We have four schools in Southwest Virginia implementing TU's Trout In the Classroom (TIC) program; Castlewood Elementary, Clintwood High School, Coeburn High School and St. Paul Elementary, The Chapter has worked hard to secure funding for the these schools in order to provide a successful kick off in the fall of 2009. We have received generous donations from: Alpha Natural Resources, Dominion Power, American Electric Power, Clintwood High School and Culby Supply. Click on the TIC Logo above to find out more about each school and their programs.

TEACHERS: If you’re a teacher in Virginia, we’d like to alert you to some excellent educational programs that are part of our VCTU initiatives, the Trout in the Classroom, Tri-State Conservation & Fishing Camp and the Boy Scout merit badge award. For more information or details please contact us or access the links through our web site on the Education Page.

CONSERVATION EFFORTS

Mountain Fork - We are working to replace the culvert at FR704 crossing of Mountain Fork on High Knob. The chapter has been working with US Forest Service, US Fish & Wildlife and Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture (EBTJV) on a grant through EBTJV. We should know something by our next chapter meeting on our success in obtaining the grant. If unsuccessful, we will apply for an Embrace-A-Stream grant from Trout Unlimited. The hope is to have funds in place and work with the US Forest Service and Double C Environment Contractors to modify the stream bed with a series of rock vanes. This will raise the stream bed below the culvert and create a natural stream bed within the culvert. This will allow fish and other aquatic wildlife to migrate upstream to the base of the dam at High Knob Lake.

FR704 Culvert

Stock Creek - The Little Stony Creek Chapter has been working with Natural Tunnel State Park on restoring the stream banks and removing the sediment along stock Creek to improve trout habitat. We have received a grant from Appalachian Power Company this summer for $1,700.00 and we are applying for an Embrace-A-Stream Grant from Trout Unlimited. If successful the chapter will work with Double C Environmental contractors to install a series of rock vanes, restore the banks and plant trees along Stock Creek at the park's Interpretative Center.

TROUT RESTORATION

The Chapter recently worked in cooperation with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries to restore trout to a couple of area streams. The goal is to stock fingerling sized trout into the streams over the next several years to establish a healthy population of brook and rainbow trout in the respective streams. About 30,000 brook trout were stocked in a stream which is known to have native brook trout before. Also about 17,000 rainbow trout were stock in another stream. Both streams have seen a decrease in populations have over the years due to drought and over fishing. If successful the chapter plans on apply for a special regulations on the streams to insure future generations of native/wild trout.

Virginia Trout Stream Sensitivity Study (VTSSS)

Click the map to see the location of 2010 survey sites (links to a PDF version of the map).

The Virginia Trout Stream Sensitivity Study (VTSSS), led by the Department of Environmental Sciences at UVA, is one of the most useful and fun things we do in TU. The purpose of the study is to track pH and other water chemistry in our native brook trout streams. Changes in stream water chemistry, including reduced pH levels, have occurred due to acid deposition from rain and snow.

Some of Virginia's mountain streams now have acidity levels that harm brook trout and other aquatic life. Although some improvement has been observed due to reduced air pollution, many streams remain impaired.

Bill Deel, Mark Caruso and Mark Leonard of the Little Stony Creek Chapter participated by collecting samples from thirteen sample points on nine streams in Wise and Scott Counties. The streams that were sampled are located on High Knob and are fisheries that support brook trout in the area. Samples were delivered to UVa on the following Tuesday along with the Mountain Empire and New River Valley Chapters.

Little Stony Creek Coordinator,
Mark Leonard, rainbow@littlestonycreektu.com

Virginia Trout Streams Sensitivity Study (VTSSS) Web site,
http://swas.evsc.virginia.edu

Statewide Coordinator,
Marcia Woolman, mwoolman@crosslink.net