocked musky. The rest of the more than 100 YOY were wild fish. Only one short sample was done above Claytor and no musky were seen.
Adult musky were captured and/or observed each year of the investigation. Adult CPE had been slowly increasing on the lower river but then dropped significantly in 2008. Sampling conditions were poor for adult collections in 2008 as the
water was low and extremely clear for most of the sample dates. Large musky tend to remain more in the middle of the river under these conditions and they are not easily sampled there. They can also easily avoid the electric field when the water is clear and they can see
the boat from a distance. CPE on the upper river decreased each year on the upper river but was most likely the result of the decrease in sampling effort there. The most abundant size group of adult fish observed on both sections of the New has been fish in the mid to upper 30 inch range. However, musky up to 45 inches were routinely seen.
Current Population Status
The New River, particularly the reach from Claytor Dam downstream to West Virginia, has been and remains today, the premier destination to fish for large musky in Virginia. Anglers have registered 361 citation size musky (40 inches or 15 pounds)
over the last eleven years, including eight over 50 inches (Table 4). The present state record, a 53 inch, 45.5 pound giant, was caught in the lower New June 1, 2007. Based on the weight of eggs taken from a 39 pound musky sacrificed during the joint VT/DGIF study, this female musky undoubtedly would have weighed over 50 pounds back in the spring during spawning
season.
Almost half of the registered citation musky were caught during the May through July time period. The coldest months of December through January produced the second highest total of citation fish. Many large musky are caught by smallmouth anglers throughout the year, but the majority of the winter citations are registered by dedicated musky anglers fishing the river pretty much by themselves. March and September are the two months when the lowest number of citations are registered from the New. During March there is a migration from winter holes to spawning areas, and in September, the migration is back to their winter holes. It becomes difficult for anglers to find the moving fish during those months.
This high rate of angler harvest was one of the main reasons that the size limit was raised to 42 inches in 2006. Almost 50% of the citations were for fish under 42 inches and it is a good thing that those size musky are now protected from harvest. Up to about 40 inches or so, musky grow more in length than weight, but from there on up they really pack on the pounds and become true trophy fish.
Musky natural reproduction was first documented in 2005, and verified in 2007 and 2008. Natural reproduction by musky in the lower New produced an outstanding year class of young fish in 2007. Aquatic weed beds and backwater eddies covered in leaves are prime spawning areas for musky and the lower New has these habitats in great abundance. The question remains as to whether or not natural reproduction alone can maintain the musky population at its present level in the lower New. Although winter musky sampling has not yet been as frequent on the upper river, spring bass, sunfish, and walleye sampling has not shown musky reproduction to be significant upstream of Claytor Lake.
A couple of weeks after this report was written, we spent almost two hours electrofishing two sections of the lower New in order to collect adult brood fish for Buller Hatchery. All total, close to 30 adult musky (up to approximately 30 pounds) and eight YOY were collected in that short time.
Management Recommendations
The 2008 lower New River musky stocking should be cancelled due to the finding of an extremely abundant 2007 year class. Natural reproduction in 2007 should be able to support the fishery without stocking in 2008. Fin clips collected from sampled musky in 2007 and 2008 should be genetically analyzed at Virginia Tech to determine if a unique native stock of musky exists in the New River. Intensive sampling should continue on the lower New during January and February 2009, to continue documentation of natural reproduction. The results of that sampling and the genetic research should be used to develop a long term stocking plan for the lower river. One idea is to base whether to stock and the number to stock on winter surveys of the abundance of the previous years YOY portion of the fishery. Consideration should be given to always stocking advanced fingerlings of at least nine inches to increase the chance of survival. Smaller musky are too easily preyed upon immediately after stocking.
