Newsletter Winter 2013 - Friends of the Rappahannock
Transcription
Newsletter Winter 2013 - Friends of the Rappahannock
DIRECTOR’S NOTE COMMUNITY SCIENCE & RIVER TIDAL NEWS EDUCATION PAGE 10-11 PAGE 13-14 GET INVOLVED Do you know your stormwater hydrograph? PAGE 2 PAGE 3-5 PAGE 6-9 PAGE 15 River Views Friends of the Rappahannock Newsletter V O L U M E 20 ISSUE 4 Winter 13/14 Hydraulic fracturing 101: an overview of the facts Central Virginia’s Taylorsville Basin targeted for natural gas production By Aimee Delach, FOR Volunteer epending on who you talk to, hydraulic fracturing (aka “fracking”) may be presented as an economic boom, the path to energy independence, or a fast track to a polluted watershed. As interest mounts in Virginia’s own natural gas reserves, it is important that all residents have a clear understanding of the issue. D Put simply, hydraulic fracturing is the process of injecting water into the ground to extract natural gas that is trapped within small pores of deeply buried rock. The water pressure (“hydraulic”) cracks open the rock (“fracturing”), and small bits of sand injected along with the water hold the pores open, allowing natural gas to rise back out of the well. Areas where fracking can yield natural gas are not distributed evenly across the landscape. Like oil and coal, natural gas is a “fossil fuel,” a term that highlights the great age of these energy sources. They are the remains of ancient plant material that sank into swamps or shallow seas, were buried in sediments, and instead of decomposing normally, were transformed by time, pressure, and lack of oxygen into their current forms. In some places, gas and oil collect into fields that can be drilled conventionally. A large quantity, however, is bound tightly into the rocks where Continued on page 7 CONCERNED CITIZENS. Brenda and Bob Pemberton speak with former delegate to the Virginia General Assembly and Lancaster County resident Albert Pollard, center, before a December fracking workshop in Montross, Va. Bob is a supervisor-elect for Richmond County. Director’s Notes RIVER VIEWS Friends of the Rappahannock Newsletter Editors: Woodie Walker Rachael Poor Bryan Hofmann River Views is published quarterly by Friends of the Rappahannock Fredericksburg Office: 3219 Fall Hill Avenue Fredericksburg VA, 22401 Tappahannock Office: 531 N Church Ln, Offfice B Tappahannock, VA 22560 www.riverfriends.org (540) 373-3448 Printed by Stafford Printing 2707 Jefferson Davis Highway Stafford, VA 22554 Staffordprinting.com (540) 659-4544 A Message from John Tippett Aimee Delach’s article on hydrofracking paints a clear picture of the issues we face as the industry moves into the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula portions of the Rappahannock watershed. The map below shows the leases as of 9/19/2013. Some 84,000 acres of land has been leased for hydrofracking, and that number is expected to rise to 100,000 acres. From the perspective of the River and water quality, there are many unknowns in the fracking equation. First, the chemical content of the “fracking fluid” that is injected in the wells is protected under the so-called “Halliburton Loophole,” which is stunning to say the least. If we are going to be able to assess the risks to groundwater and public health, clearly we need to know what is being pumped into the ground. Most of this fluid is recovered and trucked away. But it carries not only the fracking chemicals, but also the high levels of dissolved salts and low level radioactivity from underground deposits. In fact, this waste water is so contaminated that it cannot be treated at regular wastewater treatment plants. Where will it go? RED: Acres leased for fracking as of 9/19/13 Another significant question is related to the massive quantities of water required to “frack” a well, ranging from 200,000 to 2 million gallons each time that well is fracked. Multiply that times the number of wells that may exist over 100,000 acres, and the water demand (and tanker traffic) boggles the mind. Where will this water come from? Our river? If so, how will that affect the salinity regime in the unique tidal freshwater ecosystem that borders much of the proposed area. Or will it come from groundwater, a limited resource that is already being measurably depleted. Once these confined aquifers are tapped out, they are gone for good. Finally, as Sen. Richard Stuart noted in the Free Lance-Star, there is the question of contamination of the drinking water aquifers that the well must pass through in order to reach the shale. A leak in the casement for a well could spell disaster