No Swimming

Enforcement of No Swimming Regulation at Pleasant Creek Wildlife Management Area

            GRAFTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (DNR) announces that swimming from the shoreline of Tygart Lake on the Pleasant Creek Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is prohibited by regulations governing public use of Wildlife Management Areas (§58-70-2.11). This regulation will be strictly enforced beginning immediately, according to Curtis I. Taylor, Chief of the Wildlife Resources Section and Colonel Dave Murphy, Chief of the Law Enforcement Section.

            “Illegal swimming and associated parking of vehicles has negatively impacted the launching and parking of boat trailers using the boat ramp on Pleasant Creek WMA,” Taylor said. “This illegal swimming has also created serious public safety concerns; therefore, strict enforcement of the no swimming regulation is necessary.”
            The DNR Parks and Recreation Section plans to reopen the public swimming area at Tygart Lake State Park in 2014. This will provide the public with safe and convenient shoreline swimming opportunities on Tygart Lake. In addition, swimming from boats and other watercraft is permissible now.
            For additional information, contact the DNR Farmington Office at 304-825-6787.

**DNR**

Elkwater Fork Dam

I took a ride up Elkwater, last Thursday to look at the new Elkwater Fork Water Supply Dam. I wanted to see it before the graffiti and trash take over. It is a nice quiet spot, right now. The Elkwater Road has received major upgrades. I can remember when nothing except for a high four-wheel drive vehicle could reach this area. The road is now passable for everything. The dam was built as a much needed water supply for the Upper Tygart Valley. It has yet to be determined or publicized as to what recreational opportunities this pond will bring. Elkwater Fork was at one time, my favorite trout fishing spot; when other waters were too crowded or too high. I caught my first trout on an artificial lure in Elkwater on Easter Sunday 1974. I also caught my first trout on a dry fly there in 1975.

I truly hope that this area will be managed properly for recreational opportunities. It would be a real shame if it becomes a dumping ground for mattresses and refrigerators; like so many other spots in the Upper Valley. I also hope that it doesn't just become another West Virginia mecca for lawn chairs and play-dough dunkers. The area deserves better. I will not bore you with the ponds' details, you can read them from the next photo.

Pretty Pictures of Pretty Water



Roaring Creek

 Some people drive down the road of life; believing that every oncoming vehicle is their best friend.  I on the other hand am one to believe that every oncoming vehicle is driven by a drug-crazed moron; yapping on a cell phone.  I could be called cynical; but prefer the label of realist.

Why doesn't anyone post photos of the ugly stuff out there?  If we are not exposed to these things; do they not exist?  Many would like to think so.

This is a photo of Roaring Creek in Randolph County, WV.  It is a tributary of the Tygart River.  Most of you have seen the newspaper and TV ads about beautiful downtown Coalton, WV.  Well, this jewel flows right through the middle of beautiful downtown Coalton. I truly believe that if more people would become concerned with all of the bad stuff we already have; they would pay more attention to the bad things about to happen.  I've said it before, but here we go again; when the water quality is diminished in any way so is the quality of life.  If one just chooses to ignore these things, they just don't go away.  You should remember this photo; everytime you look at a pretty one.  That pretty stream may not be there forever.

What Color Is Your Water ?

This is a tributary of Grassy Run, one of the crown jewels of Randolph County, WV.  Grassy Run has been useless, except as a sewage outlet since the early 1900's.  This small tributary hasn't always been in this condition.  For generations,  the "shit crick" has been a source of entertainment and recreation for numerous youngsters of the Norton community.  Its waters were dammed, "crawdads and lizards" were caught, countless summertime hours were spent in the "crick".

Sometime in the late 1990's, an abandoned deep mine containing many gallons of acid mine water burst open and spilled through this small stream. I wasn't living here at the time, but the "reclamation" process was to permanently drain the mine water into this tributary.  Just add another permanent scar to Randolph County, it won't hurt anything and nobody cares anyway.  This is the attitude that has destroyed northwest Randolph County over the previous century.

When I was a kid in the 60's, this little waterway had a tremendous bio-mass of amphibians and crusteations.  Louisiana Waterthrushes and other warblers were always present on summer days.  We would create a dam and keep fish from the Tygart River in the waters for weeks. Later, I caught mink and muskrats there.  These waters are now devoid of all life, the few trees and shrubs along the banks are dead or dying.  Nothing can live there anymore.  Yes, this water quality has been provided by the origional "Fiends of Coal", the process has happened time and time again:  Seek, Destroy & Leave.  Many of you will face issues in the next few years, which may potentially turn your little "crick" into a barren, lifeless stream of wastewater.  Think about your quality of life and that of those who will follow.  When water quality is gone; so is life.