The 650 musky to be stocked in the upper New River in 2008 should be grown to advanced fingerling size as they were in 2007. Those to be stocked in 2009 should also be grown to advanced fingerling size prior to stocking, and also marked in some way to
facilitate an investigation into quantifying natural reproduction. Surveys should occur during the winter of 2009 as time allows, but intensive sampling needs to be a priority in 2010 to look for the marked individuals stocked in 2009.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Gauley Season Dates/Release Schedule 2011
GAULEY RIVER
DATES FRI SAT SUN MON TARGET FLOW
Sep 9-12 7:00- 1:00 6:00- 2:00 6:00- 2:00 7:00- 1:00 2800 cfs
Sep 16-19 7:00- 1:00 6:00- 3:00 6:00- 3:00 7:00- 2:00 2800 cfs
Sep 23-26 7:00- 1:00 6:00- 2:00 6:00- 2:00 7:00- 1:00 2800 cfs
Sep 30-Oct 3 7:00- 1:00 6:00- 2:00 6:00- 2:00 7:00-1:00 2800 cfs
Oct 7-10 7:00- 1:00 6:00- 2:00 6:00- 2:00 7:00- 1:00 2800 cfs
Oct 15-16 6:00- 2:00 6:00- 2:00 ----- 2800 cfs
Note for Summersville:
Summersville will draw-down to 1520 feet in early November 2011. This will result in extra releases between September 19th - October 3rd and the first week in November. (potentially 2800 cfs all day)
Special Info for Gauley River:
An extra hour of releases is scheduled for Saturday, September 17th and Sunday, September 18th of Gauley Fest weekend, and Monday, September 19th of Race Day.
FISHING: Oct 11-30, the scheduled release is 250-700 cfs all day, excluding October 15th and and 16th. Fish Stocking on week beginning Oct 11. Due to periodic inspection, flows will be in the upper end of the releases.
FILMING WINDOW: Recommend weeks of September 19th - October 3rd and first week of November.
NOVEMBER PLANNED RELEASES: Approximately 2800 cfs the first week of November 2011. The last three weeks of November, return to minimum flow until winter pool is achived.
DATES FRI SAT SUN MON TARGET FLOW
Sep 9-12 7:00- 1:00 6:00- 2:00 6:00- 2:00 7:00- 1:00 2800 cfs
Sep 16-19 7:00- 1:00 6:00- 3:00 6:00- 3:00 7:00- 2:00 2800 cfs
Sep 23-26 7:00- 1:00 6:00- 2:00 6:00- 2:00 7:00- 1:00 2800 cfs
Sep 30-Oct 3 7:00- 1:00 6:00- 2:00 6:00- 2:00 7:00-1:00 2800 cfs
Oct 7-10 7:00- 1:00 6:00- 2:00 6:00- 2:00 7:00- 1:00 2800 cfs
Oct 15-16 6:00- 2:00 6:00- 2:00 ----- 2800 cfs
Note for Summersville:
Summersville will draw-down to 1520 feet in early November 2011. This will result in extra releases between September 19th - October 3rd and the first week in November. (potentially 2800 cfs all day)
Special Info for Gauley River:
An extra hour of releases is scheduled for Saturday, September 17th and Sunday, September 18th of Gauley Fest weekend, and Monday, September 19th of Race Day.
FISHING: Oct 11-30, the scheduled release is 250-700 cfs all day, excluding October 15th and and 16th. Fish Stocking on week beginning Oct 11. Due to periodic inspection, flows will be in the upper end of the releases.
FILMING WINDOW: Recommend weeks of September 19th - October 3rd and first week of November.
NOVEMBER PLANNED RELEASES: Approximately 2800 cfs the first week of November 2011. The last three weeks of November, return to minimum flow until winter pool is achived.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Bridge Day
Bridge Day
West Virginia's largest one-day festival, celebrated on the third Saturday in October, commemorates the October 1977 completion of the New River Gorge Bridge. The first official Bridge Day was celebrated in 1980.
Join tens of thousands of visitors as you walk across the longest, single-span steel arch bridge in the western hemisphere, and take in the views from 876 feet up in the air.
NOTE: Pets, bicycles, carts, and strollers are not permitted on the bridge during Bridge Day. Coolers, packages, and large packs or satchels will not be permitted on the bridge for security reasons.
One of America's Top One Hundred Festivals
The 3,030-foot New River Gorge Bridge took three years to complete and cost nearly $37 million. Because of the chosen arch design, and the depth of the gorge, steel was moved into position by trolleys running on three inch diameter cables stretched between two 330-foot towers. More than 88 million pounds of steel are incorporated. Michael Baker Jr., Inc. was the design engineer company for the structure, which was built by the American Bridge Division of US Steel. Its cor-ten steel will never need painting. The span arches across the New River, among the oldest rivers in North America, considered to be America's best whitewater.
