Information About the Greenbriar River

Photo Credit: https://www.railstotrails.org/trailblog/2012/june/01/greenbrier-river-trail-west-virginia/
Researched, compiled, and written by Carrie Birdsong

The Greenbriar River is a tributary of the New River, 162 miles long, in southeastern West Virginia.  Via the Kanawha and Ohio rivers, it is part of the Mississippi watershed, draining an area of 1,656 square miles, and is one of the longest rivers in West Virginia.

The Greenbriar is formed at Durbin in northern Pocahontas County by the confluence of the East Fork Greenbrier River and the West Fork Greenbriar River, both of which are short streams rising at elevations exceeding 3,300 feet and flowing for their entire lengths in northern Pocahontas County.  From Durbin, the Greenbriar flows generally southwest through Pocahontas, Greenbriar and Summers Counties, past several communities including Cass, Marlinton, Hillsboro, Roncerverte, Fort Spring, Alderson, and Hinton, where it flows into the New River.  The river in general flows between the Yew Mountains to the west and the Allegheny Mountains to the east.

Along most of its course, the Greenbriar accommodated the celebrated Indian warpath known as the Seneca Trail (Great Indian Warpath).  From the vicinity of present-day White Sulphur Springs, the Trail followed Anthony’s Creek down to the Greenbriar near the present Pocahontas-Greenbriar County line.  It then ascended the River to the vicinity of Hillsboro and Droop Mountain and made its way through present-day Pocahontas County by way of future Marlinton, Indian Draft Run, and Edray.

The first permanent white settlers west of the Alleghenies have traditionally been considered to have been two New Englanders: Jacob Marlin and Stephen Sewell, who arrived in the Greenbrier Valley in 1749.  They built a cabin together at what would become Marlinton, but after disputing over religion, Sewell moved into a nearby hollowed-out sycamore tree.  In 1751, surveyor John Lewis (father of Andrew Lewis) discovered the pair.  Sewell eventually settled on the eastern side of Sewell Mountain, near present-day Rainelle.  They may well have been the first to settle what was then called the “western waters” – i.e., in the regions where streams flowed westward to the Gulf of Mexico rather than eastward to the Atlantic.

Virginia settler (1749-1823), a Revolutionary War commander and pioneering western Virginia settler, surveyed the Greenbriar Valley and is known locally as “The Father of Greenbriar County”.  At the age of 20, Stuart was a member of the 1769 survey by citizens of Augusta County, Virginia, which explored the wilderness of the Greenbrier Valley to the west in preparation for European settlement.  The following year he built the first mill in present-day Greenbrier County, at Frankford.  In 1774, he led a company of Greenbriar troops in the Battle of Point Pleasant at the confluence of the Kanawha and Ohio Rivers.  He was among Lewisburg’s first trustees and in 1780 he became Greenbrier County’s first clerk, leaving many historic records behind.

A Breif History Of The Monongahela River

Photo Credit: https://www.doorsopenpgh.org/benebby-blog/whats-with-those-piers-on-the-
                        monongahela-river

State: Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
Counties: Marion WV, Monongahela WV,
                Greene PA, Fayette PA,
                Washington PA, Westmoreland
                PA, Allegheny PA.
Source: Tygart Valley River
     1.     Location: Pocahontas County, WV.
     2.     Elevation: 4,540 ft. (1,380 m).
Second Source: West Fork River.
     1.     Location: Upshur County, WV.
     2.     Elevation: 1,309 ft. (399 m).
Source Confluence:
     1.     Location: Fairmont, WV.
     2.     Elevation: 863 ft (263 m).
Mouth: Ohio River.
     1.     Location: Pittsburgh, PA.
     2.     Elevation: 709 ft. (216 m).
Length: 130 mi (210 km).
Basin Size: 7,340 sq mi (19,000 km2).
Discharge:
     1.     Location: Braddock, PA.
     2.     Average: 12,650 cu ft/s (358 m3/s).
     3.     Maximum: 81,000 cu ft/s (2,300 m3/s).
Discharge:
     1.     Location: Masontown, PA.
     2.     Average: 8,433 cu ft/s (238.8 m3/s).
Tributaries:
Left: West Fork, Coal Run, Buffalo Creek, Hawkinburg
         Run, Paw Paw Creek, Pharoah Run, Parker Run,
         Indian Creek, Birchfield Run, Meadow Run, Broad
         Run, Dents Run, Scotts Run, Courtney Run,
         Robinson Run, Crooked Run, Dunkard Creek,
         Whitely Creek, Little Whiteley Creek, Pegs Run,
         Muddy Creek, Noel Run, Pumpkin Run, Rush Run,
         Tenmile Creek, Fishpot Run, Barney’s Run,
         Twomile Run, Lilly Run, Pike Run, Wood Run,
         Hooders Run, Maple Creek, Pigeon Creek, Dry
         Run, Mingo Creek, Huston Run, Lobbs Run,
         Peters Run, Thompson Run, Homestead Run,
         West Run, Streets Run, Becks Run.

Right: Tygart River, Prickett Creek, Little Creek,
           Whitedog Creek, Joes Run, Toms Run, Booths
           Run, Cobun Creek, Deekers Run, West Run,
           Laurel Run, Camp Run, Cheat River, George’s
           Run, Jacobs Creek, Cats Run, Browns Run,
           Middle Run, Antram Run, Wallace Run, Hereford
           Hollow, Bates Run, Meadow Run, Kelley Run,
           Rush Run, Dunlap Creek, Redstone Creek,
           Lamb Lick Run, Downers Run, Speers Run,
           Turkey Hollow, Beckers Run, Sunfish Run,
           Bunola Run, Kelly Run, Mill Run, Smiths Run,
           Fallen Timber Run, Wylie Run, Youghiogheny
           River, Crooked Run, Turtle Creek, Ninemile
           Run.

The Monongahela River valley was the site of a famous battle that was one of the first in the French and Indian War – the Braddock Expedition (May- July 1755). The end result was a sharp one for the two thousand British and Colonial forces against those of the French and their Native American allies.

In 1817, the Pennsylvania legislature authorized the Monongahela Navigation Company to build 16 dams with bypass locks to create a river transportation system between Pittsburgh and the area that would later become West Virginia. Originally planned to run as far south as the Cheat River, the system was extended to Fairmont, and bituminous coal from West Virginia was the chief product transported downstream. After a canal tunnel through Grant’s Hill in Pittsburgh was completed in 1832, boats could travel between the Monongahela River and the Western Division Canal of Pennsylvania’s principal east-west canal and railroad system, the Main Line of Public Works. In 1897, the federal government took possession of the Monongahela Navigation through condemnation proceedings. Later, the dam-lock combinations were increased in size and reduced in number.