for an aquifer. What is the possibility of this happening? What is the cost-benefit analysis? Our role is educating the citizens of the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula to ensure that if the drilling industry does apply for a permit, they will be fully equipped to watchdog both the industry and the state regulators to make sure they comply with the highest levels of environmental protection (See “Fracking Workshops, pg 9”). We are also planning to start baseline monitoring which will allow us to identify any impacts attributable to the fracking process. John P. Tippett Executive Director 2 Community UMW students serve their community at FOR headquarters COAR team is part of school effort By Meredith Stone, FOR Volunteer Friends of the Rappahannock supports a number of volunteer opportunities for people of all ages, including college students. The University of Mary Washington is the perfect location to gather such enthusiastic volunteers. Community Outreach and Resources, also known as COAR, is at the forefront of UMW’s volunteer efforts. Especially relevant to FOR is HELPING HANDS. Taylor McConnell, left and Meredith Stone personalize the Environmental Awareness outreach letters during FOR’s fall membership renewal drive. They are and Action section of COAR. members of Community Outreach and Resources (COAR), a volunteer program at UMW. Each week COAR members help FOR with a wide range With five to seven volunteers, of duties. the COAR students help FOR on Wednesday afternoons with activities such as building rain barrels, evaluating sites for river cleanups, and stuffing envelopes. Sophomore Taylor McConnell said, “I really enjoy volunteering at FOR because they have such a diversity of tasks for us to do, all with keeping the Bay in mind.” The care of the Chesapeake Bay and the Rappahannock River is something very close to the students of UMW, many of whom call the Bay their home. The COAR volunteers look forward to having fun while doing their part in the Fredericksburg community for semesters and years to come. Meredith Stone is a geography major with an environmental sustainability minor. She is the Council Leader of Environmental Awareness and Action for COAR. Advocacy Restoration Education Working together for a healthy and scenic Rappahannock River WWW.RIVERFRIENDS.ORG 3 Community The Rappahannock Legacy Society celebrates those individuals who remember the river in their will and estate planning. Benefits include: Invitations to exclusive FOR events Name engraved on stepping stones in the Legacy Native Plant Garden Legacy Society events (i.e. Breakfast by the River) FOR signed Legacy Society Member certificate Framed photo of the Rappahannock River AND a clean and healthy river Contact Rachael Poor (540) 373-3448 x 154 Rachael.Poor@ riverfriends.org POWERFUL PYRAMID. UMW students display rain barrels they helped build during “Into the Streets.” Each barrel reduces erosion and pollution from stormwater Volunteers team up for rain barrel workshop By Melina Vanchieri, FOR Volunteer Building rain barrels on a sunny day makes sense (and cents). Friends of the Rappahannock (FOR) and Community Outreach And Resources (COAR), a student volunteer organization at UMW, spent Oct. 5 on the campus green, building rain barrels as part of a program called “Into the Streets.” COAR worked with FOR and Habitat for Humanity to make items to benefit the community. The event had a pretty big turnout. But why make rain barrels? Every year 34,000 gallons of rain can fall on a 30-foot by 40-foot roof. Just one rain barrel can capture up to 1,300 gallons of rain, where it can be used for anything from watering flowers to washing cars. Gathering rainwater has an environmental bonus, because stopping all that water from rushing into lakes and streams reduces bank erosion and pollution. On another note, the sale of rain barrels gives FOR an important source of income. This gathering made a lot of rain barrels, too. According to Bryan Hofmann, Programs Manager at FOR, “It was the largest rain barrel workshop we’ve ever had. We built 19 rain barrels and it was great to work with awesome groups like COAR and Habitat for Humanity.” Melina Vanchieri is an anthropology major with an environmental sustainability minor at UMW. 4 Community River Reflections: Have you taken a guided trip yet? By: Brian Gudmundsson, FOR Member and Volunteer Not all members may realize that Friends of the Rappahannock organize several guided trips on or near the Rappahannock and Rapidan each year. The trips serve the purposes of recreation and education. Each trip centers on an