Take A Flying Leap
Jumpers will gladly accommodate that request on Bridge Day, their annual convention. BASE stands for building, antenna, span, earth -- the fixed objects from which these jumpers leap. Since it's only a few seconds from bridge rail to splash down, jumping requires a well-orchestrated team of water-safety, communications and emergency personnel.
Oh, What a Dangled Web
Beneath the bridge's unseen catwalk dangle expert rappellers who resemble so many spiders weaving a web. Our Bridge Day trolls practice well-honed skills with the breathtaking gorge as their backdrop.
These Boots Are Made For Walking
No skill required, no experience necessary. The bridge is open today only for your walking pleasure. Join the Hillbilly Hikers at the northernmost booth for an official VOLKSWALK. Two well-marked walks take you across the bridge into historic Fayetteville or deep into the gorge and back.
Great Entertainment
The historic Fayetteville Theater offers lively entertainment at 8 p.m. every weekend evening. Call the Chamber of Commerce visitor center for details.
Bridge Day Information
For more information about Bridge Day events, contact the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce at 1-800-927-0263. or visit PRO River Outfitters Website
West Virginia's largest one-day festival, celebrated on the third Saturday in October, commemorates the October 1977 completion of the New River Gorge Bridge. The first official Bridge Day was celebrated in 1980.
Join tens of thousands of visitors as you walk across the longest, single-span steel arch bridge in the western hemisphere, and take in the views from 876 feet up in the air.
NOTE: Pets, bicycles, carts, and strollers are not permitted on the bridge during Bridge Day. Coolers, packages, and large packs or satchels will not be permitted on the bridge for security reasons.
One of America's Top One Hundred Festivals
The 3,030-foot New River Gorge Bridge took three years to complete and cost nearly $37 million. Because of the chosen arch design, and the depth of the gorge, steel was moved into position by trolleys running on three inch diameter cables stretched between two 330-foot towers. More than 88 million pounds of steel are incorporated. Michael Baker Jr., Inc. was the design engineer company for the structure, which was built by the American Bridge Division of US Steel. Its cor-ten steel will never need painting. The span arches across the New River, among the oldest rivers in North America, considered to be America's best whitewater.
Take A Flying Leap
Jumpers will gladly accommodate that request on Bridge Day, their annual convention. BASE stands for building, antenna, span, earth -- the fixed objects from which these jumpers leap. Since it's only a few seconds from bridge rail to splash down, jumping requires a well-orchestrated team of water-safety, communications and emergency personnel.
Oh, What a Dangled Web
Beneath the bridge's unseen catwalk dangle expert rappellers who resemble so many spiders weaving a web. Our Bridge Day trolls practice well-honed skills with the breathtaking gorge as their backdrop.
These Boots Are Made For Walking
No skill required, no experience necessary. The bridge is open today only for your walking pleasure. Join the Hillbilly Hikers at the northernmost booth for an official VOLKSWALK. Two well-marked walks take you across the bridge into historic Fayetteville or deep into the gorge and back.
Great Entertainment
The historic Fayetteville Theater offers lively entertainment at 8 p.m. every weekend evening. Call the Chamber of Commerce visitor center for details.
Bridge Day Information
For more information about Bridge Day events, contact the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce at 1-800-927-0263. or visit PRO River Outfitters Website
Great Hiking in the New River Gorge
The Endless Wall is one of the best "unknown" hiking destinations within the New River Gorge Nationial Gorge park. Long known to locals and rock climbers, this property was added to the park in May 1998, thanks to the willingness of trustees for the Nuttall Estate to sell this spectacular property to the NPS. This addition to the park protects significant natural and historical resources, and will provide visitors with abundant opportunities.
Great views of the New River, almost 1000 feet below, are abundant. You can often hear the voices of whitewater rafters as they experience the wild rapids of the lower New. This area also offers significant historical resources, being the site of the Nuttallburg Mine — the largest mine in the New River Coalfields in the late 1800s.
You might also get a glimpse of some of the thousands of rock climbers who visit the park to challenge themselves on the vertical sandstone walls that rim the gorge. Climbers come from all over the United States, and around the world, to select from the over 1600 climbing routes in the park. Visit our Climbing Page for more information.