Briefly linked to the Monongahela Navigation was the Youghiogheny Navigation, a slack water system of 18.5 miles between McKeesport and West Newton. It had two dam-locks overcoming a change in elevation of about 27 feet, and was opened in 1850, but was destroyed by a flood in 1865.

During the 19th century and well into the 20th, the Monongahela was heavily used by industry, and several U.S. Steel plants, including the Homestead Works, site of the Homestead Strike of 1892, were built along its banks. Other mills included the Edgar Thomson Works in Braddock, the first steelworks in the area, the Duquesne Works, and the Jones and Laughlin steel works on the south side of Pittsburgh. Only the Edgar Thomson works remain to produce steel along the river.

Despite the closure of many of the mills in the 1980s and 90s, the Monongahela is still an important waterway for industry. The Mon Valley Works of U.S. Steel operates three plants, including the Edgar Thomson plant for basic steel making, the Irvin plant for steel finishing, and the Clairton plant for coke production. Coal barges are a common sight on the river, and the railways that line either side are heavily used by freight. Other industries include power generation, chemicals, and recycling.

Three ships in the United States Navy have been named Monongahela after the river (USS Monongahela (1862) was launched in 1862 and served during the American Civil War, USS Monongahela (AO-42), was an oiler acquired by the US Navy in July 1942 and decommissioned August 1957, USS Monongahela (AO-178), was an oiler launched in 1979 and decommissioned in 1999). In October 1930, severe drought caused the river flow to drop below 10 cu ft/s, and in some places, it was possible to walk across the river floor.

The river was the site of a famous airplane crash that has become the subject of urban legends and conspiracy theories. Early on the morning of January 31, 1956, a B-25 bomber en route from Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada to Olmstead Air Force Base in Pennsylvania crashed into the river near the Glenwood Bridge in Homestead, Pennsylvania. The six crewmen survived the initial crash, but two of them succumbed in the cold water and drowned. Despite the relatively shallow water, the aircraft was never recovered and became known as the “ghost bomber”. The Pittsburgh Post Gazette published a graphical representation of the flight path and flight details in 1999, and as of 2018, the bomber has not been found.

North Branch Buffalo Creek

 

Photo Credit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Branch_Buffalo_Creek
Researched and compiled by Carrie Birdsong

Source:
     1.     Location: wetland in Haines Township,
             Centre County, PA.
     2.     Elevation: between 1,720 and 1,740 feet
             (520 and 530 m).
Mouth:
     5.     Location: Buffalo Creek in West Buffalo
                             Township, Union County, PA.
Elevation: 531 feet (162 m).
Length: 13.5 miles (21.7 km).
Basin Size: 22.9 square miles (59 km2)
Progression: Buffalo Creek à West Branch
                    Susquehanna River à Susquehanna
                    River à Chesapeake Bay.
Tributaries:
     1.     Left: Panther Run.
     2.     Right: Coal Run.

The North Branch Buffalo Creek is a tributary of Buffalo Creek in Centre and Union Counties in Pennsylvania. Approximately 13.5 miles long, it flows through Haines Township in Centre County and Hartley, Lewis, and West Buffalo Townships. The watershed of this creek has an area of 22.9 square miles and has two named tributaries that are: Panther Run and Coal Run.

Beginning in a wetland in Haines Township, Centre County, it flows east-northeast for almost a mile through a deep, narrow valley before exiting Haines Township and Centre County. Once exiting Centre County, the creek enters Hartley Township, Union County, and continues northeast for a few miles. The creek then flows between Buck Ridge and Dogback Mountain before turning south-southeast for almost a mile. During this near mile of flow, it receives Panther Run, its first named tributary, from the left. Also passing Ice Spring and the western edge of Jones Mountain. Then it reaches Lewis Township and turns east-southeast, and after some distance, the creek turns northeast and east-northeast, passing through the Mifflinburg Reservoir. Almost another mile downstream, its valley broadens considerably and flows east for a few miles. The creek then turns south-southeast for a few miles, passing by Lake McClure and receiving the tributary Coal Run from the right. Then the creek turns southeast for almost a mile before reaching its confluence with Buffalo Creek, which is 13.34 miles upstream of its mouth.

Little Buffalo Creek

 

Photo Credit: https://www.gpinet.com/?page_id=9657
researched and compiled by Carrie Birdsong

Source:
Location: Base of a mountain in White Deer
                Township, Union County, PA.
Elevation: between 800 and 820 feet (240
                 and 250 m).
Mouth:
1.     Location: Buffalo Creek in Kelly
                        Township, Union County, PA.
2.     Elevation: 456 feet (139 m).
3.     Length: 10 miles (16 km).
4.     Basin Size: 19.0 sq mi (49 km2).
5.     Progression: Buffalo Creek à West
                             Branch Susquehanna River
                             à Susquehanna River à
                             Chesapeake Bay.

Little Buffalo Creek is a tributary of Buffalo Creek in Union County, Pennsylvania. The creek is approximately 10 miles (16 km) long and flows through White Deer Township and Kelly Township. The watershed of the creek has an area of 19.0 square miles. The creek is impacted by nutrients, sediment, E. coli, and thermal radiation. Several rock formations containing sandstone, shale, and limestone occur in the watershed.

Most of Little Buffalo’s Creek watershed is on forested or agricultural land, but there are other uses of the land as well. Several bridges have been built over the creek. The creek’s drainage basin is designated as a Coldwater Fishery and a Migratory Fishery and wild trout naturally reproduce within reach of it, also American eels have been released into the creek.

Beginning at the base of a mountain in White Deer Township, it flows south for a short distance before turning east-northeast and then east-southeast. Several tenths of a mile downstream, the creek turns east-northeast for several miles before turning south-southeast. After a few tenths of a mile, it turns south and enters Kelly Township. After continuing south before meandering east for almost a mile, it turns south again for a short distance, before turning southwest. It then turns south-southeast, then east-northeast, before turning southwest. Several tenths of a mile downstream, it reaches its confluence with Buffalo Creek.

The elevation near the mouth of Little Buffalo Creek is 456 feet (139 m) above sea level. The elevation of the creek's source is between 800 and 820 feet (240 and 250 m) above sea level.

There are 0.6 miles (0.97 km) of fencing and 0.0 miles (0 km) of stabilization along streams in the watershed of Little Buffalo Creek. There are also significant flood-prone areas along the creek, which, during a flood, could make access to emergency services in western Kelly Township difficult. There are some floodplain areas along the creek and its tributaries.

Little Buffalo Creek cuts through the Buffalo Mountain Anticlinal. Additionally, the Milton Anticlinal is located near the creek.