historical or ecological theme. Recent themes have been canal locks, fall colors, and even the Paw Paw plant. The annual Civil War float on the Rapidan is the probably the most popular. Most trips involve paddling a canoe or kayak. A few trips are hikes to destinations near the river. Some trips involve both paddling and a short hike. Participants in the river safety trip negotiate the river in tubes. June is peak season for trips, but trips are offered as early as March and occasionally as late as November. They generally last three to seven hours and involve 10-30 participants. Trips are open to the general public for a reasonable fee with some limitation for age and experience. The fee varies based on the duration of the trip and cost much less than what a local outfitter would charge. FOR members receive a discount. All required equipment and safety gear including floatation devices (life vests) are provided. Participants bring only food, water, and personal items. FOR publishes a list of trips for the calendar year in March at riverfriends.org and in a hard copy brochure. Keep an eye out for next year’s list. Book your trip early and get ready for a river experience. Trips fill up fast. Advocacy Restoration Education Working together for a healthy and scenic Rappahannock River WWW.RIVERFRIENDS.ORG 5 Science & The River Fishing forecast favorable for fall line region By Woodie Walker, FOR Membership and Volunteer Coordinator As winter fades to spring, fisherman of many feathers congregate at the fall line in Fredericksburg. Bald eagles and kingfishers join fly rodders, spin casters and bait chunkers in search of productive water. According to area scientists, this spring is shaping up to be banner season for all. Between the third week of March and the first week of April, the Rappahannock River is less crowded and the water level usually higher, said Steve Owens, fisheries biologist with the Region 4 office of the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF). “The quality of fishing always varies with water flow and temperatures,” Owens said, “but I had my best days last year with a rod and reel that last part of March.” Shad, perch and striped bass are among the first fish to arrive, moving up the river to spawn, and their numbers are increasing. Rapidan and the Rappahannock. Another exciting aspect of this is the increase in eel populations upstream.” Better fish populations naturally mean better fishing, for all concerned. According to Libby Mojica, a wildlife biologist with The Center For Conservation Biology, part of The College of William and Mary, several species of waterbirds are also attracted to the fall line during the spring spawning season. “Great-blue herons, osprey and bald eagles will move in to the fall lines of the major tributaries to catch shad, herring, catfish and eels,” she said. “The tidal fresh reaches of the \Rappahannock have some of the highest nesting productivity for eagles and osprey because “The removal of the Embrey Dam has of the abundant fish populations.” had a positive impact on fish populations through Fredericksburg and above." Steve Owens, VDGIF fisheries Owens said shad, striped bass, blueback herring and alewife are anadromous, meaning they move upstream from salt to fresh water to spawn. White perch don’t fit that bill exactly, because they typically stay in more or less the same range year-round. “The removal of the Embrey Dam has had a positive impact on fish populations through Fredericksburg and above,” said Owens. “We’re seeing more and more shad in the Fredericksburg area. We have American shad, Striped bass, also called rockfish, will begin to show at which locals often refer to as white shad, and hickory shad. American shad can get up to six or seven pounds, the fall line in early May, just behind the start of the shad run. “Overall, the Chesapeake Bay population of striped and hickory shad can weigh two-to-three pounds.” bass looks very good and that situation extends up into the Rappahannock,” Owens said. VDGIF uses electrofishing to sample fish populations annually, a technique that employs small amounts of “We’re also collecting juvenile stripers in the Rapidan electrical current to temporarily stun fish so they can be River, as far up as Ely’s Ford,” he said. “That area has counted and measured. Alan Weaver is a fish passage great habitat for young fish.” coordinator with VDGIF. He was involved in studies that led to the dam’s removal in 2004. Owens added that striped bass are pelagic, or broadcast spawners, and fertilized eggs are semi-bouyant and need “All of the target species that we expected to go upabout 40 miles of flowing water to keep them off the stream, including shad, blueback river bottom so they can develop. The increased herring and alewives, are going upstream access provides just the right amount of freeupstream,” he said. “We also know flowing water to promote spawning success. striped bass in the 10-to-20-inch range are being caught in both the All in all, the forecast is bright for those who fish along the fall line of the Rappahannock. 