Updates from WV Rivers Coalition
May 2026
Taking West Virginia’s Water Priorities to DC & Tracking What’s Happening at Our State Capitol
WV Rivers Policy Specialist Maria Russo holds a corner of the West Virginia state flag with fellow clean water advocates Ashley Bunches (impacted resident), Caitlin Ware of From Below, and both Quenton King and Jennifer Imm of Appalachian Voices in Washington, DC. Photos by Jay Mallin.
This month, members of the WV Rivers staff and board attended meetings in Washington, DC focused on federal water investments and long-term protections for communities in the Mountain State.
Our team participated in conversations around:
- Water infrastructure appropriations
- The restoration and protection of the Ohio River Basin
- Ongoing advocacy related to PFAS contamination and drinking water protections
These meetings are part of a larger effort to ensure West Virginia communities are represented and prioritized in national conversations about clean water, public health, and infrastructure funding.
WV Rivers Coalition also traveled to the WV State Capitol this week for interim meetings, tracking ongoing conversations that could have major impacts on West Virginia’s water. The House schedule included sessions on nuclear energy, data centers, and water issues, which caught our attention.
If you are interested in participating in in-person lobby days with WV Rivers Coalition in the future, click the button below to sign up to become a District Advocate.
Action Alert: Tell Decision-Makers to Invest in Our Water Infrastructure NOW!
Water on the graphic above was submitted to From Below: Rising Together for Coalfield Justice from all over Southern WV.
Right now, advocates, impacted residents, community leaders, and partner organizations are calling for major federal and state investments to address West Virginia’s growing water crisis — including priority support for communities that have carried this burden for far too long in the Southern Coalfields.
According to the EPA’s 2023 Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment, West Virginia will need $4.5 billion in drinking water infrastructure investments over the coming decades to address aging systems and improve water quality.
We are urging leaders and decision-makers at every level to:
- Support a federal investment of $250M in long-term drinking water and wastewater infrastructure improvements across West Virginia
- Prioritize communities experiencing the greatest burden from failing systems and water contamination, especially in southern WV
- Support federal and state funding requests to address urgent clean water needs
- Ensure all West Virginians have access to safe, reliable, and affordable drinking water
- Treat West Virginia’s water crisis with the urgency it deserves
Will you add your name today and join the growing call for meaningful investment in West Virginia’s water infrastructure?
Mini Grant Spotlight: Rain Barrels & Community Action in Braxton County
Judy’s Garden Club hosted a rain barrel workshop and sent 44 rain barrels home with residents across Braxton County following a successful workshop!
This spring, Judy’s Garden Club used a WV Rivers mini grant to host a rain barrel workshop in Braxton County — and the response was immediate!
Registration filled within 24 hours.
About two months before the workshop, Judy’s Garden Club took off in trucks with trailers to DeLallo Foods in Jeannette, PA to purchase the 55-gallon olive barrels. When they returned, volunteers cleaned the barrels, pre-drilled holes, and practiced assembly in preparation for the event.
During the workshop, Judy’s Garden Club member Dina Weiss led participants through the full process of setting up, using, and storing rain barrels. After getting the instruction, participants were able to dive head in (some literally) to their barrels for assembly with Garden Club members on hand to help!
Special guest Tomi Bergstrom from the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection Watershed Improvement Branch spoke about stormwater runoff, watersheds, and non-point source pollution. Jocelyn Gibson-Keener organized a letter-writing station where participants shared concerns and ideas related to clean water, utility rates, environmental oversight, data centers, and more.
By the end of the project, 44 completed rain barrels went home with Braxton County residents.
Judy’s Garden Club also thanked local partners including Elk Conservation District, Sutton Public Library, Sutton Farmer’s Market, WVDEP Watershed Improvement Branch, and DeLallo Foods for helping make the workshop possible.
Apply for a WV Rivers Mini Grant
The next mini grant deadline is June 15. If you have an idea for a community project focused on clean water advocacy through public engagement, restoration, or watershed education, we encourage you to apply.
ICYMI: Recordings from Our Recent Webinars
Missed one of our recent webinars? Recordings are now available to watch online.
- Learn from Dr. Paul Angermeier about warming temperatures and changing stream conditions, and the impact on coldwater species like brook trout and candy darters in Appalachia.
- Watch the West Virginia Watershed Network’s recent training on event planning best practices with Samantha Nygaard from the National Parks Conservation Association, focused on organizing successful community events, workshops, and volunteer gatherings.