Outcroppings of the Ore sandstone are visible at the Buffalo Mountain Anticlinal on Little Buffalo Creek. Shales of the Bloomsburg Formation also occur in the watershed of the creek. Additionally, limestone of the Lower Helderberg Formation occurs near the creek.

 

Photo credit: https://nkytribune.com/2015/10/our-rich-history-licking-river-helps-define-us-has-historic-meaning-on-northern-journey-to-ohio

Source:
     1.     Location: Magoffin County, KY.
Mouth:
     1.     Location: Ohio River.
     2.     Length: 303 miles (488 km).
Basin Size: 3,709 sq mi (9,610 km2).
Discharge:
     1.     Location: Alexandria, KY.
     2.     Average: 5,694 cu/ft. per second.

The Native Americans of the area called the river Nepernine. When the explorer Thomas Walker first saw it in 1750, he called it Fredricks River. An earlier name given by hunters and frontiersmen, Great Salt Lick Creek, makes reference to the many saline springs near the river that attracted animals to its salt licks. The origin of the present name is unclear, though likely related to the previous name.

Over several thousand years, Native American tribes inhabited the watershed and frequently hunted in and around the Licking River Valley, including the Shawnee and Cherokee. Other, older settlements of unnamed groups in Bath County on Slate Creek are also known. The river served as an important transportation and trade route for both Native Americans and, from the mid-18th Century on, colonists of European descent who began pushing into the area (predominately from Virginia, Maryland and the Carolina colonies).

In 1780, during the Revolutionary War, a group of American frontiersmen under George Rogers Clark gathered at the river’s mouth for their march up the valley of the Little Miami River, where they conducted operations against British outposts and British-supported Native American tribes, including elements of the Shawnee, Miami, Mingo, and Delaware. In 1782, the river was the site of the Battle of Blue Licks. The Newport Barracks in Newport guarded its mouth from 1803 to 1804.

The Licking River is now used extensively for recreation, including shallow-draft boating, canoeing and fishing. It is used for rowing practice by the Cincinnati Junior Rowing Club.

The Licking River rises in the Cumberland Plateau of eastern Kentucky, in southeastern Magoffin County at the confluence of two smaller streams and an elevation of 1,006 feet. Flowing in a northwesterly direction highly meandering past the cities of Salyersville and West Liberty. In Rowan County in the Daniel Boone National Forest it is impounded to form the large Cave Run Lake reservoir. It joins the Ohio River opposite Cincinnati, where it separates the cities of Covington and Newport. The river was used as the southwestern border of the original Mason County and is the southwest border of Fleming and Rowan counties today.

 

A Breif History of Mauses Creek

 
              Photo Credit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauses_Creek
        Researched and compiled by Carrie Birdsong

Source:
     1.     Location: Liberty Township, Montour County,
                             PA.
Mouth:
     1.     Location: Mahoning Creek in Valley Township,
             Montour County, PA.
     2.     Elevation: 482 feet (147 m).
     3.     Length: 5.9 mi (9.5 km).
Basin Size: 11.40 sq mi (29.5 km2).
Tributaries:
     1.     Left: Indian Creek

Mauses Creek is a tributary of Mahoning Creek in Montour County, Pennsylvania. Flowing through Liberty and Valley Townships, its length is almost 5.9 miles long. Indian Creek is its only named tributary. The watershed of Mauses Creek has an area of 11.40 square miles, and the main rock formations in the watershed are the Bloomsburg and Mifflintown Formation, the Wills Creek Formation, the Hamilton Group, and the Trimmers Rock Formation.

Beginning in Liberty Township, near Mooresburg, flowing south for some distance before turning northeast, running parallel to railroad tracks for a long distance before crossing Pennsylvania Route 642 and making an abrupt turn east. A short distance later, the creek exits Liberty Township and enters Valley Township. Continuing east for a few miles, it flows parallel to Pennsylvania Route 642, and then turns northeast, away from the state route and picks up the tributary Indian Creek after a short distance. Then it turns southeast, flowing parallel to Pennsylvania Route 54. After a long distance, it crosses Pennsylvania Route 642 with Mahoning Creek in the southern edge of Valley Township.

The Hocking River

       Photo credit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hocking_River
       Research and compiled by Carrie Birdsong

State: Ohio
Counties: Fairfield, Hocking, Athens.
Source:
     1,     Location: Fairfield County.
     2.     Elevation: 1,050 ft. (320 m).
Mouth: Ohio River.
     1.     Location: Hockingport.
     2.     Elevation: 582 ft. (177 m).
Basin Size: 1,197 sq mi. (3,100).
Discharge:
     1.     Location: Mouth.
     2.     Average: 1,341.47 cu ft/s (37.994 m3/s)
             (estimate).

The Hocking River (formerly the Hockhocking River) is a 102-mile-long (164 km) right tributary of the Ohio River in southeastern Ohio. The Hocking flows mostly flows on the mostly unglaciated Allegheny Plateau, but its headwaters are in a glaciated region. Rising in Bloom Township in Fairfield County and flows generally southeastwardly through Fairfield, Hocking, and Athens counties, through the Hocking Hills region, and past the cities of Lancaster, Logan, Nelsonville, Athens, and Coolville. It joins the Ohio River at Hockingport. The Hocking’s tributaries also drain parts of Perry, Morgan, and Washington Counties.

The Hocking River’s name originally derives from a Native American name, roughly “Hokhokken” or “Hokhochen”, which meant “bottle-shaped” or “gourd-shaped” and referred to the river’s headwaters 7 miles northwest of present-day Lancaster, Ohio. Beginning as a small stream, then immediately goes over a waterfall into a wide gorge. If you were to view this from above, the feature would look like a bottle, which led to its name. The river was known as the Hockhocking River until the late 19th century.

The Hocking Canal once linked Athens to Lancaster and the Ohio and Erie Canal, but was destroyed by flooding and never rebuilt. Due to frequent flooding of Ohio University’s campus, the Army Corps of Engineers re-channelized a section of the Hocking River in Athens during the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. Between Nelsonville and Athens, the Hocking today is roughly paralleled by a rail trail (a shared-use path that is constructed after a railway is abandoned and the track has been removed and is used by hikers, bicycles, horseback riders, etc.), the Hockhocking Adena Bikeway. The path serves as a major source of recreation for the area's residents, especially students who attend Ohio University and Hocking College.

Major tributaries to the Hocking include (downriver to upriver): Federal Creek, Magaret Creek, Sunday Creek, Monday Creek, Scott Creek, Oldtown Creek, Clear Creek, Rush Creek, Pleasant Run, Baldwin Run, and Hunter’s Run. Many of these tributaries are affected by acid mine drainage.