6 Science & The River Hydraulic fracturing story continued (continued from page 1) it was originally trapped, generally a coal seam or a sedimentary rock, called shale. The main area of interest for gas production in central Virginia is the Taylorsville shale formation. The Taylorsville Basin, which starts east of Richmond and stretches almost to Baltimore, underlays a swath of Stafford, Caroline, King George, and King William counties. It is one of a string of basins along the East Coast that formed 227 million years ago as the Atlantic Ocean opened and Americas split off from the rest of the world’s land mass. Each basin became a productive lake before eventually filling with sediments that trapped organic matter and were slowly pressed into shale rock. Now buried almost 10,000 feet below the surface, the basin is estimated to have a 95% chance of harboring at least 516 billion cubic feet of gas (bcfg), a 50% chance of 985 bcfg, and 5% chance of as much as 1880 bcfg (or 1.8 trillion). By contrast, the Marcellus shale formation, which has launched a gas boom in nearby states, is 400 million years old and extends through West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New York, and has been estimated at 140 trillion cubic feet of gas. The southeast boundary of that formation underlays the far western part of Virginia, but to date has been subject to only a single exploratory well. One of the most important questions about potential fracking in the Taylorsville region is whether it can be done safely, and without contaminating water sources. Fracking proponents point to the fact that the fracturing takes place thousands of feet below the water table, minimizing the chance that injected water and associated chemicals (which can include acids, disinfectants, thickeners, and anti-corrosive agents) will percolate back into groundwater. Nonetheless, there have been multiple reports in active gas regions about problems with wells and surface waters. The Natural Resources Defense Council, for instance, has compiled anecdotes from a dozen states, including Virginia. Hydraulic fracturing is currently in use here, at roughly 1,800 of the 5,600 gas wells in the far southwestern part of the state. The fracking process in use there is slightly different, as it is drawing on gas associated with coal seams rather than shale beds. This process drills to much shallower depths (about 1,000 feet) and produces more wastewater at the surface than shale fracking. Thus, the effects are not entirely comparable. The reports of water issues associated with shale gas, like those in the Marcellus wells in Pennsylvania, are more relevant to people attempting to predict whether development of the Taylorsville Basin will be problematic to local water resources, including the Rappahannock. While the fracturing itself would take place at great depth, reaching these areas would entail drilling through areas important for surface and groundwaters. As with any industrial process, extreme caution must be taken to ensure that there is no leakage along the well bore, or improper handling of fluids, chemical additives, wastewater, extracted gas and other materials at the surface. Sources: Enomoto, C. B. 2013. Energy Resource Potential of the Mesozoic Basins in Virginia. http://www.dmme.virginia.gov/commercedocs/OFR_13_01.pdf FracFocus Chemical Disclosure Registry. http://fracfocus.org/hydraulicfracturing-how-it-works/hydraulic-fracturing-process Milici, R.C. et al. 2012. Assessment of Undiscovered Oil and Gas Resources of the East Coast Mesozoic Basins. USGS. http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2012/3075/fs20123075.pdf Natural Resources Defense Council. Incidents where hydraulic fracturing is a suspected cause of drinking water contamination. http:// switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/amall/incidents_where_hydraulic_frac.html U.S. Department of Energy. 