Upper Elk Native Trout Danger

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#006699" TEXT="#080000" background="04b085a3.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>The Historic Sharp Farm's Preservation Blog</B></FONT><B>    </B><B> |     </B><A HREF="index.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Historic Sharp Farms Preservation Bl"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id33_m.html" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="Upper Elk Native Trout Danger"><U><B><IMG SRC="03b0e0e0.png" border=0 width="14" height="14" ALT="up" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>   </B><A HREF="id19.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chronos"><U><B><IMG SRC="03e0e0e0.png" border=0 width="14" height="14" ALT="down" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>     </B><A HREF="id43.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="State Funding May Save Sharp Farm"><U><B><IMG SRC="02f0e0e0.png" border=0 width="14" height="14" ALT="previous" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>  </B><A HREF="id35.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Reflections"><U><B><IMG SRC="0300e0e0.png" border=0 width="14" height="14" ALT="next" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" background="04cd2e83.jpg"> <div> <A HREF="id87.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Challenges of 2005 2008 Eminent Domain "><U>Return To Challenges Log</U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" background="04d07073.jpg"> <div> <I>Upper Elk Native Trout Danger</I></div> <div> The Elk River Watershed in central West Virginia is in need of attention. The success of Intrawest/Snowshoe Ski Resort in Pocahontas County (at the headwaters of the Elk) has put serious pressure on the environment. The building boom was allowed without the proper infrastructure to handle the problem of human waste. Pocahontas County's proposed solution to this matter is to place a 1.5 million-gallon/day sewer treatment plant with four mammoth open sludge vats directly beside the Big Spring of Elk with accompanying effluent discharge and release pipes through a large and important cold-water spring along the riverbank. Considerable numbers of residents, while not opposed to the sewer system, are opposed to the placement of the sewer treatment plant and its effluent discharge location. </div> <bR> <div> The DNR cautions that no known environmental study in the area has been conducted. An Indiana Bat study (performed 7 miles away) has been their singular requirement for 'endangered species'. The reproducing native trout, Cambarus Elkensis crayfish and others have not been considered.</div> <bR> <div> The Pocahontas County Commission appointed a 3-member board known as the Pocahontas County Public Service District to sort out local utility matters. These three men, all from Durbin (40 miles away), voted to place the sewer treatment plant on the Sharp farm along the Big Spring of Elk - site unseen. They relied on the due diligence of the engineering firm whom relied on the DEP whom relied on the DNR and Fish and Wildlife, etc.. The very process put in place to protect our environment somehow overlooked the crucial native trout population. The engineering firm made no consideration of the trout in their design or placement of this facility...nor did the DEP require them to do so.</div> <bR> <div> The proposed sewer treatment plant location on the historic Sharp farm (12 miles from the Snowshoe Ski Resort) is situated next to Scenic Route 219 by the bridge over the Big Spring of Elk Fork - a short distance from the Upper Elk. Immediately after this bridge is the home of Evva Shelton, a 65-year resident. She has used the spring just past this bridge for her drinking water during her entire tenure. However Evva and her family have not been the only beneficiaries of its existence. According to Todd Petty, of West Virginia University, this dynamic cold-water spring by the Shelton home provides a refuge for the Upper Elk River native trout population. During periods of low or no flow this spring provides the only source of water for the Upper Elk. The Big Spring of Elk, from the Route 219 Bridge to the point where the Elk River begins is the singular cold-water sanctuary for native trout and their reproduction during these low water periods. While reproduction occurs farther upstream, these areas are cut off from the Elk River in drought conditions and are unable to provide sustenance to the Upper Elk, one of West Virginia's premier fishing destinations.</div> <bR> <div> Recent decisions by the Pocahontas County Public Service District to place the effluent discharge at this location is of concern. It requires digging directly through this vibrant cold-water spring with the very likely disruption of a crucial system. Karst hydrologist William Jones (chairman of the Karst Waters Institute) reports that the path for the effluent pipe risks disrupting the springs. "I would not want to be part of a project that has even a slight chance of disrupting that spring complex. Things happen fast on karst". Jones recommends a full year of data and observation for the spring system to be fully understood. </div> <bR> <div> The experts agree that the Big Spring of Elk is a cold water system. It is a rare beast largely fed by cold-water springs. In contrast, Old Field Fork of Elk (joins Big Spring Fork to form the Elk River) is a warm water system. Petty knows of no trout reproduction in Old Field Fork. While the introduction of effluent anywhere in the Upper Elk brings one pause, the fact is Old Field Fork, as a warm water tributary, would be impacted far less from the warm sewer plant effluent. Adding warm effluent to the Big Spring of Elk just below the bridge at Route 219 will severely stress the native trout. If they do survive, breeding will likely stop. In addition to temperature issues, metals and sediment from the effluent and from construction along Big Spring of Elk will contribute to the potential demise of the native reproducing trout and the imperiled crayfish, Cambarus Elkensis. Whitney Stocker, discoverer of this West Virginia endemic species, cautions that the spring at Evva Shelton's is the only reason the Cambarus Elkensis survive. Petty's long term observations of the Big Spring of Elk in regard to the native trout population and its contribution to the Upper Elk raises similar flags. The Evva Shelton spring, as the only source for cold-water flow on the Big Spring of Elk near the Upper Elk River, is irreplaceable.</div> <bR> <div> Several sights away the Big Spring of Elk have been considered and dismissed as too costly. We contend situating a sewer treatment plant, with its obligatory effluent discharge on the nearly pristine Big Spring of Elk will cost the State of West Virginia its premier fishing attraction; the Upper Elk and its headwaters. </div> <bR> <div> An effort by one trout organization to support the sewer sytem resulted in a letter of general support to the West Virginia Public Service Commission. We ask that this letter be amended with a caveat against placing the sewer treatment plant and effluent discharge as situated on the crucial Big Spring of Elk. The treasured Upper Elk River fishery depends on it. </div> <bR> <div> Intrawest/Snowshoe strongly supports the placement of this sewer plant in this precarious position. Please contact Intrawest/Canada CEO, Snowshoe's General Manager, Bill Rock, Governor Manchin and the Pocahontas County Commission to voice your concerns.</div> <bR> <div> Joe S. Houssian</div> <div> Chairman, President & CEO</div> <div> Intrawest Corporation Suite 800</div> <div> 200 Burrard Street Vancouver</div> <div> BC V6C 3L6</div> <div> Telephone: (604) 669-9777</div> <div> Facsimile: (604) 669-0605</div> <div> http://www.intrawest.com</div> <div> Email: <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><U>intrainfo@intrawest.com</U></FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <div> Bill Rock</div> <div> 1 Snowshoe Drive</div> <div> PO Box 10</div> <div> Snowshoe, WV 26209</div> <bR> <div> Governor Manchin</div> <div> 1900 Kanawha Boulevard E</div> <div> Charleston WV 25305</div> <div> Toll-Free: 1-888-438-2731 </div> <div> Facsimile: (304) 342-7025 </div> <div> Email: <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><U>Governor@WVGov.org</U></FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <div> Pocahontas County Commission</div> <div> 900 10th Avenue</div> <div> Marlinton, WV 24954</div> <div> (304) 799-6063</div> <div> Email: <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><U>pocahontascc@sunlitsurf.com</U></FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <div> Sincerely,</div> <bR> <div> Tom Shipley</div> <div> Slatyfork, WV </div> <div> Posted 11/24/05</div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>