Some of the activities you can do on the Hocking River include Canoeing, kayaking, rafting, and tubing, which are popular. Hocking Hills Adventures and Hocking Hills Canoe Livery each operate trips suitable for all skill levels on the mid and upper sections of the river. The mid and upper sections of the river also serve as an above-average smallmouth bass fishery. Typical species of warm-water streams are generally found throughout the river.

Mahoning Creek: A Few Statistics

Photo Credit: https://meadhunt.com/project/mahoning/
researched and compiled by Carrie Birdsong

Source:
     1.     Location: valley in Madison Township,
             Columbia County, PA.
     2.     Elevation: between 1,080 and 1,100
             feet (330 and 340 m).
Mouth:
     1.     Location: Susquehanna River in
             Danville, Montour County, PA.
     2.     Elevation: 463 feet (141 m).
Length: 10.6 mi (17.1 km).
Basin Size: 39.6 sq mi (103 km2)
Progression: Susquehanna River à Chesapeake Bay.
Tributaries:
     Left: Sechler Run, Kase Run.
     Right: Mauses Creek.

The Mahoning Creek is a tributary of the Susquehanna River in Columbia and Montour Counties in Pennsylvania. Approximately around 10.6 long and it flows through Madison Township in Columbia County, and West Hemlock Township, Derry Township, Valley Township, Mahoning Township, and Danville in Montour County. Its tributaries include Kase Run, Mauses Creek, and Sechler Run. Mahoning Creek is designated as a Trout-Stocking Fishery and a Migratory Fishery for part of its length and as a Warmwater Fishery and a Migratory Fishery for the remainder.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection considers Mahoning Creek impaired by siltation. The main rock formations in the watershed include the Trimmers Rock Formation, the Clinton Group, the Catskill Formation, the Hamilton Group, the Bloomsburg and Mifflintown Formation, the Onondaga and Old Port Formation, and the Wills Creek Formation. Most of the watershed is forested or agricultural land, but there is some developed land.

Mahoning Creek begins in a valley in Madison Township, and flows south for a short distance before turning west-southwest for almost a mile, and exits Columbia County. Once the creek leaves Columbia County, it enters West Hemlock Township, Montour County, then flowing south-southwest alongside Pennsylvania Route 642 for a few miles before crossing Pennsylvania Route 642 and entering Derry Township. The creek then turns south for a few miles and enters Valley Township. Once in Valley Township, it continues its southerly route in its valley and crosses Pennsylvania Route 642 once again. Almost a mile further downstream, it crosses Interstate 80 and receives Kase Run, its first named tributary from the left. The creek meanders west for almost a mile, and then turns southwest, flowing alongside Pennsylvania Route 642 once again. Not far from Mausdale, Mahoning Creek crosses Pennsylvania Route 642 and Pennsylvania Route 54 and receives the tributary Mauses Creek from the right. The creek then turns southeast and begins flowing alongside Pennsylvania Route 54 into Mahoning Township and through a water gap in Montour Ridge. It enters Danville and leaves the water gap behind, turning south-southwest and crossing U.S. Route 11. After almost a mile, the creek receives Sechler Run, its last-named tributary, from the left, and turns west-northwest. After several tenth of a mile, it exits Danville and enters Mahoning Township briefly before turning sharply southeast and reentering Danville. A short distance from Danville, the creek reaches its confluence with the Susquehanna River, which is 136.26 miles (219.29 km) upstream of its mouth.

Clarion River Information

* Elevation: 850 feet (260 m)

* River System: Allegheny River

* Type: Scenic, Recreational

* Designated: October 19, 1996

* Discharges:
     1.     East Branch Clarion River Dam, West
             Branch Clarion River, Clarion River


Photo Credit: https://visitpago.com/listings/clarion-river-2-4/
Researched and compiled by Carrie Birdsong

Before 1817, the Clarion River was more commonly called “Tobeco,” likely a corruption of Tuppeek-Hanne, meaning the stream that flows from a large spring. The French explorers named the river Rivière au Fiel. Settlers called it the Toby or Stump Creek as early as 1809. The name Clarion was given by surveyor Daniel Stanard in 1817, who said the water sounded like a distant clarion (a high-pitched trumpet).

At the end of the 19th century and into the beginning of the 20th century, much of what is now the Allegheny National Forest and surrounding areas we deforested, in part to make way for the oil boom that followed Edwin Drake’s discovery of oil near Titusville on August 17, 1859, but also for wood chemicals. Bark was especially in high demand for local tanneries that produced prodigious amounts of leather. This deforestation significantly degraded the watershed of the upper Allegheny in general, leading to floods downstream (particularly in Pittsburgh), and eventually to the declaration of the national forest in 1923, but the case of the Clarion River, run-off from tanneries compounded the problem, as did acid mine drainage. The Clarion was an important part of the timber industry, allowing timber to be transported downstream the Allegheny, then the Ohio, and ultimately the Mississippi. The Clarion River came to be Pennsylvania’s most polluted waterway.

The regrowth of the forest did much to help restore the Clarion River, as well as a major cleaning effort in the 1980s. Today, the river is used for fishing, canoeing, and other recreational activities, and runs through extensive wildlife and forest areas, including a 4,241-acre (17.16 km2) inventoried roadless area that has been proposed as a national wilderness area. In 1996, a 51.7-mile (83.2 km) stretch of the Clarion River was designated a National Wild & Scenic River. The bridge at Cooksburg is in Clarion County in its western portion, passes through a narrow spike of Forest County in its middle, and is in Jefferson County at its east end.

Kanawha River

       
Photo Credit:  https://wvtourism.com/company/kanawha-falls/
Researched and compiled by Carrie Birdsong

State: West Virginia
Counties: Fayette, Kanawha, Putnam, Mason
Source: New River
     1.     Location: Ashe, County, NC.
     2.     Elevation: 2,546 ft. (776 m).
2nd Source: Gauley River.
     1.     Location: Three Forks of Gauley,
             Pocahontas County, WV.
     2.     Elevation: 2,917 ft. (889 m).
Source Confluence:
     1,     Location: Gauley Bridge, WV.
     2.     Elevation: 653 ft. (199 m).
Mouth: Ohio River
     1.     Location: Point Pleasant, WV.
     2.     Elevation: 538 ft. (164 m).
     3.     Length: 97 miles (156 m).
     4.     Basin Size: 12,236 sq mi (31,690 km2).
Discharge:
     1.     Location: Charleston, 56.8 mi (91.4 km)
                              from the mouth.
     2.     Average: 15,240 cu ft/s (432 m3/s)
     3.     Minimum: 1,100 cu ft/s (31 m3/s)
     4.     Maximum: 216,000 cu ft/s (6,100 m3/s)
Progression: Kanawha River à Ohio River à
                     Mississippi River à Gulf of Mexico.
Tributaries:
     1.     Left: Ferry Branch, Coal River
     2.     Right: Elk River, Pocatalico River

The Kanawha River is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately 97 miles long, in West Virginia, and is the largest inland waterway in West Virginia. Its watershed has been a significant industrial region of the state since the 19th century.