2012 Annual Energy Outlook. http:// www.eia.gov/forecasts/aeo/pdf/0383(2012).pdf Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals, and Energy. Gas Well Viewer. https://maps.dmme.virginia.gov/flexviewer/DGO/ Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals, and Energy. Hydraulic Fracturing In Virginia. http://www.dmme.virginia.gov/DGO/ HydraulicFracturing.shtml#FracingVA Advocacy Restoration Education Working together for a healthy and scenic Rappahannock River WWW.RIVERFRIENDS.ORG 7 Science & The River What is a hydrograph and why does it matter? By Bryan Hofmann, FOR Programs Manager A hydrograph is a graph or plot that shows the rate of water flow in relation to time, given a specific point or cross section. These graphs are often used to evaluate stormwater runoff on a particular site considering a development project. A natural landscape with no development or impervious surfaces will have high levels of rainfall abstraction and produce less runoff due to the vegetation and infiltration capacity of the soils, which produces a gradually sloped hydrograph (1). In this scenario, rainwater will meet multiple obstacles while flowing towards a stream in the form of rainfall interception by vegetation, transpiration by plants, evaporation from land surfaces, infiltration into soils, and ponding of water in surface depressions. When the natural landscape is altered by development, trees and other vegetation are replaced by impervious surfaces such as roofs, driveways, gutters, and parking lots. These impervious areas curtail the landscape’s ability to filter and infiltrate water, and results in higher peak flows and greater runoff volumes as seen in hydrograph (2). Stripping the landscape’s ability to naturally manage stormwater results in increased erosion, sedimentation, and nutrients entering our waterways. existing site conditions. Simple practices, such as disconnecting a downspout and redirecting runoff into a lawn or garden, will have positive impacts on a site’s hydrograph and help prevent pollutants from entering your local stream. At the end of the day, little adjustments can help solve large problems and understanding your hydrograph is one step towards a cleaner Bay. So how can we prevent this from happening? Low Impact Development (LID) is a design strategy that strives to mimic the pre-existing site hydrology using a variety of best management practices (BMPs). If a site planner knows what the hydrograph for a site looked like prior to development, they can amend their site plan to accommodate increased runoff onsite using practices such as rain gardens and bio-swales. This will produce hydrograph (3). What if my home is already built? LID can be used in redevelopment or retrofit applications as well. For previously developed sites, best management practices can be installed within the confines of 8 Redirecting runoff is a cost-effective way to protect waterways. Science & The River Fracking workshops focus on ownership issues By Megan Gallagher Friends of the Rappahannock and local partners co-sponsored two workshops recently for landowners considering leasing or who have already leased their land for gas or oil drilling. The events took place Dec. 11 in Bowling Green and Dec. 12 in Westmoreland County. Elected officials and members of the public were also invited to learn about landowner rights and the impacts of gas development. As of July 2013, 84,000 acres had been leased in five counties in the Taylorsville Basin shale deposit just south of Fredericksburg: Caroline (40,733 acres), Essex (13,338 acres), King & Queen (6,010 acres), King George (10,443 acres) and Westmoreland (13,864 acres). corporate accountability and gas regulations. It was an opportunity to learn about the leasing process, industry tactics and what gas or oil development means for you, your neighbors and community. The featured speaker was Gwen Lachelt, County Commissioner in La Plata County, Colorado, where there is significant hydrofracturing for shale gas. Lachelt began her work on oil and gas issues in 1988 in La Plata County. She is the founder and director of Earthworks' Oil & Gas Accountability Project. Megan Gallagher lives in The Plains, Va., and is an advisor to the Shenandoah Valley Network of conservation groups. The workshops featured experts in mineral leasing, Know your rights before signing a mining lease By Rick Parrish Landowners considering whether to lease their gas rights to a drilling company should be aware of both the promises and the perils, and the option of negotiating a better agreement than that contained in the form or model lease you may be asked to sign. Your most important right is the right not to sign a lease with which you are not satisfied. The pay-off may not be as great as you expect, after expenses are deducted from your standard 12% share