Friends of Deckers Creek
Contact Information
|
OSM/VISTA:
Brian Carlson |
Background and Environmental Issues
This year our OSM/ VISTA is assessing sediment issues in the Deckers Creek watershed, specifically in Aaron’s Creek and in the Valley District of Preston County. Aaron’s Creek is a tributary to Deckers Creek which significantly impacts the quality of Deckers before it heads into the heart of Morgantown, WV and feeds the Monongahela River. Sediment is beginning to dominate the substrate, cloud the water, and narrow the stream of Aaron’s, preventing adequate habitat to support thriving plant, benthic, and fish communities. Development of every kind has shaped the landscape in and around Aaron’s Creek, compounding the potential erosion problems and increasing the amount of sediment which finds its way into the stream. Minor stream bank stabilization efforts have been undertaken, such as silt fencing, but these are not enough to solve the sedimentation issue which is degrading the most ecologically diverse stream in our watershed.
Currently, we are evaluating habitat based on the Rapid Bioassessment Protocol used by many biologists, including the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP), to evaluate the quality of habitat for potential living organisms within the waterway. This habitat evaluation system is commonly used to judge the impact sediment is having on a stream or river.
Once the data is obtained we will distribute it for review under West Virginia’s Total Maximum Daily Load Program as part of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, also known as the Clean Water Act, and work with WVDEP to submit the assessment to the Federal Environmental Protection Agency. Out of this collaboration a solution and plan should come about to address the sedimentation issue.
Major Donors
The Allstate Foundation - Larry Verbosky Agent
Don and Susan Sauter
Vicky Shears and Dan Doyle
Clean Creek Program Sponsors
Appalachian Coal Country Watershed Team
Atkinson Family
Heather Christiansen, LLC - Birth to Three Provider
Eric Henrickson
Luckini Construction, LLC
Norcross Wildlife Foundation, Inc.
Tatham's Garden Center and Landscaping
2009 Deckers Creek Adventure Day Sponsors
AllStar Express
Donald Altemus
Donald Altemus
Dave and Marilee Hall
East-West Screen Printing & Embroidery
John Fichtner Chainsaw Art
Law Office of William Pennington
Morgantown Road Runners
Outlaw Motorsports
Partners in Women's Healthcare
Shrout Excavating
WVU College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences
Other Business / Organization members
8Z Timber Products, LLC.
Alex Cruz & Friends
Chestnut Ridge Park & Campground
Clear Mountain Bank - Sabraton
Complex Creations
Removed for DCAD sponsorship
Eldon's Auto Service
Greater Morgantown Area Youth Commission
Izaak Walton Leauge of America
Laurel Mountain Coffeehouse Concert Series
Looking Down The Cross
Masontown Block
Monongahela Conservation District
Monongalia County Solid Waste Authority
Mountaineer Zone
The Purple Fiddle - Fiddler's Roost
South Park Association of Neighbors
Southern States - Sabraton
Trent Wagler and the Steel Wheels
Upper Monongahela River Association
West Virginia Raptor Rehabilitation Center
WV Center for Dispute Resolution
Granting Agencies & Foundations
NiSource Environmental Challenge Fund
Norcross Wildlife Foundation, Inc.
Oakland Foundation
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
W.V. Comm. for National and Community Service
W.V. Department of Environmental Protection
FODC Education Partners and Resources
Morgantown High School Health, Science, and Technology Academy
Preston High School Health, Science, and Technology Academy
The Mountaineer ChalleNGe Academy at Camp Dawson
Mountaineer Boys and Girls Club
Eastern Coal Regional Roundtable
The Mountain Institute
