You may remember the fall 2019 newsletter when we spent some time with Shenandoah County Planner, Tyler Hinkle, to get to know him better. Well, he has an effort underway that we thought you might be interested to know more about: a master plan for the North Fork of the Shenandoah River.
The purpose of the master plan is to develop a community-vetted vision for the North Fork of the Shenandoah River and its tributaries to guide future investments and improvements in the watershed. An underlying premise for the project is that the North Fork of the Shenandoah River is one thing that connects all Shenandoah County residents—whether as a source of drinking water, a memory of a time enjoyed on the river, a class lecture in school, a recent news article, or a visit to one of the public access points to the river.
The plan proposes three areas of study and implementation. The first is water quality, which will identify opportunities to increase public awareness and understanding of the tools available to address water quality issues. The second aspect identifies public access improvements, whether at existing boat launches, trails, or fishing spots or by locating new sites. The third aspect looks at larger infrastructural improvements such as addressing bridges, dams and even connected trail systems.
The Alliance’s Kim Woodwell is one of the community partners helping to guide the process and she will be sure to let you know when it is time for input from the watershed community, which includes, of course, all Shenandoah County residents.