Trout in the Classroom: Trout Release Season
Bronson Cody Brown of the Southern WV Chapter of Trout Unlimited talks with Miss Emily Lively’s students from Midland Trail High School at a trout release on Dunloup Creek in the New River Gorge.
Students across West Virginia wrapped up another season of Trout in the Classroom by releasing trout they spent the school year raising and learning from in their classrooms.
In Southern West Virginia, Midland Trail students participated in a litter cleanup and trout release along Dunloup Creek with partners from the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, Southern West Virginia Chapter Trout Unlimited and the West Virginia Division of Highways, as well as teachers from their school and WV Rivers Southern WV Coordinator Katherine McGraw.Students cleaned up the Stone Cliff Trail, learned about stream health, and released the trout they had carefully raised through the school year. WV Rivers helped support the program through a mini grant.
In Northern West Virginia, four Monongalia County elementary schools gathered at Mason-Dixon Historical Park for a day of trout releases and hands-on watershed education. Students rotated through stations focused on wildlife, aquatic life, trees, art, and watershed science. At the WV Rivers table, Northern WV Coordinator Blake Flessas talked with students about what trout need to survive and how clean, healthy watersheds support stream life.
These events would not be possible without dedicated teachers, school staff, agency partners, and community groups and members helping students connect directly with West Virginia’s waters. Thank you!
Remembering the 2016 Floods and Preparing for What Comes Next
A vehicle makes a wake along the flooded Lower Oakford Ave. Friday, June 24, 2016, in Richwood, W.Va. (Rick Barbero/The Register-Herald)
This June marks 10 years since the devastating 2016 floods that impacted communities across West Virginia forever.
A stationary storm front dropped 10 inches of rain in less than 24 hours causing rivers and creeks to surge far beyond their banks. Downtown Clendenin flooded under five feet of water. Howard Creek, a tributary of the Greenbrier River, tore through White Sulphur Springs. In Richwood, homes were swept from hillsides and into the streets below.
Entire communities were cut off overnight.
When the waters receded, 23 people were dead. Thousands of homes were damaged or destroyed. Hundreds of roads and bridges were damaged or collapsed across 12 disaster-declared counties.
But like with every major disaster in West Virginia, alongside the devastation rose neighbors helping neighbors, emergency crews working around the clock, churches and community groups organizing and distributing supplies, and people doing everything they could to protect one another.
Ten years later, many communities across Appalachia still remain vulnerable to flooding. Aging infrastructure, increased development in flood-prone areas, degraded streams and floodplains, and more frequent extreme rain events continue putting communities at risk.
WV Rivers continues working alongside partners and residents on flood resilience, recovery, and long-term preparedness efforts. Here are resources we collaborated on with Rebuild by Design, who will be visiting with us in a few weeks to continue this work: rebuildbydesign.org/west-virginia
Flood response cannot just be about recovering after disaster. West Virginia needs a strategy focused on reducing harm before the next storm arrives.
Stay tuned for more information. We hope you will tune in.
Come Together for a Community Paddle
RSVP now! We’re paddling with pride on the Greenbrier River on Sunday, June 7th. Boats are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Join WV Rivers Coalition, Greenbrier River Watershed Association, and Greenbrier Valley Pride for Paddle with Pride on the Greenbrier River on Sunday, June 7, 2026 for a relaxed, community-centered float from the public access point at Caldwell, WV to Ronceverte Island Park, followed by an after party at The Sportsman Tavern in Ronceverte, WV.
Our goal for this float is to create space for everyone to feel welcome, visible, and at home on the water with us. Whether you’re a seasoned paddler or just getting started, this is a space to connect, celebrate, and enjoy one of West Virginia’s most beloved rivers together.
Getting people on the river is one of the best ways we can protect our water resources. People who spend time outside — building real connections to beloved places like the Greenbrier River — are often the ones most willing to stand up and protect them.
Event Details
📍 Greenbrier River (Caldwell to Ronceverte Island Park)
📅 Sunday, June 7
🕒 10:00 am Float from Caldwell Boat Launch + After Party beginning at 2:30 pm with karaoke at The Sportsman Tavern in Ronceverte.
Special thanks to our sponsors so far: National Wildlife Fund, Romano & Associates, and Strange Communications. View sponsorship package details linked on the event registration page.
Become a Member of WV Rivers Coalition to Deepen Your Commitment to WV’s Natural Resources
Can we count on you? Help power community workshops, water and public lands policy advocacy, river events, and grassroots mobilization across the state. Members receive updates, action alerts, and opportunities to stand with people working every day to protect West Virginia’s waters. Make a donation today to become a member.
