Urban Forestry Webinar, January 11, 1pm

Integrating Experts, Communities, and Online Resources for Equitably Expanding Urban Tree Canopy Wednesday, January 11, 2016 | 1:00 - 2:15pm ET The availability of online mapping resources and "big data" on cities offers an approach to address challenges in inequitable distribution of urban tree canopy, as well as waning community engagement in tree canopy management and expansion. One of the biggest impediments to executing an effective urban forestry management plan is the integration of expert systems, such as data resources and analytics, with community-led efforts. Using the case of Portland, Oregon, this webinar will provide context for assembling city-scale programs that enable community groups, researchers, and city staff to advance urban canopy management and expansion. Angie DiSalvo will present the context for the City of Portland's urban canopy management, including a description of the structure and findings from a volunteer tree inventory, policy changes, and the challenges and opportunities for urban canopy stewardship.  Vivek Shandas will then share an overview of the expert data systems that support the expansion of tree canopy and availability of online resources that support community activism. Together they will describe an emerging partnership between city and university that

Upper Potomac and other nearby WMA Topo Maps

Wildlife Management Areas of the Upper Potomac and nearby West Virginia highlands.

http://southbranchpotomac.blogspot.com/p/south-branch-topo-maps.html

Upper Potomac and other nearby WMA Topo Maps

Provided in a longer statewide list by WVDNR. The file sizes are shown for each map so that the viewer can select which file to download based on their computer equipment and the speed of their internet connection.
WMA Name	High Resolution	Medium Resolution	Low Resolution	County
	( 300 dpi PDF)	( 150 dpi PDF)	( JPEG )
Allegheny WMA Map	( 37.7mb )	( 10.9mb )	( 2.2mb )	Mineral
Beaver Dam WMA Map	( 16.7mb )	( 5.9mb )	( 2.2mb )	Randolph
Becky Creek WMA Map	( 24.1mb )	( 8.2mb )	( 2.1mb )	Randolph
Blackwater WMA Map	( 17.1mb )	( 6.8mb )	( 2.5mb )	Tucker & Preston
Cheat WMA Map	( 17.9mb )	( 6.6mb )	( 2.4mb )	Randolph
Cranberry WMA Map	( 27.1mb )	( 13.4mb )	( 2.7mb )	Greenbrier, Pocahontas,
Edwards Run WMA Map	( 17.1mb )	( 5.8mb )	( 2.0mb )	Hampshire
Fort Mill Ridge WMA Map	( 10.5mb )	( 3.9mb )	( 1.5mb )	Hampshire
Fox Forest WMA Map	(14.5mb )	( 4.7mb )	( 1.7mb )	Randolph
Handley WMA Map	( 2.8mb )	( 1.8mb )	( 1.7mb )	Pocahontas
Huttonsville WMA Map		( 23.1mb )	( 2.0mb )	Randolph
Little Canaan WMA Map	( 1.7mb )	( 0.7mb )	( 0.8mb )	Tucker & Preston
Little River WMA Map	( 26.1mb )	( 13.2mb )	( 2.5mb )	Pocahontas
Nathaniel Mountain WMA Map	( 32.6mb )	( 10.1mb )	( 2.4mb )	Hampshire & Hardy
Neola WMA Map	( 25.5mb )	( 13.9mb )	( 2.5mb )	Greenbrier & Pocahontas
Otter Creek WMA Map	( 16.2mb )	( 5.8mb )	( 2.2mb )	Randolph & Tucker
Potomac WMA Map	( 48.3mb )	( 33.5mb )	( 2.7mb )	Grant, Randolph, Pendleton
Rimel WMA Map	( 15.6mb )	( 5.4mb )	( 2.1mb )	Pocahontas
Shenandoah WMA Map	( 13.8mb )	( 5.9mb )	( 2.2mb )	Pendleton
Short Mountain WMA Map	( 31.8mb )	( 10.2mb )	( 2.4mb )	Hampshire & Hardy
Sideling Hill WMA Map	( 1.7mb )	( 1.0mb )	( 1.9mb )	Morgan
Slatyfork WMA Map	( 14.6mb )	( 4.9mb )	( 1.8mb )
Sleepy Creek WMA Map	( 43.2mb )	( 18.7mb )	( 2.6mb )	Berkeley & Morgan
South Branch WMA Map	( 22.1mb )	( 7.8mb )	( 2.1mb )	Hardy & Hampshire
Tea Creek WMA Map	( 20.0mb )	( 8.5mb )	( 2.5mb )	Pocahontas, Randolph, & Webster
Thorn Creek WMA Map	( 17.0mb )	( 5.6mb )	( 1.8mb )	Pendleton
Warden Lake WMA Map	( 9.7mb )	( 3.4mb )	( 1.6mb )	Hardy & Hampshire
Wardensville WMA Map	( 11.0mb )	( 4.8mb )	( 2.2mb )	Hardy & Hampshire
Widmeyer WMA Map	( 14.6mb )	( 4.8mb )	( 1.6mb )	Morgan

Lowest River Levels

This is about as low as the South Branch gets in a typical summer.  Look for trapped minnows and mussels in small channels.  The tadpoles usually do just fine; unfortunately, the insects will also be fine.