of the royalties. Pro Publica, an independent, non-profit newsroom, recently wrote about this. Landowners in Pennsylvania found it to their advantage to join together to negotiate as a group with the company. In addition to the water well, associated wastewater ponds, gravel roads, pipelines and pumping stations that could be built on your land, there could be tons and tons of waste rock from the well drilling, called "cuttings," which could be spread out and left on your land. There's a recent West Virginia case about this, upholding the drilling company's right to do this. Other issues to watch for in your lease include liability for offsite pollution, reclamation of surface disturbances and the location of pump stations and hours of operation. Finally, that six or seven-year lease you are thinking about signing is typically renewable or extendable at the company's discretion. It could turn into a 30 or 40-year lease, whether you want it to or not. Please study any proposed lease carefully. And consult with an attorney who is knowledgeable about oil and gas leases before you do sign. For more general information, the West Virginia Surface Owners' Rights Organization has a good website to explore: www.wvsoro.org. Here’s a link to the full Pro Publica article: http://www.propublica.org/article/unfair-share-how-oiland-gas-drillers-avoid-paying-royalties) Rick Parrish is a senior attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center in Charlottesville, Va. Advocacy Restoration Education Working together for a healthy and scenic Rappahannock River WWW.RIVERFRIENDS.ORG 9 Tidal News Where did all the blue crabs go? By Richard Moncure, FOR Tidal River Steward Save the Crabs! Then Eat ‘Em. That’s the slogan for the Friends of the Rappahannock (FOR) outreach program helping homeowners in the watershed reduce the amount of excess lawn fertilizers that can run off into the river, fueling algal blooms and low-oxygen “dead zones.” In September, we enjoyed the fruits of our effort. Over one thousand friends joined together to celebrate FOR’s 23rd annual Riverfest. The fare, of course, was boat loads of steamed crabs. Table talk centered around the year’s poor crab harvest in the Chesapeake Bay. A limited local supply of crabs drove prices far above expectations for our non-profit’s annual fundraiser. This news came on the heels of a promising 2012 harvest, the best in decades. So, what happened to all the blue crabs we saved? As it turns out, we aren’t the only river friends that enjoy blue crabs. In the Rappahannock, crabs pass a gauntlet of predators including catfish, striped bass, red drum, and blue heron. In centuries past, the Rappahannock’s shorelines provided wetland habitat and protection for blue crabs, which are especially vulnerable through the molting stages. Comments from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources suggest that with all of the predation pressures, and a continued loss of wetland habitat, last year’s bumper crop of juvenile Chesapeake Bay blue crabs are turning to cannibalism to survive. According to their scientists, this is an event known as “density-dependent mortality.” Our river system is in a delicate balance. Populations are not supported without the necessary habitat. In Virginia, we continue to construct hardened shorelines at a total annual average rate of 18 miles. When we remove wetland habitat for bulkheads or rip-rap, we sever the shoreline at a critical point of the inter-tidal zone. Living shorelines are a “softer” approach to shoreline erosion problems. Wetland grasses hold together shoreline soils, and, when planted properly, 15 feet of these grasses can reduce wave energy by 50%. © Kai Harth For more information about creating backyard habitat for blue crabs with living shorelines, or our “Save the Crabs!” campaign, check out our programs at www.riverfriends.org. So, while we need to “Save the Crabs!” we’ll also need to give them a place to live before we eat ‘em. The consensus from Riverfest 2013 tells me, it’ll be worth all the effort! 