Welcome to Friends of Russel Fork!
Recently made a Virginia state scenic river, the Russell Fork River runs northward through Buchanan and Dickenson
Counties in Southwest Virginia, passes through a dramatic gorge in scenic
Breaks Interstate Park on its way to Kentucky and eventually flows into the Big
Sandy River. The Russell Fork provides recreational opportunities for locals
and visitors alike and has long been popular with kayakers, particularly on
October weekends when John Flannagan dam offers weekend releases that generate
Class IV and V rapids through the gorge. Parties from both Virginia and Kentucky
are currently working with the USACE to expand the duration of the releases to
better economic development.
On the Virginia side, the Russell Fork cuts through steep terrain and encounters few urban areas on its route. The economy of this region throughout the years has been founded on coal mining and logging, and increasingly on natural gas extraction. Some of the environmental issues facing the Russell Fork are sedimentation, illegal dump sites, poor septic facilities and acid mine drainage. Sedimentation, which blankets streambeds and damages aquatic habitats, arises from the steepness of the surrounding landscape coupled with poor resource extraction practices. Illegal dumping, a chronic problem in the region, contributes to poor drainage and chemical contamination of waterways. Straight-piping, aggravated by poverty and poor soil, persists. Dickenson County remains the only county in Virginia still listed by the Appalachian Regional Commission as economically distressed.
Friends of the Russell Fork (FORF) is a young watershed group based in the town of Haysi. FORF comprises of local citizens who want to improve the quality of the waterways in the Russell Fork watershed, restore the diversity of aquatic life, promote economic development in their community and develop programs for environmental education. FORF partners with schools, businesses, government agencies, and nonprofits to clean illegal dump sites, monitor streams, give citizens access to lawful wastewater treatment, and raise public awareness about environmental issues.
Please browse our website to learn about our constant efforts to keep this river healthy and beautiful. Click on the Donate link below or to the donation page to financially assist Friends of the Russell Fork. If you want to join or update FORF on any projects, fund raising opportunities or environmental news, don't hesitate to shout!
On the Virginia side, the Russell Fork cuts through steep terrain and encounters few urban areas on its route. The economy of this region throughout the years has been founded on coal mining and logging, and increasingly on natural gas extraction. Some of the environmental issues facing the Russell Fork are sedimentation, illegal dump sites, poor septic facilities and acid mine drainage. Sedimentation, which blankets streambeds and damages aquatic habitats, arises from the steepness of the surrounding landscape coupled with poor resource extraction practices. Illegal dumping, a chronic problem in the region, contributes to poor drainage and chemical contamination of waterways. Straight-piping, aggravated by poverty and poor soil, persists. Dickenson County remains the only county in Virginia still listed by the Appalachian Regional Commission as economically distressed.
Friends of the Russell Fork (FORF) is a young watershed group based in the town of Haysi. FORF comprises of local citizens who want to improve the quality of the waterways in the Russell Fork watershed, restore the diversity of aquatic life, promote economic development in their community and develop programs for environmental education. FORF partners with schools, businesses, government agencies, and nonprofits to clean illegal dump sites, monitor streams, give citizens access to lawful wastewater treatment, and raise public awareness about environmental issues.
Please browse our website to learn about our constant efforts to keep this river healthy and beautiful. Click on the Donate link below or to the donation page to financially assist Friends of the Russell Fork. If you want to join or update FORF on any projects, fund raising opportunities or environmental news, don't hesitate to shout!
