New River Symposium

Permanent URI for this collection

https://hdl.handle.net/10919/86759

The New River Symposium is a multidisciplinary conference held biennially in the New River watershed (parts of North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia) organized by the New River Conservancy. Photo: Shumate Falls, Va., near the West Virginia state line.

Browse

Now showing 1 - 20 of 44

New River Symposium 2011 Program
(New River Symposium, 2011-05-19)
A program overview for the New River Symposium held May 19-20, 2011, at Concord University in Athens, West Virginia.
The Old Appalachian Trail in the New River Valley, 1931-1955
McNeely, Jim (New River Symposium, 2017-05-16)
This presentation is an overview and summary of the results of my studies and field investigation of the former routes of the Appalachian Trail in southern Virginia. For the purposes of this presentation to the 2017 New River Symposium, my primary focus will be on Old AT routes in the New River Valley of southwestern Virginia during the period 1931 through 1955.
Service Learning on the River: Educating for Sustainability in the NRV
Pearce, Annie R. (New River Symposium, 2017-05-16)
The New River is influenced by a variety of pressures ranging from economic development and attendant environmental impacts, to changing community expectations and choices, to infrastructure investments by local government. Coordinating local action to improve sustainability of the river is complex, with many stakeholders, conflicting priorities, and systems-level impacts that are poorly understood. Local universities can contribute to this challenge through community-based service learning (CBSL). CBSL involves exposing students to structured, real-life problem solving opportunities working with community stakeholders to develop and apply solutions in the real world. This presentation describes a series of CBSL experiences employed in graduate and undergraduate sustainable building and infrastructure courses at Virginia Tech over a three-year period. Experiences included facility assessment and designing and building a new feline housing area at the Radford Animal Shelter along the river, followed by a comprehensive Sustainable Riverfront Development Plan for the City of Radford including the entire riverfront. Current efforts involve designing and building new environmentally friendly access points for recreational access to the river in Bisset Park. Partners include the City of Radford, Radford University, local businesses, and others. The presentation includes outcomes, impacts, and lessons learned for others interested in this approach.
Marker-assisted restoration of native New River walleye
Harris, Sheila; Copeland, John R.; Palmer, George Caleb; Hallerman, Eric M. (New River Symposium, 2017-05-16)
Walleye (Sander vitreus) is an important game fish in the Upper New River, with March and April walleye fishing effort from Buck Dam to Claytor Lake increasing from 49 to 66% of total fishing effort between 2007 and 2016. Population genetics research has shown the persistence of the presumptive native stock in the New River. Although the river had been stocked from sources in the Great Lakes region, unique genetic markers (microsatellite alleles at the Svi17 and Svi33 loci and mitochondrial restriction fragment haplotype 43) were observed, indicating that the native stock had persisted. Native walleye is of conservation interest due to their adaptation to a southern river system and their large ultimate size. Genetic marker-assisted selection of presumptive native walleye has been carried out since 2000, and has led to an increase in native allele frequencies from 16% and 14% in the 1997 and 1999 genetic surveys to 46% and 58% in the 2004 and 2006 surveys. Walleye abundance and angler catch increased over this time period in relation to annual stocking success. Ongoing work is aimed at deepening our understanding of population genetics and natural history of walleye in the southeast.
New River Symposium 2017 Program
(New River Symposium, 2017-05-16)
A program overview for the New River Symposium held May 16, 2017, at the Selu Conservancy in Radford, Virginia.
Eastern Hellbender
Blatny, Doug (New River Symposium, 2017-05-16)
Program will include a presentation about the natural history of the Eastern Hellbender. Following will be a discussion about the baseline study results concerning the Eastern Hellbender's population in the South Fork New River in North Carolina. The study has involved NC Wildlife Commission Biologist, NC State Park Biologists and New River State Park staff along with many citizen volunteers. The Eastern Hellbender is one of the largest salamanders in North America. The Hellbender, also called the Snototter, grows on average to 18-26 inches and may live for 30 years. The Snototter, as with other amphibians, is an indicator species of the health of the New River and of the local environment. Ranger Doug Blatny is the Lead Natural Resource Ranger for New River State Park. He has worked for New River for 19 years and has been with the Division of NC State Parks for 22 years.
Community and Sustainability Along the New River
Hansell, Tom; Redding, Mary Anne; Wagner, Kelsey (New River Symposium, 2017-05-16)