WV Flooding Information

Flooding in West Virginia in June 2016 – Information Sources by araflo A line of thunderstorms on June 22-23, 2016, produced between 4 and 12 inches of rain in mountainous parts of eastern West Virginia and western Virginia, leading to devastating and fatal flooding in the Mountain State, as well as flooding in Virginia’s Alleghany Highlands.  A major federal disaster declaration for West Virginia was issued on June 25.  Following are several sources of information on the events. Kevin Myatt, “Weather Journal” in The Roanoke Times: Train of storms triggered epic W.Va. flooding, Roanoke Times, 6/28/16; and Historic flooding in Alleghany Highlands, 6/24/16. Charleston [W.Va.] Gazette-Mail, “2016 Flood,” online at http://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/2016floods. West Virginia Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, online athttp://www.dhsem.wv.gov/Pages/default.aspx. Federal Emergency Management Agency, “West Virginia Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides (DR-4273),” online at https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4273.

Flooding limited to lower lattitudes

The North Branch in Cumberland showed almost no response to this week's storms that hit southern West Virginia particularly hard.  However, the North Fork of the South Branch at Petersburg rose by 10-15X in just a few hours or so (although well below the Action Level), and that was largely replicated 14 hours later in Springfield.

Earth with no water

BioBlitz opportunities in the DC area

Register:   www.surveymonkey.com/r/bioblitz-volunteer-dc

Floodplain Tree Planting

Our West Virginia State conservation agencies and state nurseries partner to provide landowners with trees for habitat, riparian zones, and other advantages.  Here are photos from a tree planting last Friday along the South Branch of the Potomac River near Springfield, WV.

Tree Planting - Rain or Shine - April 29 Taylor Farm

Weather may not be perfect on Friday (40%chance of precipitation), but the tree-planting in Springfield is still scheduled rain or shine.  Herb plants trees any time it's not flooding.  ;-)

When:  Friday, April 29, 10am to 2pm.

Location: Clarence Taylor Road off of Springfield Pike east of Springfield, WV.

Directions to the planting site:

From Romney …

Take 28 north to Springfield, WV. Turn right in Springfield onto Road. Travel @2.5 miles to Clarence Taylor Road. Make a left onto a gravel road and travel north to the planting site. Look for signs.

From Slanesville area…

Follow Slanesville Pike west towards the Points intersection. Go straight though the four way stop towards Springfield, WV. After crossing the over the South Branch bridge, take next right onto Clarence Taylor Road. It is 11.7 miles total from Slanesville. Look for signs.

Updated Cicada Map

Cicada Brood predications

Tree Planting - Springfield - April 29

Bald Eagle Chasing a Turkey Vulture

Three cool things about this video:

1. You can distinguish the eagle's very flat profile from the vulture's dihedral profile;
2. Impressive flying by the vulture, which often don't even flap their wings; and
3. The eagle's aggression ends harmlessly.

WVDNR Regulations Public Meetings

West Virginia Division of Natural Resources

Public meetings on proposed hunting, trapping and fishing regulations.
Please join WVDNR on Tuesday, March 15, 2016, at one of the following locations:

• Glen Dale - John Marshall High School (Commons)
• Moorefield - South Branch Inn (Rt. 220)
• Elkins - DNR Operations Center
• Fayetteville - New River Gorge, Canyon Rim Visitor Center
• Logan - Chief Logan State Park Conference Center
• Parkersburg - City Building (Lobby) 

More info: http://www.wvdnr.gov/2016news/16news034.shtm

Online course for Virginia forest landowners

From  VT News:

March 7, 2016

Virginia forest landowners looking to gain an understanding of how to keep their woods healthy and productive can do so in the comfort of their own home.

Virginia Cooperative Extension and the Virginia Forest Landowner Education Program in Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources and Environment are offering an online course to help private landowners become better stewards of their land.

The 12-week Online Woodland Options for Landowners course, which runs from May 2 to July 22, teaches basic management principles and techniques for both novice and veteran private forest landowners.

Materials provided include four reference books and a tree identification CD in addition to online reading materials and assignments. Natural resource professionals and experienced landowners serve as mentors for the students and

Which species are safe to eat?

from the Gazette-Mail:

John McCoy: As WV’s fishing season nears, which fish are safe to eat?