10 Tidal News RAIN BARRELS Reduce stormwater runoff Conserve water Save up to 1,300 gallons of water in summer months $75 per barrel Members receive 20% discount Workshops held every third Wednesday from March to October Order or register for a workshop by calling 540-373-3448 or online at riverfriends.org SAFETY FIRST! West Point High School senior Paige Melton suits up for oyster-shucking lessons from Eugene Ware, a waterman supported by the Oyster Company of Virginia and the Oysters For Life program. Melton was among the attendees of a November “From the Rappahannock, For the Rappahannock” event in Topping. Friends of the Rappahannock is a partner in the program and for a one-time fee of $175 participants can help restore the native Virginia oyster, the health of the Rappahannock River, the waterman’s future and receive two dozens oysters for 10 years. For more information check out the FOR website, www.riverfriends.org Advocacy Restoration Education Working together for a healthy and scenic Rappahannock River WWW.RIVERFRIENDS.ORG 11 SOARING EAGLES SERVING ON THE RAPPAHANNOCK. Students and staff from Colonial Forge High School in Stafford County were among the more than 200 volunteers who participated in the Fall River Cleanup at Old Mill Park in Fredericksburg. More than 1.5 tons of litter were picked up that day. The most Participants learn and serve while cleaning up the Rapp! By Bryan Hofmann, FOR Programs Manager Once again, community members showcased their love and commitment to our wonderful river. On Oct. 19, over 230 volunteers donated their Saturday and joined Friends of the Rappahannock and Stafford High School Learn and Serve Students for our Fall River Cleanup. Twice every year, FOR and partners host a river cleanup in the Fredericksburg area and a tidal cleanup out of our Tappahannock office. This year, 25 students from Stafford High School accepted the challenge of planning and staffing the cleanup. Whether it was manning the cotton candy machine, checking in volunteers, or delivering the safety talk, these students were on their game! three counties. What was the result of this cleanup? Over 3,300 pounds of trash was taken out of the river. Our friends and partners at the R-Board, our local solid waste manager, not only donated an enormous dumpster and hauled the trash away, they also provided their mobile landfill trailer to help educate volunteers about the importance of proper waste management. All this work is to keep the Rappahannock as healthy and scenic as possible. Make sure you look for our Spring Cleanup in April 2014. This year we welcomed volunteers from all walks of life including groups of local students, Boy and Girl Scouts, GEICO, Crops Solutions, Birchwood Power Facility, Starbucks, and for the reeeaally yucky stuff… Vulcan Materials! These amazing volunteers visited 27 sites along the Rappahannock River and its tributaries spanning Vulcan Materials wins the award for largest single piece of trash! 12 Education Education Update: Teachers Make It Possible! By Daria Blom, FOR Education Director Classroom teachers are one of our best resources when it comes to watershed education! It would be impossible for the FOR education staff to personally reach every single student in the Rappahannock watershed, so we rely on classroom teachers to help us do the job. Our local teachers take this responsibility very seriously. One such teacher is Ms. Katie Gnadt of Drew Middle School. I have been working with Ms. Gnadt for the past four years as part of a large watershed-focused field experience she plans for all of her seventh graders. The experience takes place at multiple sites along the Rappahannock, including FOR’s nature preserve, and includes several natural resource agencies, such as the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. Katie Gnadt Beyond all the logistical planning and class work preparation, Ms. Gnadt also secures funding through small grants to make the program more affordable for her students. This year she is applying for an “Innovative Teaching Grant” through the Stafford Education Foundation. She hopes to use the grant to add a historical component to the field experience, making it even more interdisciplinary. Seventh graders from Drew Middle School in Stafford County explore wetlands biology. We enjoy working with students from Drew and appreciate Ms. Gnadt’s dedication to watershed education! If you are interested in protecting the Rappahannock from polluted runoff, FOR can help! Visit our website to learn more. www.riverfriends.org Advocacy Restoration Education Working together for a healthy and scenic Rappahannock River WWW.RIVERFRIENDS.ORG 13 Education A river runs through us: Make-a-Mural By FOR Education Coordinator Lowery Pemberton and Alice French Sixth graders at Richmond County Intermediate School officially began their Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE) this fall with participating organizations from the Three Rivers Environmental Educators group. The first lesson was provided by Alice French from the Menokin Foundation, an organization whose mission is to preserve and interpret the home and life of patriot Francis