Paddle Season Begins!

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Subject: Paddle Season Begins!

Paddle Trip to Celebrate the Earth

Here is the season's first FOMR paddle opportunity. On this excursion, you will see the beautiful waterfall of Falling Spring Run right at the beginning of your trip. You provide the boat, we provide the planning!

Due to COVID-19, this will be a facilitated but SELF-GUIDED float trip.

Date: Saturday, May 1, 2021

Time: Put-in anytime between 8:00 am to 9:30 am

Approximate length of trip: 5.5 miles, 2.5-3 hours

River: Middle River, approx. MM 31.7 to MM 26.2

Cost: Free

(Backup Raindate: Sunday, May 2 )

Read more and sign up HERE!

Volunteers Needed for E. Coli Monitoring

We are looking for several volunteers to collect water samples for our E. coli monitoring program on the Middle River. The project begins in July and will entail collecting one or two water samples monthly and delivering them to our lab. This simple task should require about an hour of your time on one day each month. Training will be provided. Ideally, we would like volunteers to make a one-year commitment to the project. Interested? Call or email Kate at info@friendsofthemiddleriver.org or 540-609-8267.

Lost Water Shoe

One of our early-season paddlers lost a green and black Astral Water Shoe some where around the Franks Mill area of Middle River this month. He says the shoe "bobs like a cork" so if you are in this area and see it, please grab it if you can! Found shoe can be reported to Kate at info@friendsofthemiddleriver.org. Thanks!

Watch & Talk: Kiss the Ground

Headwaters Soil and Water Conservation District (HSWCD) will be hosting a facilitated discussion of a new documentary. Kiss the Ground reveals that, by regenerating the world’s soils, we can completely and rapidly stabilize Earth’s climate, restore lost ecosystems and create abundant food supplies.

· When: Thursday April 29, 2021, 7:00 - 8:00 pm

· What: You'll watch the documentary Kiss the Ground on your own time; then join HSWCD online for a live Q/A discussion with local soil health and sustainable agriculture experts.

· How: HSWCD will use Zoom online video conferencing. You need to register in advance. You’ll receive the Zoom link to join the webinar, and a link and instructions on how to watch the film in a confirmation email from Headwaters Soil and Water Conservation District.

· Register for the webinar and instructions how to watch the film HERE.

· For more information on the film: https://kissthegroundmovie.com

CoCoRaHS...

Catchy name, but what’s it all about?

It's Community Collaborative Rain and Hail, Snow (coco-razz). There are over 20,000 volunteers throughout the USA that take five minutes a day to record precipitation. The data is put into an interactive map daily and can be accessed by anyone including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Pictured above are a few FOMR members involved with CoCoRaHS. The more we understand what falls on the ground the better we can understand what flows down the Middle River. Here is a 1-minute video of Neil explaining how CoCoRaHS and Middle River work together.

Could you help out? If you have a little extra time and want to add to the knowledge contact Neil. He’s the guy with the cup of coffee. He will help you get set up with a rain gauge and has even volunteered to bring a post and set it for you.

Neil Tucker 540-810-8053 Text or Call

Email: neilatmdlrvr@gmail.com

Where is that Darn Dam?

Whether you are planning to paddle Middle River using access through a friend's property, or whether you are using accesses via our River Access Program, you will want to keep in mind that there is a (darn) dam on Middle River that will need to be factored into your planning.

The New Hope Dam is at mile marker 16.2 just upstream of where Dam Town Road crosses Middle River. If you are in our River Access Program, this hazard falls between two of our accesses around mile markers 20 and 14.

It is not possible to safely go over the dam, and could in fact be life-threatening. If you want to portage around the dam on either side, you must get prior permission from landowners to walk on their property. These landowner permissions have NOT been secured by Friends of the Middle River.

Stay safe out there!

Coming Up

April All Month FOMR Earth Day Activities:

Restore the Earth Art and Photography Activity HERE

Litter Cleanup and Classification Activity HERE

April 12-30 Earth Day Staunton Scavenger Hunt

April 27 FOMR Board Meeting 6:15 pm

May 1 FOMR Celebrate the Earth Paddle Trip

Friends of the Middle River

P.O. Box 131,

Verona, VA 24482

540-609-8267

Web: www.friendsofthemiddleriver.org

Email: info@friendsofthemiddleriver.org

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Subject: Paddle Season Begins!