The name derives from the region's Iroquoian dialects meaning “water way” or “canoe way” implying the metaphor “transport way”, in the local language.

Archaeological artifacts, such as Clovis points and later projectiles, indicate prehistoric indigenous peoples living in the area from the 12,500 BC era. People of later cultures continued to live along the valley and heights. Those of the Adena culture built at least 50 earthwork mounds and 10 enclosures in the area between Charleston and Dunbar, as identified by an 1882 to 1884 survey by the Bureau of Ethnology (later part of the Smithsonian Institution). Three of their mounds survive in the valley, including Criel Mound at present-day South Charleston, West Virginia. Evidence has been found of the Fort Ancient culture peoples, who had villages that survived to the time of European contact, such as Buffalo and Marmet. They were driven out by the Iroquois from present-day New York.

According to French missionary reports, by the late 16th century, several thousand Huron, originally of the Great Lakes region, lived in central West Virginia. They were partially exterminated and their remnant was driven out in the 17th century by the Iroquois’ invading from western present-day New York. Other accounts note that the tribe known as Conois, Conoy, Canawesee, or Kanawha were conquered or driven out by the large Seneca tribe, one of the Iroquois Confederacy, as the Seneca boasted to Virginia officials in 1744. The Iroquois and other tribes, such as the Shawnee and Delaware, maintained central West Virginia as a hunting ground. It was essentially unpopulated when the English and Europeans began to move into the area. This area is the lower area of today’s St. Albans, West Virginia. After the Treaty of Fort Stanwix, “The Kanawha’s had gone from upper tributaries of the river which bears their name, to join their kinsmen, the Iroquois in New York; the Shawnee had abandoned the Indian Oil Fields of the valley of the South Branch of the Potomac; Delaware was gone from the Monongahela; the Cherokee who claimed all the region between the Great Kanawha and Big Sandy had never occupied it.”, quoting Virgil A. Lewis (1887), corresponding member of the Virginia Historical Society. The river’s name changes to the Kanawha River at the Kanawha Falls. The Treaty of Big Tree between the Seneca Nation and the United States established ten reservations. This formal treaty was signed on September 15, 1797. Lewis was granted a large tract of land near the mouth of the Great Kanawha River in the late 18th century.

The Little Kanawha and the Great Kanawha rivers, the two largest in the state, were named for the American Indian tribe that lived in the area before European settlement in the 18th century. Under pressure from the Iroquois, most of the Conoy/Kanawha had migrated to present-day Virginia by 1634, where they had settled on the west side of Chesapeake Bay below the Potomac River. They were also known as colonists there as the Piscataway. They later migrated north to Pennsylvania, to submit and seek protection with the Susquehannock and Iroquois. The spelling of the Indian tribe varied at the time, from Conoys to Conois to Kanawha. The latter spelling was used and has gained acceptance over time.

Cranberry Creek Information

Source
     1.     Location: pond in Hazle Township, Columbia
             County, Pennsylvania.
     2      Elevation: between 1,740 and 1,760 feet
             (530 and 540 m).

Mouth
     1.     Location: Stony Creek in Hazle Township,
             Columbia County, Pennsylvania.
     2.     Elevation: 1,460 ft (450 m).
     3.     Length: 4.4 mi (7.1 km).

Discharge
     1.     Average: 1,502.67 US gallons per minute
             (0.094804 m3/s) near its mouth.
     2.     Progression: Stony Creek à Black Creek
             à Nescopeck Creek à Susquehanna River
             à Chesapeake Bay.

Tributaries
     1.     Left: Long Run.



Photo Credit: https://www.brodheadwatershed.org/oldsite/ParadiseCreek/page0009.htm
Researched and compiled by Carrie Birdsong

Cranberry Creek (also known as Grape Run­) is a tributary of Stony Creek in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. It is approximately 4.4 miles (7.1 km) long and flows through Hazle Township. The creek is affected by acid mine drainage. Thus, it also contains metals such as iron, manganese, and aluminum. It is in the drainage basin of the Jeddo Tunnel. Major roads in the creek’s watershed include Pennsylvania Route 924, Pennsylvania Route 309, and Interstate 81. At least one bridge has been built over it, and the creek has undergone restoration and there are plans to build an area known as the Cranberry Creek Gateway Park in its vicinity.

Cranberry Creek begins in a pond in Hazle Township. It flows north for a short stretch, passing through the Grape Run Reservoir, and exits the reservoir on the eastern side, and continues flowing to the north. For about a mile, it turns east-northeast for a longer stretch turning north and then northwest, passing between the communities of Cranberry and Hollars Hill. Then the creek turns west and crosses Pennsylvania Route 924, continuing north for a while before turning north and passing between two mountains, flowing parallel to Interstate 81. Further on its journey, it receives an unnamed tributary and reaches its confluence with Stony Creek.

The elevation near the mouth of Cranberry Creek is 1,460 feet (450 m) above sea level, and the elevation of the creek’s source is between 1,740 feet (530 m) and 1,760 feet (540 m) above sea level.

The Grape Run Reservoir is located on the upper reaches of Cranberry Creek, which also flows through the Hazelton Basin. This is where it loses its flow due to strip mining, despite remaining intact until then. The creek’s channel is intact throughout most of its length, but nearly any of its water leaves the Hazelton Basin.

Cranberry Creek was added to the Geographic Names Information System on August 2, 1979. The creek was rendered acidic by sulfur-containing mine drainage as early as the early 1900s. The pollution was coming from the Cranberry Mines and was also polluted by “strippings” from Hazelton. Thus, the creek was unsuitable as a water supply, and a sewer system also historically discharged into the creek.

Historically, coal mining, including strip mining, was done in the watershed of Cranberry Creek. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation has plans to restore the creek’s flow along its entire length. The Jeddo Highland Coal Company has an operation known as the Cranberry Colliery Bank in the vicinity of the creek. This operation has the purpose of reprocessing refuse. There is a 366-acre tract of land near the creek that was used for coal mining by the Hazelton Coal Company and the Lehigh Valley Coal Company until 1947. Pennsylvania Route 924 was constructed through this tract of land in 1965. The Community Area New Development Organization purchased the area in 2006 and plans to construct a recreational area called the Cranberry Creek Gateway Park.