Endless Wall Trail
The Endless Wall Trail is a 2.4 mile moderate walk that passes through rich forest, crosses Fern Creek, then zig-zags along the cliff edge. Many vistas can be seen along the trail. The overlook at Diamond Point provides a good turnaround spot, creating a popular two-mile out-and-back hike from Fern Creek parking area. If you continue to the end of the trail, you will need to walk for 0.5 miles back along the road to get to the starting point.
Please use caution when near cliff edges!
To reach the trailhead, turn off Route 19 on Lansing-Edmond Road, located just north of the Canyon Rim Visitor Center. Fern Creek Trailhead is located 1.3 miles (just before Fern Creek) down this road, while the Nuttall Trailhead is 1.8 miles from U.S. Route 19. This is a narrow road; please drive with caution.
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Great views of the New River, almost 1000 feet below, are abundant. You can often hear the voices of whitewater rafters as they experience the wild rapids of the lower New. This area also offers significant historical resources, being the site of the Nuttallburg Mine — the largest mine in the New River Coalfields in the late 1800s.
You might also get a glimpse of some of the thousands of rock climbers who visit the park to challenge themselves on the vertical sandstone walls that rim the gorge. Climbers come from all over the United States, and around the world, to select from the over 1600 climbing routes in the park. Visit our Climbing Page for more information.
Endless Wall Trail
The Endless Wall Trail is a 2.4 mile moderate walk that passes through rich forest, crosses Fern Creek, then zig-zags along the cliff edge. Many vistas can be seen along the trail. The overlook at Diamond Point provides a good turnaround spot, creating a popular two-mile out-and-back hike from Fern Creek parking area. If you continue to the end of the trail, you will need to walk for 0.5 miles back along the road to get to the starting point.
Please use caution when near cliff edges!
To reach the trailhead, turn off Route 19 on Lansing-Edmond Road, located just north of the Canyon Rim Visitor Center. Fern Creek Trailhead is located 1.3 miles (just before Fern Creek) down this road, while the Nuttall Trailhead is 1.8 miles from U.S. Route 19. This is a narrow road; please drive with caution.
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Saturday, May 7, 2011
WVDNR Regulations
WVDNR Announces Public Meetings in March to Discuss Proposed Hunting, Trapping and Fishing Regulations
SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (DNR) will hold 12 public meetings across the state in March to provide hunters, trappers, anglers, landowners and other interested parties an opportunity to review and comment on proposed 2011 hunting regulations for white-tailed deer, wild turkey, boar and black bear, proposed 2012-2013 general hunting and trapping regulations, and proposed 2012 fishing regulations. These meetings will be held from 6 - 8 p.m. on March 14 and March 15, and the public is encouraged to attend.
“Again this year, these meetings have been designed to use an ‘Open House’ format,” said DNR Director Frank Jezioro. “This informal meeting style allows people to attend at their convenience during the scheduled meeting times, learn of proposed regulation changes, discuss these proposals with wildlife and fisheries biologists and Natural Resource Police Officers and comment on the proposed regulations and other wildlife-related issues.”
As in the past, written comments from the public on these proposed hunting, trapping and fishing regulations will also be encouraged. The deadline for written comments is April 8, 2011. Anyone interested in attending the meetings scheduled in their areas should note the following list of meeting dates and locations:
Monday, March 14, 2011
Fairmont – East Fairmont High School (Commons Area)
Martinsburg – James Rumsey Technical Institute (Cafeteria)
Summersville – Summersville High School
Lewisburg – Brier Inn Hotel (Conference Room)
Milton – West Virginia Pumpkin Park (4-H Building)
Harrisville – North Bend State Park
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Glen Dale – John Marshall High School
Moorefield – Moorefield Middle School (Cafeteria)
Buckhannon – Buckhannon-Upshur High School
Mullens – Twin Falls Resort State Park (Lodge)
Logan – Chief Logan State Park (Conference Center)
Parkersburg – City Building Lobby
**DNR**
SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (DNR) will hold 12 public meetings across the state in March to provide hunters, trappers, anglers, landowners and other interested parties an opportunity to review and comment on proposed 2011 hunting regulations for white-tailed deer, wild turkey, boar and black bear, proposed 2012-2013 general hunting and trapping regulations, and proposed 2012 fishing regulations. These meetings will be held from 6 - 8 p.m. on March 14 and March 15, and the public is encouraged to attend.
