Few communities have spent more time as attuned to rising rivers, heavy rains, and threats of flooding as those along the South Branch watershed. Efforts and work made and completed in Pendleton County could provide benefits to those living downstream.
This has come to the fore in recent years as Pendleton County officials have continually raised concerns about conditions on the riverbed along major waterways in their jurisdiction.
To the Pendleton County Commission, emergency services coordinator Rick Gillespie noted last year the rise in the riverbed and accumulating obstacles, particularly on the South Branch River. This came after intense storms dumped heavy rains on the area over a year ago, flooding parts of the Pendleton County Senior and Family Services Center in Franklin.
Concerns over the safety and integrity of the nearby County Community Building sparked the move to purchase the old Franklin Elementary School and move both County and State offices to its higher elevation.
Pendleton County Emergency Rescue Training Officer Mike Alt has also repeatedly described fallen trees creating dangerous, and potentially deadly, obstacles for rafters, canoers, and kayakers Smoke Hole Gorge.
One major area of growing concern lies in a rapidly accumulating obstruction in the South Branch River just south of Franklin and the low water bridge. As rocks piled together over time, the obstruction gathered enough soil to support the growth of grasses and scrub trees. The “significant obstruction,” as Gillespie describes it, could create more danger during times of severe flooding.
A similar obstruction has grown in the South Branch River just upstream of the US 220 bridge at Petersburg Gap between Petersburg and Moorefield. Both the Hardy and Grant County Commissions have reported their fears for that important bridge if large-scale flooding dislodges that obstruction. The Potomac Highlands Conservation District has also registered its fears over the same obstruction for many years, even sharing offers from area contractors to perform the work at low or no cost.
Gillespie recently engaged officials from the United States Army Corps of Engineers and the National Weather Service in a Zoom call he shared with the Pendleton County Commission that “I have shared my drone photos of the river . . . and . . . the attached 2003 Google Earth view.” He explained to federal officials that the river had no obstruction in 2003. The problem started in 2011 and has grown steadily worse and potentially more dangerous in the intervening years.
He also “pointed out a concern that Sam Yokum has with the North Fork near their campground (at Seneca Rocks) as well as having mentioned the undermined trees that fall in the Smoke Hole section.”
Gillespie explained that he encouraged them to “conduct a study of all three of our major streams and they concurred that is likely good first step and a needed step.” He added that the federal government had some grants available to fully fund such a project should Pendleton County be determined to be “economically disadvantaged.”
If the County did not meet that designation, a match from the County or State might be necessary to secure funds for the study. In the past, the federal government has shown resistance to efforts to clean up and/or dredge down the riverbed in problem areas.
Pendleton County has also succeeded in starting a project to help warn communities downstream on the different forks of the South Branch River of rising waters.
Until now, the federal, state, and local officials have relied on two old fashioned stream gauges at Brandywine on the South Fork and at Franklin on the South Branch. These gauges measure streamflow. One can see their results on different federal government information websites, such as those monitoring for flooding or drought conditions.
With recent years bringing both high-intensity storms and serious drought conditions, Gillespie requested funds for six additional gauges with modern capabilities from the Pendleton County Commission. He stated that it “graciously” provided assistance.
“We are happy to report that the first of those gauges has been installed and is in operation,” stated Gillespie. It opened operation on the North Fork near Seneca Rocks on August 26, reporting the river depth at 1.54 feet when turned on. It registered a drop of just under two-tenths of an inch through the afternoon of August 27.
Appreciation was shared for the “partnership and expert work” by the West Virginia Flood and Integrated Warning System, or WV IFLOWS. They operate a public dashboard where anyone online can access stream level information.
“Once complete, the early warnings that we will receive for rapid stream rise will prove invaluable and may one day save lives,” said Gillespie. Early warning of fast rising water will be critical to all living near the river downstream of Pendleton as well.