During the restoration of Cranberry Creek, nearly 7,000 feet (2,100 m) of the creek was relocated and also reclaimed 135 acres of strip-mining land. In 1967, a concrete culvert bridge was constructed over Cranberry Creek, and is 37.1 feet (11.3 m) long and carries Pennsylvania Route 924.

(Photo credit: https://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/news/2021/03/02/pittsburgh-cultural-trust-2021-arts-festival-plans.html
Researched and compiled by Carrie Birdsong

Some facts about the Ohio River:
States:
     1.     Location:  Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia,
                              Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, 
                              Missouri (through the Mississippi
                              River).
     2.     Source:  Allegheny River.
     3.     Location: Allegany Township, Potter County,
                             PA.
     4.     Elevation: 2,240 ft. (680 m)
     5.     Second Source: Monongahela River
             A.     Location: Fairmont, West Virginia
             B.     Elevation: 880 ft. (270 m)
             C.     Source Confluence:
                      1.  Location: Pittsburgh, PA.
                      2.  Elevation: 730 ft. (220 m).
     Mouth: Mississippi River
     Location: Cairo, Illinois/Ballard County, KY
     Elevation: 290 ft. (88 m).
     Length: 981 mi. (1,579 km).
     Basin Size: 189,422 sq mi. (490,600 km2).
     
Discharge:

     Location: Cairo, IL (1951-1980)
     Average: 281,000 cu ft/s (8,000 m3/s)(1951-1980)
     Maximum: 1,850,000 cu ft/s (52,000 m3/s)
     Progression: Mississippi River à Gulf of Mexico

Tributaries:

      Left: Little Kanawha River, Kanawha River,
               Guyandotte River, Big Sandy River,
               Little Sandy River, Licking River,
               Kentucky River, Salt River, Green
               River, Cumberland River, Tennessee

               River.

     Right:  Beaver River, Little Muskingum
                River, Muskingum River, Hocking
                River, Shade River, Scioto River,
                Little Miami River, Great Miami
                River, Wabash River.

http://www.water.ohiorivertrail.org/index.php/en/history-of-the-ohio-river

The Ohio River is formed by the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers at Point State Park in Pittsburgh, PA. It ends 981 miles downstream in Cairo, IL, and flows into the Mississippi River. With the convergence of these three rivers, the Ohio is actually larger than the Mississippi. The Ohio River supplies drinking water and recreational uses for over five million people.

The Ohio River had a great significance in American history. It received its English name from the Iroquois word, Oyo, meaning The Great River. For centuries, Native Americans, like the European explorers who followed them, formed numerous civilizations along its valley and used the river as a major transportation and trading route. Many settlements were connected by its waters. In 1669, Robert de La Salle led an expedition to the Ohio River and his French party was among the first Europeans to see the river. La Salle named the river La Belle Riviere or The Beautiful River.

In 1753, a 21-year-old George Washington visited the Native American riverside village named Logstown along the Ohio River to warn the French away from the Ohio Valley and assert the claim of the British. The French and British couldn’t agree, and the dispute ended in violence, which led to the French & Indian War.

In 1801 when Thomas Jefferson became the third president of the United States, most of the country’s population lived within 50 miles of the Atlantic Ocean. In February of 1803, Congress appropriated funds for the U.S. Army expedition requested by President Jefferson, commonly known as the “Corps of Discovery.” Following the United States' purchase of the Louisiana Territory from France, Captain Merryweather Lewis traveled to Pittsburgh and began his journey west along the Ohio River. After the European-American settlement, the river again served as a primary transportation route for pioneers during the westward expansion of the early U.S.

Pittsburgh is renowned for its Three Rivers, and the Port of Pittsburgh moves more than 44 million tons of cargo annually along its three major waterways – the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio Rivers – making it the second largest inland port in the U.S. With more than 200 river terminals, the Port of Pittsburgh is the origin of destination for more tons of raw materials than any other port in the world. The Three Rivers were and still are the lifeblood of southwestern Pennsylvania, having played a major part in the development of our region and country as a whole.

Allegheny River History

Photo credit: https://pixels.com/featured/allegheny-river-frozen-over-pittsburgh-pennsylvania-amy-cicconi.html)
Researched and compiled by Carrie Birdsong

State: Pennsylvania, New York

Source Location: Allegany Township, Pennsylvania, near Coudersport, PA at the corner of Ben Green
                              and Cobb Hill Roads.
Elevation: 2,450 ft. (750 m)

Mouth:
     Location: Ohio River at Pittsburgh, PA
     Elevation: 712 ft. (217 m).
     Length: 325 mi (523 km).
     Basin Size: 11,580 sq mi. (30,000 km2).
     Discharge 
               Average:  19,750 cu ft/s (559 m3/s) at the
                                village of Natrona, PA (river
                                mile 24.3).
               Progression:  Allegheny River à Ohio
                                    River à Mississippi River à
                                    Gulf of Mexico.
     Tributaries:
               Left: Tionesta Creek, Clarion River, Redbank
                        Creek, Mahoning Creek, Crooked Creek
                        Kiskiminetas River, Buffalo Creek,
                        Chartiers Run.
               Right:  Conewango Creek, Brokenstraw
                          Creek, Oil Creek, French Creek,
                          Bull Creek, Deer Creek, Squaw
                          Run, Pine Creek, Girtys Run,
                          Puckett Creek.

The Allegheny River is a 325-mile-long (523 km) headwater stream of the Ohio River that is located in western Pennsylvania and New York. It runs from its headwaters just below the middle of Pennsylvania’s northern border northwesterly into New York, then in a zigzag southwesterly across and through Western Pennsylvania to join the Monongahela River at the Forks of the Ohio at Point State Park, in Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The Allegheny is, by volume, the main headstream of both the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. Historically, the Allegheny was considered to be the upper Ohio River by both Native Americans and European settlers.

A 24-mile-long portion of the upper river in Warren and McKean counties of Pennsylvania and Cattaraugus County in New York forms the Allegheny Reservoir which was created by the Kinzua Dam in 1965 for flood control.

The name of the river is derived from one of many Delaware/Unami phrases that are homophones of the English name, with varying translations.