In 2016, students at Appalachian State University partnered with the New River Conservancy (NRC) on a series of projects designed to celebrate the NRC’s 40th anniversary and to highlight current issues in the upper New River Watershed. The projects were executed by Tom Hansell’s Fall 2016 graduate seminar, Sustainability and the Arts in Appalachia. Students collaborated with NRC staff on four related projects: a walking tour of water quality enhancement projects in downtown Boone, a series of educational presentations at the Elk Knob and New River State Parks, and an interactive history for NRC’s website. These projects culminated in an art exhibit at the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts titled: Collective Vigilance: Speaking for the New River. Curator Mary Anne Redding says the exhibit was designed “so that visitors will get involved with our community partners and go back out into the community and onto the river with more information and a deeper commitment to preserving this important natural and cultural resource.” During this presentation, Tom Hansell, Mary Anne Redding, and Kelsey Wagner will discuss how their collaboration with the NRC helped connect the expertise and energy of a college campus to support communities in the upper New River watershed.
The National Park Service in Southern West Virginia
Allison, Amanda (New River Symposium, 2017-05-16)
The National Park Service manages three units in southern West Virginia, New River Gorge National River, Gauley River National Recreation Area, and Bluestone National Scenic River. All three units were designated for their outstanding natural and cultural resources in addition to their exceptional recreational opportunities. As the National Park Service moves into its second century of service, park managers must find new ways to create a culture of civic engagement, stewardship, and advocacy within our communities. Friends of New River Gorge NR provides public support to all three national parks in southern WV with fundraising campaigns, volunteer projects, and advocacy for park programs.
The Stroubles Creek Watershed: History of Development and Chronicles of Research
Younos, Tamim (New River Symposium, 2017-05-16)
Dr. Younos launched the Stroubles Creek Watershed Initiative in 1999. The major goal of the Initiative was to provide research, educational, and service-learning opportunities to Virginia Tech students. A secondary goal was to compile historic information on watershed development and water quality of the creek. This presentation will provide a summary of those activities with a focus on the history of the watershed. Dr. Tamim Younos is Founder & President of the Green Water-Infrastructure Academy and former Research Professor of Water Resources at Virginia Tech.
ReNew the New: An Approach for Regional River Clean-ups on the New River
Gottfredson, Michael (New River Symposium, 2017-05-16)
In August 2016, the New River Valley successfully held its first regional river clean-up event in Radford, called “Fall into the New.” Four hundred volunteers and representatives from Floyd, Giles, Montgomery, and Pulaski Counties, and the City of Radford gathered together to remove four tons of trash and hundreds of tires over 10 miles of the New River. Why was this regional clean-up event successful? Much of the success comes from the river clean-up approach used by the ReNew the New Committee over the past 15 years. This panel will review why ReNew the New approach was used, lessons learned from the Fall into the New event, and how regional collaboration creates real impact in the community.
Watauga High School Rain Garden—A Community Partnership
England, Laura (New River Symposium, 2017-05-16)
Ongoing urban development in the Town of Boone has meant increasing coverage of pavement and other impervious surfaces. Local tributaries of the South Fork New River, like Hardin Creek, show symptoms of “urban stream syndrome,” such as flashy flows when it rains, accelerated channel erosion, water quality concerns, and poor quality habitat that supports only a small number of tolerant aquatic organisms. A group of community partners—including university, public agency, and non-profit representatives—are working together on watershed improvement efforts. We recently completed installation of a bioretention basin on the Watauga High School (WHS) campus, which drains to Hardin Creek. The WHS Rain Garden drains about 3800 sqft of parking lot. Though this is a small portion of runoff that flows to Hardin Creek, this rain garden has great educational value as a demonstration project. Located in front of the school by the athletic fields, the rain garden is visible to WHS students and their families as well as visitors to the campus. We hope it will inspire lots of people to think differently about how we manage runoff, so that we can protect the values of our waterways that we all care about.
Natural history, threats, and current research related to Candy Darter (Etheostoma osburni) in Virginia
McBaine, Kathryn E.; Angermeier, Paul L. (New River Symposium, 2017-05-16)
The candy darter (Etheostoma osburni) is a small riffle-dwelling, non-game fish species endemic to the New River drainage in Virginia and West Virginia. It is narrowly restricted to medium-size streams with cold-cool temperatures, high-velocity riffles, and silt-free substrates. It primarily eats aquatic insects. Candy darter’s distribution has been sharply reduced over the last century, now occurring in only four streams in Virginia. Stony Creek, in Giles County, is thought to support the largest and most stable population in Virginia. It is listed as a species of Special Concern in Virginia and is being reviewed for federal listing under the Endangered Species Act. Main threats include fine sediment, warming waters, and introduction of non-native species. Potential management actions to facilitate conservation include improving riparian buffer and excluding cattle from streams. Key knowledge gaps germane to conservation include spatiotemporal distributions, population dynamics, and genetic differentiation of populations. Our research is addressing the following questions: 1) How does detectability of candy darter vary across habitat configurations and seasons? 2) How does the juxtaposition of suitable habitat patches influence movement of candy darter? Answers to these questions could inform management regarding protection and/or enhancement of critical habitats and of connectivity among populations.
