Birch River Watershed Association

Welcome to the Website introduction of the Birch River Watershed Association, a group that was formed in December 2003 and which is dedicated to the best interests of Birch River, the scenic stream that was the subject of the 2001 book, River on the Rocks.

The initial activity of the association was a tire pickup that took place on a five-mile stretch of Birch in the Herold area in September 2003. The pickup netted 186 tires, or an average of 37 tires per mile. A second pickup was held on Sept. 17, 2005, that resulted in 68 tires being removed from the scenic Blue Hole of Birch, where the river makes one of several spectacular loops. The relative isolation of middle and lower Birch makes removing tires from the river a logistical challenge.

West Virginia law calls for fines ranging from $50 to $1,000 for stream littering, which includes disposal of tires in the river.

Additionally, the association has joined the Adopt a Highway program that is sponsored by the state Division of Highways to pick up unsightly litter along roadsides. The particular section adopted by the association is a two-mile stretch from the bridge over Birch above Herold to the end of the blacktop beyond Herold.

Among other activities to date, the association made inquiries to the Division of Environmental Protection concerning a natural gas pipeline that crossed the river in September 2004 seven miles above the mouth. It was told by DEP that the crossing did not violate the provisions of the State Natural Streams Preservation Act, of which the final seventeen miles of Birch are a part.

Inquiry was also made concerning trees that were cut for a power line that crossed the river in another area and was unrelated to the pipeline crossing. Blocks of trees that were left in the river were later removed as a result of the inquiry.

Notification of future activities of the association such as tire and litter pickups will be made on our Website at www.scenicbirchriver.com, and a quarterly newsletter will also appear on the Website. Association president Neal Gentry invites the support of the local community or any interested organizations or individuals.