Whether the trash is creekside, roadside or trail side, we care about keeping our Watershed neat and tidy.  Whether it goes straight into the creek or finds it's way there through a storm drain, we encourage everyone to do their part in keeping our streams free of littered, wind blown or open dumped debris.

Wetlands are areas where water covers the soil, or is present near the surface of the soil for varying periods of time during the year. Water saturation (hydrology) largely determines how the soil develops and the types of plant and animal communities living in and on the soil. 

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WWHS Wetland Restoration

This wetland restoration project (shown above) was initiated in response to high counts of fecal bacteria originating from the aging pond on the campus of Woodrow Wilson High School.  The pond had attracted a persistently large Canada goose population that at times exceed 150 individuals. Feces from the geese contaminated the campus grounds and were carried into the building on shoes, creating health concerns as well as nuisances on the sports fields, sidewalks, and parking lots. Fecal bacteria were also carried into nearby Cranberry Creek during rains and eventually contaminated Piney Creek and the New River within the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. PCWA partnered with the Raleigh County Board of Education to acquire grant funding from the West Virginia DEP to drain the pond and construct the wetland. The rework of the area has decreased the presence of the geese (and their poop) greatly and improved water quality on the site.

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Shady Spring Wetland Restoration

We renovated a small wetland behind the Shady Spring Library. We dredged and reseeded the site and improved storm water flow through the two adjacent wetland pools. We are creating a small observation trail with interpretive signage to entice visitors to learn about the important role that wetlands play in our environment. We have also added a handicap accessible walkway with a 'See, Smell and Touch Garden' for enjoyment through the summer months.

Storm water is rainwater or melted snow that runs off streets, lawns and other sites. When storm water is absorbed into soil, it is filtered and ultimately replenishes aquifers or flows into streams and rivers.  If storm water is not managed properly, it can result in flooding, erosion, and risks to lives and property.

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Convention Center Rain Garden

Storm water from the parking lot of the Beckley Raleigh County Convention Center was contributing to flooding of the adjacent Little League Fields. We managed the installation of a rain garden (shown above) to mitigate the storm water runoff from the front parking lots of the facility. Work is continuing to address the runoff from the back parking lots. 

Our partners at Trout Unlimited invited us along to help stock Piney Creek with 5000 brown and brook trout fingerlings.  With the help of DNR and CSX, we loaded fingerlings onto a service truck and cruised along the tracks of the Piney Creek Gorge, searching, and finding, the perfect spots for our fingerlings to flourish and grow.

We do everything we can to get ahead of erosion by encouraging land use according to its capability.  When we manage a project, we make sure to protect the soil surface with some form of cover and then control runoff before it develops into an erosive force.

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New River Drive Erosion Control

This project is located on a former coal mining site. The land's previous use had made it difficult for vegetation to take root and reclaim the area, leading to a barren piece of land with high sediment runoff into the stream.  Our goal is to bring nutrients back into the soil to revegetate and stabilize the sediment. ​

We are always watching out for the Piney Creek Watershed. Our latest efforts have been along Little Whitestick, We continue to find opportunities for improvement as it heads towards the Sewage treatment plant. 

Cranberry Creek (shown here) is also an attention hotspot with much of its runoff coming from the parking lots along Eisenhower Drive. All the runoff finds its way here to this picturesque beauty, where we are in the early stages of preservation.