On four pages of West Virginia’s fishing-regulations booklet, anglers can learn how many of the fish they catch are safe to eat and how often it is safe to eat them.

Produced by the state Division of Natural Resources, Department of Environmental Protection and Department of Public Health, the four pages also spell out which waters are home to fish that might be contaminated by mercury, PCBs and other toxic substances.

Despite all the detail the agencies provide, questions still arise.

“Typically we get calls in spring, when folks really get active and get out there fishing,” said Bret Preston, the DNR’s assistant chief in charge of fisheries. “We also get calls when we make a change in the advisories, which makes sense. People want to learn about the changes, or to clarify what they’ve read.”

It’s been a few years since any substantial changes were made to the advisories, but Preston said that shouldn’t diminish their importance in people’s minds.

“We put those advisories in the regulations booklet so people can make educated decisions about the fish they catch and eat,” he added. “These are advisories, not rules. It’s left up to the individual to

more stockings

North Fork and Spruce Knob stocked today

March 29 Watershed Group Gathering

From Suzy Lucas:

 EPCD will be holding their annual Watershed Group Gathering on Tuesday, March 29, 2016 at Blue Ridge Community and Technical College in Martinsburg, WV. Mark your calendars, and note that our location has changed! The gathering will run from approximately 9am-12:30pm.

 As usual, a portion of the agenda will be dedicated to hearing from our local watershed groups and partners. We request a 1 slide, 2 minute presentation from everyone who is interested in giving an update. You can put whatever you want on your slide, and you will have exactly 2 minutes to talk about what you feel is most important about your group’s activities over the past year.

 Topics will include: Outreach via Social Media, CI’s Best Management Practices Reporting Tool, ICPRB’s WaterReporter App., and Urban Nutrient Management.

 Please distribute this message to your membership base/mailing lists as you see fit.  Stay on the lookout in early March for an agenda and registration for our March 29, 2016 Eastern Panhandle Watershed Group Gathering.

Daily trout stocking report

Revised Forecast for South Branch River Levels

The revised forecast shows that the South Branch levels are unlikely to reach action stage even after yesterday's rains, but the North Branch and Cacapon rivers were both impacted.

Daily trout stocking

Oldtown Bridge - February 3, 2pm

Photo by Kevin Iser

Daily trout stocking - Feb 2

Flooding Concerns after Snow Melt

With rapid snow melt, particularly when accompanied by rain, our Eastern Pandhandle rivers with much broader upstream watersheds become very vulnerable to flooding.

So far this month the Cacapon is the only river for which unusual flooding is predicted, although the South Branch and main stem of the Potomac will likely reach Action Stage.

From the Hampshire Review:

GREAT CACAPON — Runoff from Winter Storm Jonas pushed the Cacapon River out of its banks early Tuesday morning.

The National Weather Service reporting station showed the river cresting at 9.85 feet at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday after a rapid rise over the previous 16 hours.

The level is expected to be back below the 9-foot flood stage by 1 p.m. and drop back to 6 feet by 7 a.m. Wednesday before starting another rise that could hit flood stage again Thursday morning.

   

A big impact on the entire Potomac watershed

This much snow is certainly difficult, but the volume will certainly also challenge the South Branch watershed with potential flooding, and the salt used to treat the roads will have the most negative impacts. The larger Potomac watershed (including the Shenandoah, Monocacy, and of course the North Branch and South Branch) is bearing the full impact of this storm.

It's coming, soon.

Read more (much more) at https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2016/01/12/everything-you-need-to-know-about-snow-in-washington-d-c/

Relevent upcoming webinars

National Water Quality Monitoring Council Webinar Series – NWQMC webinars are archived athttps://www.youtube.com/user/NWQMC. Visit http://acwi.gov/monitoring/webinars/index.html for more information.

Water Quality Evolution from Industrialization to the Age of the Internet -- January 19, 2016 (1:00 pm EST) -- Presentation by Ted Stets, USGS -- This talk will focus on trends in nitrate and indicators of river acidification from the late 19th century to the present in the context of distinct periods of development in the U.S.  Pre-registration is REQUIRED. To register, click here.  Once your registration has been approved, you will receive a confirmation email with instructions for joining the Webinar.

Cyanobacteria Monitoring: Perspectives from EPA Region 1 --February 23, 2016 (1:00 pm EDT)  -- Presentation by Hilary Snook, EPA -- The webinar will present the tools, methods, and approaches that have been developed by EPA Region 1 in order to establish consistent monitoring and data collection efforts for addressing cyanobacteria harmful algal bloom issues. Pre-registration is REQUIRED.  To register, click here.