Lightfoot Lee, as a focus for better understanding the fields of history, architecture, archaeology, of the six areas to paint. As the day progressed, all of the different areas of the watershed were represented. The mural can now be seen in the 6th grade building at RCIS. Special thanks go to the Chesapeake Bay Trust for providing the organizational funding for A River Runs Through Us! ecology and other areas of the humanities, by developing innovative scholarship and new practices in conservation. The students participated in a Project WET activity called Make-a-Mural. In this activity, students created a mural depicting various aspects of the watershed in which they live, including its landscape, people, cultures and plant and animal residents. Students identified many resources found within the Rappahannock River watershed and categorized them WATERSHED ART. This mural was created by into six sections: air, land, water, architecture, people, history and traditions. Each class was then given one part students from Richmond County Intermediate School. Updates on volunteer opportunities! Veteran educator joins FOR staff Elysa Mills has joined Friends of the Rappahannock (FOR) as an environmental educator. As a high school student, Elysa participated in many outdoor programs in the Fredericksburg area, including river monitoring, tree plantings and education expeditions, which helped her find the field of environmental science. An internship with FOR during college solidified her decision to work in the environmental field, receiving an undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia in environmental science and a master's degree in environmental and biological conservation. Elysa Mills 14 Elysa spent several years working for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation as an environmental educator and island program manager at their Eastern Shore site, The Karen Noonan Center. She returned to her Spotsylvania roots this spring and has returned to FOR to help create a healthy and scenic Rappahannock River. Get Involved Welcome New Members! THANK YOU for Supporting our River Protection Programs! LIFETIME FAMILY Robert C. Innes Jerry and Sandra Nini Thomas J. Wack and Ann Sears The Ogden Family The McDaniel Family The Stanley Family The Neubig Family The Stringer Family The Moratore Family The Burks Family MONTHLY SUSTAINER Stanley Ikonen Charles E. and Sarah F. Lex Peter and Maire Frederick RIVER STEWARD Virginia P. Cowles Stewart Pillow Raymond J. Heatherton Joseph M. Holloway Patricia Giraldi INDIVIDUAL Norton W. Hurd Kara Perusse David W. Burgess Drew Chritton Interested in a Rainscape Retrofit at your home? Give us a call or visit our website for more information! www.riverfriends.org HARD WORKERS! Laura Shoaf and her daughter, Ellie, volunteered during the 2013 Fall River Cleanup in Fredericksburg. YES! I want to become a FRIEND OF THE RAPPAHANNOCK! Name ___________________________________________ Significant Other _________________________________ Address _________________________________________ City/State/Zip ____________________________________ □ Check is enclosed □ Visa □ Mastercard □ Add me to the River Issues email □ Contact me about volunteering Lifetime River Defender River Guardian River Steward Business Nonprofit Family Individual Donation $1,500 $ 500 $ 250 $100 $75 $50 $45 $30 $______ Phone ___________________________________________ *Memberships also available on our website www.riverfriends.org Credit Card Number Signature Exp Date Advocacy Restoration Education Working together for a healthy and scenic Rappahannock River WWW.RIVERFRIENDS.ORG 15 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION US POSTAGE PAID FREDERICKSBURG, VA PERMIT NO. 234 Fredericksburg Office 3219 Fall Hill Avenue Fredericksburg, VA 22401 540.373.3448 540.373.8111 fax Tidal Office 531 N Church Ln Office B Tappahannock, VA 22560 804.443.3448 804.443.3447 fax [email protected] www.riverfriends.org FUNGUS FROLIC. Volunteers Justin Presson, left, and Cynthia Stanley use an industrial-strength blender to mix mycelium from native mushrooms with straw and wood pellets. The resulting blend is stuffed into large burlap bags, which are staked down in eroded and nutrient-poor riparian areas. The mushroom and compost blend enhances the soil, making it easier for tree seedlings to take root. The project is part of Watershed Property Manager and Fredericksburg Police Officer Lee Sillitoe’s efforts to restore s horelines in the city easement area along the Rappahannock River. “Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it." Norman Maclean