Program Overview, New River Symposium 2019
(New River Symposium, 2019-04-11)
A program overview for the New River Symposium held April 11-12, 2019, at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina.
Fish, Fishing, and Ecosystem Services and Dysfunctions in the New River
Orth, Donald J. (New River Symposium, 2019-04-12)
This paper reviews the selected ecosystem services provided by New River to riverside communities. I also highlight threats to sustaining these services and dysfunctions and possibilities for restoration. A framework of ecosystem services is useful for examining threats to future sustainability. These services include four broad categories: provisioning, such as the production of food and water; regulating, such as the control of climate and disease; supporting, such as nutrient cycles and oxygen production; and cultural, such as spiritual and recreational benefits. Present day threats to New River ecosystem services include dams, legacy pollutants, non-native plants and animals, and agricultural runoff. Social justice issues are too often ignored in present management paradigms and we forget to ask, “What do we care about?” If we care about human well-being, it is important that we foster more effective collaborations with the people whose well-being is to be assessed.
Effects of Land Cover and Riparian Buffers on Coldwater Fish Assemblages in Upper South Fork New River Headwater Streams
Sanders, C. L.; Kinlaw, T.; Colby, J.; Martin, D.; Goughnour, E.; Kuntz, N.; Spagnolo, W.; Buckner, G.; Tuberty, S. (New River Symposium, 2019-04-12)
Riparian vegetation is an essential component of a stream ecosystem. Riparian buffers reduce runoff contamination, improve bank stability, and produce shading that regulates the water temperature for many organisms that can only thrive within specific temperature thresholds. Climate change combined with expanding urbanization and changes to land use pose a serious threat to many coldwater species as temperature increases during the summer months. Western North Carolina has many sensitive coldwater fish species to include brook (Salvelinus fontinalis), brown (Salmo trutta), and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Maintaining the biodiversity of the coldwater fish species of the Southern Appalachian Mountains is not only vital to the stability of the ecosystem but also to the state of North Carolina. Fishing provides substantial revenue and job opportunities from trip expenses, fishing equipment, licensing, and guides My study focuses on effects of temperature and conductivity to the coldwater fish assemblages in seven headwater streams that comprise the Upper South Fork New River watershed. These streams vary widely in ability to support sensitive and endemic fish species ranging from extirpation to successful localized reproduction. The goals of this project are: 1) to determine ecological conditions and environmental variables critical to healthy rural and urbanized streams, and 2) to identify best management practices, remediation techniques, and sustainable technologies that can aid in maintaining or returning healthy fish habitat, Assemblages in each headwater stream will be obtained by electrofishing and regressed vs percent impervious or forested cover, riparian zone width, bank erosion hazard index (BEHI), temperature, discharge, and specific conductivity. Fish size and weight will be recorded to determine size-class composition metrics. Water chemistry data is recorded with Eureka water quality sensors that record temperature, specific conductivity, dissolved oxygen, and depth every 15 minutes.
The New River Grant Trail: From 5ML to 5 Liters
Blankenship, Joan (New River Symposium, 2019-04-12)
This presentation is designed to show the connection between native habitat restoration and the funding that is necessary to make the projects happen. The BASS Nation of Virginia with a partnership between Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries all supported the application to get a small grant to pay for the first step in the program. Thanks to some quick team building we were able to save the project and move to the next step. We needed to continue but we needed more money. We added two more grants to the project and moved from Henry County to Pulaski County High School and closer to Claytor Lake. We continued to add to our information data base. We were able to find another grant to continue. This allowed us to move the project to Virginia Tech where our hard work finally started to gain some added traction. Enter Dr. Sara Sweeten who took a real interest in the native plants and made suggestions to really grow the project. With our current grant we were able to fund further expansion of the program.
Mucking Around with Aquatic Plants in Claytor Lake: What Have We Learned?
Copeland, John R.; Blankenship, Joan; Walters, Laura (New River Symposium, 2019-04-12)