“Again this year, these meetings have been designed to use an ‘Open House’ format,” said DNR Director Frank Jezioro. “This informal meeting style allows people to attend at their convenience during the scheduled meeting times, learn of proposed regulation changes, discuss these proposals with wildlife and fisheries biologists and Natural Resource Police Officers and comment on the proposed regulations and other wildlife-related issues.”
As in the past, written comments from the public on these proposed hunting, trapping and fishing regulations will also be encouraged. The deadline for written comments is April 8, 2011. Anyone interested in attending the meetings scheduled in their areas should note the following list of meeting dates and locations:
Monday, March 14, 2011
Fairmont – East Fairmont High School (Commons Area)
Martinsburg – James Rumsey Technical Institute (Cafeteria)
Summersville – Summersville High School
Lewisburg – Brier Inn Hotel (Conference Room)
Milton – West Virginia Pumpkin Park (4-H Building)
Harrisville – North Bend State Park
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Glen Dale – John Marshall High School
Moorefield – Moorefield Middle School (Cafeteria)
Buckhannon – Buckhannon-Upshur High School
Mullens – Twin Falls Resort State Park (Lodge)
Logan – Chief Logan State Park (Conference Center)
Parkersburg – City Building Lobby
**DNR**
Husky Musky
Results of 2010 Husky Musky Club Catch Report Announced
SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Anglers caught and reported 319 muskies to the West Virginia Husky Musky Club in 2010, according to Bret Preston, assistant chief of the Wildlife Resources Section of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. The fish were reported from 29 West Virginia waters and more than 60 percent of them came from water stocked by the WVDNR. The 2010 catch represented the largest in more than 40 years of record keeping.
The top waters in 2010 included: Little Kanawha River (54 fish); Stonewall Jackson Lake (47 fish); Buckhannon River (41 fish); Middle Island Creek (20 fish); and Monongahela and South Fork Hughes rivers (14 fish each). Two muskies more than 50 inches in length were reported from Stonewall Jackson Lake.
The Husky Musky Club has maintained musky catch information since 1969 and 5,222 fish have been registered from 71 different West Virginia waters. The top 10 waters during this 42-year period are: 1) Middle Island Creek; 2) Buckhannon River; 3) Little Kanawha River; 4) Stonewall Jackson Lake; 5) Elk River; 6) South Fork Hughes River; 7) Hughes River; 8) West Fork River; 9) Stonecoal Lake; and 10) Tygart River.
Anglers interested in registering their first legal-sized musky may join the West Virginia Husky Musky Club for no membership fee. More information about this Club may be found at www.wvdnr.gov/fishing/HuskyMusky.shtm or from the nearest WVDNR district office.
For more info on guided Misky fishing visit www.profishwv.com
**DNR**
SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Anglers caught and reported 319 muskies to the West Virginia Husky Musky Club in 2010, according to Bret Preston, assistant chief of the Wildlife Resources Section of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. The fish were reported from 29 West Virginia waters and more than 60 percent of them came from water stocked by the WVDNR. The 2010 catch represented the largest in more than 40 years of record keeping.
The top waters in 2010 included: Little Kanawha River (54 fish); Stonewall Jackson Lake (47 fish); Buckhannon River (41 fish); Middle Island Creek (20 fish); and Monongahela and South Fork Hughes rivers (14 fish each). Two muskies more than 50 inches in length were reported from Stonewall Jackson Lake.
The Husky Musky Club has maintained musky catch information since 1969 and 5,222 fish have been registered from 71 different West Virginia waters. The top 10 waters during this 42-year period are: 1) Middle Island Creek; 2) Buckhannon River; 3) Little Kanawha River; 4) Stonewall Jackson Lake; 5) Elk River; 6) South Fork Hughes River; 7) Hughes River; 8) West Fork River; 9) Stonecoal Lake; and 10) Tygart River.
Anglers interested in registering their first legal-sized musky may join the West Virginia Husky Musky Club for no membership fee. More information about this Club may be found at www.wvdnr.gov/fishing/HuskyMusky.shtm or from the nearest WVDNR district office.
For more info on guided Misky fishing visit www.profishwv.com
**DNR**
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