Beaver River Facts

Photo Credit:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaver_Falls,_Pennsylvania

searched and written by Carrie Birdsong

1.     State: Pennsylvania.
2.     Counties: Lawrence, Beaver
3.     Cities: Beaver Falls, New Brighton, Rochester,
        Bridgewater
4.     Source: Confluence of Mahoning River and
        Shenango River
5.     Location: Mahoningtown, New Castle
6.     Elevation: 682 ft (208 m) 
7.     Length: 21 mi (34 km)
8.     Basin Size: 3,163.92 square miles (8,194.5 km2)

9.     Discharge: Average: 4,090.1 cu ft/s
        (115.82 m3/s) at the mouth of the Ohio River
10.   Progression: South
11.   River System: Ohio River

Tributaries:

Left:      McKee Run, Snake Run, Connoquenessing
              Creek, Thompson Run, Bennett Run,
              Blockhouse Run, McKinley Run.
Right:     Edwards Run. Jenkins Run, Eckles Run,
              Wampum Run, Stockman Run, Clarks Run,
              Wallace Run, Walnut Bottom Run, Brady
              Run, Hamilton Run

Beaver River is a tributary of the Ohio River in western Pennsylvania. Approximately 21 mi (34 km) long, it flows through a historically important coal-producing region north of Pittsburgh. The river is formed in Lawrence County by the confluence of the Mahoning and Shenango Rivers in the Mahoningtown neighborhood of New Castle. It flows generally to the south, past West Pittsburg and Homewood, then receives Connoquenessing Creek west of Ellwood City and flows past Beaver Falls and New Brighton. It joins the Ohio at Bridgewater and Rochester (flowing between those towns) at the downstream end of a sharp bend in the Ohio approximately 20 miles (32 km) northwest of (and downstream from) Pittsburgh. In the lower reaches near the Ohio River, the Beaver cuts through a gorge of underlying sandstone. The river is roughly parallel to the border with the state of Ohio, with both Interstate 376 and Pennsylvania Route 18 running parallel to the river itself.

New River: Where It Begins

Photo Credit   https://www.nps.gov/places/new-river-gorge-bridge.htm
Researched and compiled by Carrie Birdsong

1.     States: North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia.
2.     Counties:  Ashe NC, Alleghany NC, Watauga NC,
                         Grayson VA, Carroll VA, Wythe VA,
                         Pulaski VA, Montgomery VA, Giles,
                         VA, Mercer County, West Virginia,
                         Summers County,  WV, Raleigh County
                         WV, Fayette County WV.
3.     Source: South Fork New River.
4.     Location: Boone, NC.
5.     Elevation: 3,104 ft (946 m).
6.     2nd Source: North Fork New River.
        A.  Location: Elk Knob, Watauga County, NC.
        B.  Elevation: 4,446 ft (1,335 m).
7.     Source Confluence:
        A.  Location: Ashe County, NC.
        B.  Elevation: 2,546 ft (776 m).
8.     Mouth: Kanawha River
        A.  Location: Gauley Bridge, WV.
        B.  Elevation: 653 ft (199 m).
9.     Length: 320 mi (520 km).
10.   Discharge:
        A.  Location: Thurmond, WV, max and min at Glen
                               Lyn, VA.
        B.  Average: 8,730 cu ft/s (247 m3/s).
        C.  Minimum: 538 cu ft/s (15.2 m3/s).
        D.  Maximum: 226,000 cu ft/s (6,400 m3/s).
11.   Progression: New River – Kanawha River – Ohio
                             River – Mississippi River – Gulf of
                             Mexico.
12.   Tributaries:
        A.  Left: Bluestone River, East River.
        B.  Right:  Little River, Indian Creek, Greenbriar
                          River.
13.   Type: Scenic.
14.   Designated: April 13, 1976.

Rafting Terminology

https://raftinginfo.com/rafting-terminology/
Researched and compiled by Carrie Birdsong

· Eddy: An eddy is a part of the river that forms downstream of an obstruction. The water in the eddy is flowing in the opposite direction of the river and can be utilized to slow or stop the raft. In some cases, they can become powerful and may have a negative effect on rafts.

· Flow: The flow is the current volume of the river – which is measured in cubic feet per second. The United States Geologic Survey has created gauging stations where they record and publish flows from rivers around the country.

· Rapid: Rapids are formed in tight areas of the river where the surface of the river bed changes dramatically. They usually occur in short spurts and range in the difficulty of negotiation. They are often what people think of when they think of white-water rafting.

· River Left and River Right: These words are used to specify a side of the side of the river to distinguish points of interest. River right or left always refers to the side of the river headed downstream. In other words, when you go downstream, “river right” is on the right, and “river left” is on the left. This is then reversed when facing upstream.

· High Side!: This infrequently (but still important) term is used by guides to help keep the boat upright. It is generally used immediately before large waves and mandates the crew to lift the upstream side of the raft in time to allow the current to pass under the raft. It often prevents the raft from becoming stuck on a rock or also from flipping over.

· Biner: Shorthand for Carabiner – or the little clip that is used to secure things to a raft.

· D-Ring: Metal, D-shaped ring attached to a raft to help secure lines, rope, frames, and other essentials.

· Perimeter Line: The line that travels through all the D-rings along the perimeter of the raft. This serves as a secure line for anyone who falls out to pull themselves back in.

Whitewater rafting is a fun and exciting sport for people of all ages and walks of life. Knowing some of the terms before your first trip can help to prepare you, but it is still important to pay attention to the instructions that your guide is giving you.

Classifications of Rapids

Classification of Rapids Explained
https://mhoadventures.com/white-water-rapids-classification/#:~:text=This%20rating%20is%20based%20on,from%20easy%20to%20most%20difficult.

This rating is based on the width of the water channel, size, and strength of the waves, degree of obstructions present, ease of swimming, and self-rescue. These correlate to the level of skill and experience needed for navigation. The scale features Roman Numerals I-VI; from easy to most difficult. Additional symbols are also used, with a ( - ) meaning that the class is at the lower end of difficulty for that level while a ( + ) signifies the higher end of difficulty for that class.

Weather conditions, water temperatures and season, guide and client skill levels, remoteness and accessibility, number of and type of watercraft in the group (canoes, kayaks, whitewater rafts), water levels, and more are all contributory factors. Because of the variety of factors, the same rapid may be classified differently from week to week or month to month, based on the water level. Additionally, the classification process of rapids is very subjective.

Here is a picture of what the different classes of rapids can look like. Click this link for more information: https://paddling.com/learn/river-classifications



How the rapids are generally determined:

Class I Rapids:

A river with class I rapids is basically flat water, which is usually calm and only has small waves or rifles. There are hardly any rocks or significant obstacles. It is denoted easy because a beginner, who has mastered basic paddling strokes can canoe or kayak with little or no supervision.

Class II Rapids:

This next grade of rapids features small to medium waves, short bends, and a few obstructions that a novice can safely negotiate. A Class II rapid is close to the difficulty of III and is denoted II+. Generally, these rivers are straightforward and self-rescue is possible.

