The Cville weekly newspaper has just published a spread of articles about the Rivanna River and its watershed. It's worth a read. You can learn about many of the programs being undertaken locally to understand the health of the watershed, to clean up those river sections that are impaired, and to preserve, one hopes, the river and its tributaries for future generations.
The writer speaks of traveling for a spell on the Rivanna in Charlottesville above the Woolen Mills Dam. Because it is good time of the year to be on the river, I encourage anyone who can to get on the Rivanna and see for yourself. When I first came to Charlottesville, it took me a good spell of time to learn to care about this river that runs through what I now consider my home town. After all, it's often muddy - not so appealing - and hard to even get to, save a few public locations such as Darden Towe and Riverview Park and Pleasant Grove down in Fluvanna County.
And ironically, one of the most effective protections for habitat and health also shields the view. Riparian - or riverside - buffers help slow erosion and absorb pollutants that run off urban and agricultural landscapes before they enter the streams and river. But the better the buffer, the harder it is to see the river. And out of sight tends to be out of mind.
In the last few years, I've spent a good amount of time on the Rivanna in canoe and kayak, and I know that my view of the river has changed. For one thing, it simply is a different view: at water's level, you become part of the landscape of flowing water. You can be first to see the blue heron in flight, or the kingfisher weaving downstream in raucous complaint. You can see for yourself how the roots of gigantic sycamores argue for a toe hold on the river bank, and how some have succumbed to gravity, now providing a perch for turtles seeking the sun's warmth. You can pass under Free Bridge, or Route 615, or Route 15, hear the hum of tires of cars going very fast somewhere, while you are moving at the only at speed of water, and somehow this is just fast enough. And you can see for yourself first-hand why conservationists are working to preserve the river and its watershed.
And there are a whole lot of opportunities for you in the next couple of months. One way to find out what's being offered on the Rivanna is to take a look at the pamphlet called Rivanna River Days published by the Rivanna Conservation Society.
In it, you'll see that the Conservation Society is hosting several floats for beginning and experienced boaters, culminating in the 2nd annual Rivanna River Regatta and Festival on June 9th. There are also recreational kayak classes being offered by Blue Ridge Mountain Sports and UVa Outdoor Recreation. The Rivanna Rowing Club gets going on the South Fork Rivanna Reservoir with opportunities for newcomers to try out the seductively pleasurable process of pulling by oars a very long, and very thin, boat through the water. Hard work, and hard to master, but oh so satisfying when you eventually get everyone working together.
Then there's the James River Sojourn, a 7-day educational river journey hosted by the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay which this year starts on the lower Rivanna River in Fluvanna County on June 17th and ends up, ninety miles and six days later on the James below Richmond after traversing some of the most scenic and undeveloped lands of the Piedmont.
And meanwhile, upstream on the James, the Batteaux Festival kicks off on June 16 in Lynchburg and travels past Columbia on down to Maidens Landing, following the historic trail of river boats in use in the 1800s. These traditional craft are being readied for that journey, as captains pull their boats from Totier and other local Creeks, where they lie submerged for the winter so that their planks stay swollen and protected from dry rot.
Like the herons and osprey and other inhabitants of the riparian world, we need space to do our own kind of grazing, and enough habitat that is private and protected to nourish ourselves with a landscape of green. If you?ve not spent any time on the Rivanna in the summer, I hope this year you might take advantage and spend some time in a boat, in the flow, on the river, cooled by water, and refreshed by the slower pace. The Rivanna River Days brochure can be found around town or online at rivannariver.org. Your personal Rivanna River Days are just downstream. I hope you can partake of the waters.
Listen to "The Rivanna Rambler" - a weekly environmental radio show hosted by RCS member Leslie Middleton Thursdays from 11:55AM-NOON on WTJU 91.1.