1 Volume 9 , Issue 2 Spring 2010 Preserving and Promoting the Natural and Cultural Resources of the Dan River Basin through Stewardship, Recreation and Education Dan River Basin Association Inside this issue NC Mayo River State Park Opens! Dick and Willie Passage Breaks Ground Dan River Sojourn Is Coming! DRBA’s Annual Celebration Visit us on the web at www.danriver.org 2 NORTH CAROLINA OFFICE Meetings of the DRBA Board of 413 Church Street, Suite 401 Directors Eden, NC 27288-3242 are held on the third Wednesday of January, April, July, and October. All DRBA members are welcome to at- Katherine Mull tend. The next Board meeting will be at 5:00 p.m. on Executive Director 336-627-6270 Wednesday, April 21st at the Eden City Hall. [email protected] Dan River Basin Association Jenny Edwards Program Manager Board of Directors 276-340-2462 [email protected] President, Wayne Kirkpatrick, Stuart, VA Chad Hall Vice President, David Jones, Martinsville, VA Program Manager Treasurer, Mark Bishopric, Eden, NC 336-627-6260 Secretary, T Butler, Wentworth, NC [email protected] Perry Briggs, Martinsville, VA Robin Light Office/Accounting Manager Amelia Dallas, Eden, NC 336-627-6260 Barry Dunkley, Danville, VA [email protected] Carl Espy, Halifax, VA Martin Gardner, Martinsville, VA VIRGINIA OFFICE H. Clay Gravely IV, Martinsville, VA 3300 Kings Mountain Road Nathaniel Hall, Yanceyville, NC P.O. Box 7 Milton Hundley, Eden, NC Collinsville, VA 24078 Ellen Jessee, Collinsville, VA Wayne Knox, Martinsville, VA Tony McGee, Germanton, NC Brian Williams Education, Outreach and Kevin Moore, Reidsville, NC Conservation Coordinator Allison Szuba, Wirtz, VA 276-634-2545 William W. Truslow, Greensboro, NC [email protected] Fletcher Waynick, Reidsville, NC Charlie Williams III, Stokesdale, NC Regenia Manns Administrative Assistant 276-634-2591 [email protected] currents staff Editor Photography Contributing Stokes Field Office Linda Drage Writers Dale Swanson Dorcas Midkiff Jenny Edwards T Butler Stokes Program Coordinator Betty Jenny Edwards 336-593-3722 Associate Kirkpatrick Sandy Gary [email protected] Editor Wayne Chad Hall Ellen Jessee Kirkpatrick Paul Johnson T Butler Craig Rockwell Wayne Kirkpatrick Brian Williams Katherine Mull Craig Rockwell Hollis Stauber Dale Swanson Brian Williams On the Cover… MRSP picnic pavilion by Charlie Peek. 3 4 Greetings from the Director Contents president’s space Spring 2010 5 NC Mayo River State Park Opens dick & willie passage breaks ground 5 6 Uranium Mining Update JANUARY RAIL/TRAIL OUTING In PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY 7 10 3 13 9 5 4 8 6 2 1 12 11 7 Caswell County Heritage Trails Philpott Lake News 10 Kat and Trout in Classroom TIC Changes Lives 8 Stokes Co Update March 6 Outing M-HC Rivers & Trails Update Fishing, Water Quality, and TIC 11 Memberships and Donations 12 Rivers & Bugs Summit 9 Annual Celebration DRBA Awarded National Grant 4 Greetings from the Director After a long, snowy winter the fresh growth of County, NC and in crafting a spring is emerging. Along with new life come ideas, heritage plan for the Dan River both old and new, for making the most of the Dan River region. These activities, taken region’s special places, our natural, historic and cultural together with our existing resources. DRBA is pleased to be asked to be a part of Caswell Heritage Trails pro- so many new initiatives, from a river-based economic gram in Caswell County, NC and the Rivers and Trails development plan for Stokes County, NC to the scoping Program for Henry County and the City of Martinsville, of a plan for parks and recreation in Pittsylvania VA and other activities, provide a powerful incentive for County, VA to the kick off of a new program to develop Dan River region communities to coordinate and col- a gateway, trail head and river access at a new bridge laborate across our 3,300 square miles. crossing in Halifax County, VA. With new energy all around, 2010 may be the There is an emerging interest in rivers and year for all to share their visions for the future and to trails master planning processes in Rockingham help map the way forward. Katherine Mull president’s space It's paddling season! DRBA opens its First Sat- the rapid, just not all at urday Outings on the water with paddles on the Dan the same time. Take from Pine Hall to Madison in April, followed by Fieldale to note of the helmet, Doe Run in May and Anglers Pride to Milton in June. As "nose and toes" pointed we get back on the water, please remember to be safety downstream, and no conscious whenever paddling. Preparation and planning attempt to salvage my will help you and your family enjoy the natural resources equipment, or my pride, for that matter. of the Dan River Basin every time you get on the