Aquatic vegetation is an important habitat component in southern reservoirs, but native vegetation in these important fisheries is often displaced by unwanted non-native species, creating less desirable habitat conditions. Claytor Lake, a 1,764 ha mainstem reservoir of the New River in Pulaski County, Virginia, contained a number of native aquatic plants historically, but was colonized by hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata) in the early 2000’s. Hydrilla control during the early 2010’s using triploid grass carp (Ptenopharyngodon idella) resulted in hydrilla suppression and the loss of remaining native aquatic vegetation beds in Claytor Lake. While the management plan guiding hydrilla control discussed native vegetation restoration as an outcome, additional partnerships were created and grant funding was awarded to make the dream a reality. After 5 years of native vegetation restoration work on this reservoir, we share our story as an example of what can be accomplished when diverse constituencies converge in natural resource management. Potential impacts of the Claytor Lake triploid grass carp stocking on native aquatic plants in the Upper New River will be discussed, as well as spin-off effects on the aquatic integrity of the New River, as well as the potential for native plant reintroduction in the Upper New River.
Unlocking New Insights into Riverscapes with Drone-based Laser Scanners
Hession, W. Cully (New River Symposium, 2019-04-12)
Measurement of physical characteristics across space and time is essential for research and management of aquatic ecosystems. Physical parameters help us quantify and understand channel morphology, aquatic and riparian habitat, biological communities, ecosystem processes, and chemical fluxes, particularly as they relate to potential impacts of environmental change. Accurate measures of physical parameters are key for understanding the links between environmental conditions, aquatic biological diversity, and ecosystem function. This knowledge is particularly important in stream and river systems because biotic indices are used as measures for water quality and to assess the effects of pollution and land-use change. The overall goal of our ongoing research is to develop a methodological framework for collecting and analyzing cm- scale, drone-based laser scanner (DLS) or lidar data, processing that data into spatially continuous maps of topography and vegetation that can be integrated with hydrodynamic models, water quality, and biological data to advance our understanding of riverscapes. These efforts will reveal new insights into riverine ecosystem functioning. Our methods and results will be embedded into the Fusality framework, an online informatics service that uses a unified 3D spatio-temporal information model to ingest, represent, fuse, and portray a range of data.
Middle Fork New River Restoration Prioritization Plan
Jennings, Greg; Patoprsty, Wendy; Blount, Chelsea; Hartsell, Jonathan (New River Symposium, 2019-04-12)
The Middle Fork Greenway is an emerging multi-use greenway connecting the towns of Blowing Rock and Boone along the Middle Fork New River in Watauga County, NC. We developed a comprehensive River Restoration Prioritization Plan in 2018 to guide restoration activities and contribute to the health of the corridor as the trail is developed. This restoration plan describes existing conditions for six river reaches extending from Blowing Rock to Boone. Assessments of stream morphology, erosion potential, and riparian vegetation were used to classify river segments based on level of concern. For each segment, specific river restoration opportunities were identified to improve water quality, aquatic habitat, floodplain function, streamside vegetation, and environmental educational opportunities for greenway users. River segments classified as Extreme are the highest priority for restoration due to severe problems with bank erosion, in-stream habitat, floodplain functions, and riparian vegetation. Recommended restoration plans for these river segments include channel realignment and floodplain connection, streambank grading, in-stream log and rock structures for protecting banks and enhancing habitat, and native riparian vegetation planting. This presentation describes results of the plan and next steps for priority restoration projects including funding acquisition, engineering, permitting, construction work, and vegetation management to achieve ecological objectives.
Back to the Future: The TIA Alliance as a Student Recruitment Tool
Copeland, John R.; Smith, A. Kirk; Murphy, Brian R. (New River Symposium, 2019-04-12)
Future natural resource management success depends on a workforce of well-trained, motivated, and relevant conservation professionals. Today’s high school students need to ‘rub elbows’ with inspirational natural resource managers doing field work culminating in meaningful experiences. Over the last six years, a James Madison High School club in Vienna, VA piloted a successful program. Urban students traveled to the Blue Ridge Mountains, conducted basic headwater drainage basin assessments and identified release sites for brook trout raised in Northern Virginia Classrooms. They were rewarded with fishing trips sponsored by a local Trout Unlimited (TU) chapter, potentially recruiting them as nontraditional anglers. In November 2018, TU joined the Izaak Walton League of America (IWLA) and the American Fisheries Society (AFS), creating the TIA Alliance, pledging to work together to expand the Madison club approach, potentially creating a nationwide program. One local area where this work may happen is the New River Valley, Virginia area, where the primary author is the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries fisheries biologist, an IWLA member and an active AFS member. Meaningful outdoor experiences will be enhanced by leaders providing quality mentorship to propel us ‘Back to the Future’ by creating new natural resource managers.

Browse

Browsing New River Symposium by Issue Date

Results Per Page

Sort Options