Several newspapers carried stories today reporting that the Youghiogheny River has been designated River of the Year by the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
The articles noted that the Pennsylvania Environmental Council will play a central role in promoting the River of the Year by, among other things, helping to revive the Yough Sojourn.
Excerts from two of those articles follow.
Tourist-favorite Youghiogheny honored
From The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Pennsylvania's 2008 "River of the Year" is far from a model watershed.
But perfection isn't the point of the annual designation.
The 132-mile Youghiogheny River, which flows north out of West Virginia and through Somerset, Fayette, Westmoreland and Allegheny counties, was recognized this week for the sometimes-raging waters that attract more than 100,000 boaters each year and to raise awareness of abandoned mine and sewage overflow pollution.
"While it is recovering from serious degradation from mine drainage, the Youghiogheny remains fragile and in need of ongoing improvements and protection from new sources of pollution," state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Michael DiBerardinis said when announcing the honor.
... Because it is downstream, that sewage problem does not affect the Yough's most popular attraction -- the rapids in 19,000-acre Ohiopyle State Park. Coupled with an 18-foot waterfall, the rapids stopped George Washington's quest for a river route through the Laurel Highlands to the forks of the Ohio River, said Brad Clemenson, senior projects manager for the Pennsylvania Environmental Council, who researched the Yough's history and recreation to submit it for River of the Year.
The biggest threat to the upstream part of the river is abandoned mine drainage, which several watershed groups are working on, he said.
"It's, at times, frustrating," Clemenson said. "You want to see (cleanup projects) done sooner, but they're continuing to make progress."
This summer, the council plans to revive the "Yough River Sojourn" that will feature several days of canoeing, white-water rafting and bicycling.
"The Yough is a marvelous river," Clemenson said. "A lot of people just know of the white water, but there's a lot of other sections of the Yough that are fun to paddle and scenic to explore."
Tourist-favorite Youghiogheny honored
From The Mon Valley Independent
It's been 10 years, but for Bob McKinley it seems like just yesterday that the Youghiogheny River was named River of the Year.
The Regional Trail Corp., for which McKinley served as executive director from 1993 to 2003, was in the midst of constructing the Yough River Trail.
"(1998) was a turning point," said McKinley. "People knew we were building it, but suddenly it wasn't just a trail, it was a community. It was more than just riding a bike or walking on a trail.
"The River of the Year designation got us publicity we never could have had."
This week, the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources again bestowed that title on the Youghiogheny River.
... Hannah Hardy, president of the RTC and program manager for the Southwestern Regional Office of the Pennsylvania Environmental Council, said water quality has improved greatly in the 10 years since the Yough was last named River of the Year.
That is the result of the efforts of various environmental groups, Hardy said.
"The fact that the Yough River was named river of the year is evidence of the fact that the Yough River is experiencing a resurgence and recovering from such issues as mine drainage," Hardy said.