Class III Rapids:

Rapids classed III are considered intermediate-level difficulty. When this difficulty is at the lower end of the class, it is denoted III-, and when at the upper end, it is III+. The characteristics are medium but irregular waves with obstructions like small falls or drops, counter currents, or eddies. These can succeed in flipping a canoe if care is not taken. Fortunately, self-rescue is possible in grade III rivers, even though it may require some help.

Class IV Rapids:

Class IV rapids are advanced level and should only be navigated by those with the required skills. The waves are large, irregularly sized, and turbulent, but they are relatively predictable and are a delight for the experienced canoeist or whitewater rafter. Other features of grade IV rivers include eddies, holes, falls, and other obstacles that can be dangerous. Like the previous two classes, they can be further graded as IV- or IV+. However, self-rescues are difficult to perform in these rapids. It is therefore highly recommended to scout such rapids ahead of time and travel in a group, even for skilled paddlers.

Class V Rapids:

This class is denoted Expert Level. Class V rivers are characterized by a combination of the following: rapids that are turbulent or continuous and span a long distance, steep gradients with abrupt drops, large unpredictable waves, and the presence of holes. Due to the nature of these waters, it is often dangerous to swim in them. Apart from the fact that self-rescue is really difficult, rescuing another injured party is also challenging. Scouting the rapids is therefore very important as going in a group.

Class VI Rapids:

Only daredevils brave these rapids as they pose an extraordinary danger, and a minor paddling mistake can be fatal. The mighty waves are turbulent and erratic. In addition, the rivers have obstructions that require a lot of skill and preparation to negotiate. These rivers have hardly been negotiated and the rapids are considered nearly impossible.

Summersville Damn West Virginia

    Copyright and photography at https://theclio.com/entry/16129

Summersville Dam & The Town of Gad

Written and researched by Carrie Birdsong

Deep below the crystal-clear water of Summersville Lake once sat the small farming town of Gad.  However, in the early 1960s, the residents of the town were bought out to make way for the construction of a new dam and reservoir.  Flood control is the primary function of this dam in Nicholas County, West Virginia, with the added luxury of providing a fantastic recreational site in the form of a lake.  The reservoir has become a tourist destination and is among the most popular of West Virginia’s mountain lakes.  Additionally, the dam was retrofitted to produce hydroelectric energy.

Backstory and Context:

Constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the dam controls 803 square miles of water.  It is of earthen construction, built as a rock-filled dam, and the second largest of its type in the Eastern United States.  The height of the dam is 390 feet tall and 2,280 feet long.  The cost of building the dam was 48 million dollars.  By 1974 it had paid for itself by saving millions in potential damages that would have been caused by flooding along the Gauley River up to the Kanawha Valley.

Summersville Lake covers over 2,700 acres and provides 60 miles of shoreline.  Water released from the DM is controlled and released at a minimum of 100 cubic feet per second and a maximum of 18,000 cubic feet per second.  In September of each year, water releases turn Gauley River into a challenging, world-class whitewater rafting destination.

Construction of the new dam was authorized under the Flood Control Act of 1938, a crucial piece of legislation that allowed the development of most of West Virginia’s dams.  The actual work on the new project began in February of 1960 with a tunnel that diverted the flow of the Gauley River for the duration of the project.  The work on the actual dam and its spillway did not start until May of 1961 when crews began to work to move the 12 million cubic yards of rock and earth that compose the dam.  A hydroelectricity generating scheme was started in 2001 to harness the tremendous power from the water for the dam releases.  A pipe that is 28 feet in diameter has water gushing through it and generating large amounts of energy each year.  Humming generators have replaced the thunderous noise that accompanied the gushing water.

Upon its completion in 1966, a dedication ceremony was planned for the new dam, which at the time was the largest of its kind east of the Mississippi.  Although the dam was a modern marvel at the time, it possesses a more significant meaning than just flood control.  It represents an achievement of Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society.  The promised revenue from tourism provides an economic boost for nearby Summersville and Nicholas County.  U.S. Senator Jennings Randolph and U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd had both pushed for the construction of the project in Congress.  At the dedication ceremony attended by the president and the entire West Virginia congressional delegation, LBJ made the following remarks:

     “Here today God has blessed you, and you are blessed, with one of the few successes.  As we look out at this magnificent new dam and reservoir to our backs, I have renewed hope that still other resources—the power of science and the determination of man—will, along with a little prayer and a good deal of dynamite, empower us to quench the thirst of generations to come.” [4]

The town of Gad once stood along the Gauley River but is now beneath the depths of Summersville Lake. In the early 1960s, the small farming village had to be flooded and submerged to complete the construction.  Traditionally, the Corps of Engineers named a dam after the nearest town or city.  The name “Gad Dam” was considered briefly.  However, given the potential controversy of that name, it was widely decided against in favor of the nearby town of Summersville.  People still have strong memories of the small town of Gad that they once called home.  (Information contributed by Jessica Rinehart)

Presently, Summersville Lake is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the entire state of West Virginia supporting a wide range of recreational activities like camping, fishing, boating, swimming, hiking, and even scuba diving.  Also, the lake is within a short drive from other tourist attractions such as the New River Gorge National River Carnifex Ferry State Park and the Civil War battlefield.

1.     WV State University et. al. "Summersville Dam & The
        Town of Gad."
2.      Clio: Your Guide to History. May 13, 2018.
3.      Accessed September 2, 2022.   https://theclio.com/entry/16129

Sources:

1.     "Summersville Lake." Summersville Lake Retreat.
        Web. 22 June 2015.
2.     "SUMMERSVILLE_HISTORY." Summersville
        Convention & Visitors Bureau. Web. 22 June
        2015.
3.     "Summersville Dam." Gorges-to-Visit. Web.
        22 June 2015.
4.     Brumage, Jody. The Summersville Dam and
        Reservoir. Robert C. 1Byrd Center
        for Congressional History and Education.
        November 29, 2016. Accessed April 13, 2018. 
        https://www.byrdcenter.org/byrd-center
        -blog/the-summersville-dam-and-reservoir
5.     Johnson, Skip "Summersville Lake." e-WV: The
        West Virginia Encyclopedia. 05 November
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6.     Summersville Lake. US Army Corps of Engineers
        Huntington District. . Accessed April 12, 2018.
        http://www.lrh.usace.army mil/Missions/Civil-
        Works Recreation/West-
7.     Lyndon B. Johnson: "Remarks at the Dedication
        of the Summersville Dam, Summersville, West
        Virginia, "September 3, 1966. Accessed April 11,
        2018. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T.
        Woolley, The American Presidency Project. 
        http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=27823.