water. Be safe, be smart, file a float plan, go with some- Check out a recent try at negotiating Eggleston one and most of all—have fun! The beauty, power and Falls by yours truly (http://www.youtube.com/watch? wonder of our natural resources are a treasure for us to v=jsotgsd6gOo). My equipment and I both navigated enjoy. Wayne Kirkpatrick 1 Dan River 2 Hike on “Stream Walk Trail” Sojourn Is Coming! After DRBA’s Annual wooded smooth surface gravel This summer passage through time Celebration at the historic trail, Chad explained future DRBA will host the first as the Dan River tells Caswell County Courthouse plans for benches, gazebos, ever Dan River So- its story on a sojourn on March 6, two groups of additional trail loops and trail journ on a 22-mile across a Triassic ba- hikers gathered in the court- extensions. Eventually the trail stretch of the Dan sin, through Native house parking lot. Our group will connect to a nearby sports River through Rocking- American fish weirs followed Chad Hall, DRBA’s field and a nursery school. In ham County. July 16, and past batteau Caswell County Program Di- discussing trail loops suitable 17 and 18 will find pad- mooring cribs. rector, to the Caswell County for senior citizens, Chad was dlers enjoying camp- R e g i s t r a t i o n Senior Citizens Center to walk excited about the suggestion ing, great food, even opens soon and is the “Stream Walk Trail” that for a labyrinth. greater programs, mu- limited to the first one opened in July 2009. After the hike, we sic, river history, pad- hundred appli- As we enjoyed a toured the Senior Citizens dling and much more. cants. Watch for press beautiful, sunny, warm day (a Center, which was impressive. Starting at Lind- releases and informa- pleasant break from our un- Some among us started to say Bridge and ending tion posted on the usually cold, snowy winter) consider retiring to Caswell at the Eden Wildlife DRBA web site. walking peacefully through the County! Access, we will enjoy a Ellen Jessee 5 3 Dick & Willie Passage Breaks Ground ! Smith River Sports Complex as part Henry County Supervisors; Kathy of the Smith River Trail System. Lawson, Mayor of Martinsville; and Congressman Rick Delegate Ward Armstrong, who Boucher, the keynote speaker, shared some history of the railroad shared his vision of the Smith River and spoke of the importance of the Trail System as an economic engine trail system to the region. to rival the immensely popular Vir- Among the dignitaries wield- ginia Creeper and New River State ing a golden shovel was DRBA’s Park trails. He praised the partner- own Ellen Jessee, Chair of Rivers & On March 31, a warm ships among DRBA, Rivers & Trails, Trails, who has spent many hours on spring day, several dozen people the City of Martinsville, and Henry research to make the trail possible. gathered to celebrate the ground- County that have made this happen. Also breaking the ground was Jenni- breaking for the “Dick and Willie Pas- Congressman Boucher se- fer Doss, former Rivers & Trails Pro- sage,” a 4.5-mile trail on the former cured a Federal Transportation En- ject Manager, now Director of Tour- Danville and Western Rail Line in hancement Grant for the project, ism for Martinsville and Henry Martinsville and Henry County. which was augmented by other fed- County. Planned to be complete by this fall, eral, Tobacco grant, and in-kind Brian Williams, who coordi- the trail will connect Collinsville to the funding for a total of $1.4 million for nated much of the event, has posted City of Martinsville and the Uptown purchase and construction. more description and photos at the Spur Trail. The trail will eventually be Other speakers included River & Trails Journal, http://rivers- extended to the Fieldale Trail and the Deborah Bohannon, Chair of the trails.blogspot.com/. T Butler 4 NC Mayo River State Park Opens ! A long-term dream took another step toward cally as Mayo Park, which was developed in 1948 by realization as the interim facilities of the North Carolina Washington Mills as a community recreation area. The Mayo River State Park in Rockingham County opened to centerpiece is a restored pavilion-style picnic shelter the public on April 1. Long desired by the county’s citi- designed by renowned architect Antonin Raymond. A zens, the park was authorized by the North Carolina protégé of Frank Lloyd Wright, Raymond introduced a General Assembly in May, 2003. Japanese style of architecture to the U.S., incorporating County officials had approached DRBA foun- local materials and creating buildings that are in har- ders Lindley Butler and Jeffrey Johnston the preceding mony with the native surroundings. December, asking DRBA to work toward the park’s crea- Land acquisition for the North Carolina Mayo tion.