Project aims for busier James River, Roanoke Times Sunday, February 16, 2014 8:30 pm

There is a rule of thumb for paddling the James River. If the combined temperature of the water and air don’t add up to 110 degrees, then leave it for another day. In the dead of winter, the only people contemplating a float on the James are daydreamers and the folks who want to make the experience come summer more enjoyable for others.

Folks like Pete Peters, Botetourt County’s director of Parks, Recreation and Tourism, and others involved in the Upper James River Water Trail.

They recently got together to talk about what comes next for the project, launched just a few years ago.
Peters said there are now eight public places to launch a boat along the 45 miles of the James River flowing through Botetourt County.

Not all of them are easy to spot from the river. If an inexperienced kayaker misses a takeout, he might be in for a longer, more difficult journey than he anticipated.  That could change in the next few years. Peters said the group is working to develop more access points and to mark the water trail, much the same as a mountain trail, so that users know where they are and where the takeout points are located. Should something go wrong, rescuers would also have better reference points for finding those who land in a spot of trouble. “We want to come up with a river mile-marking system, and are working with the James River Association,” Peters said.

The James River runs 340 miles from its head in Iron Gate to the Chesapeake Bay. No group has yet marked it for recreation.  Peters said they haven’t settled on the type of sign, but that most likely it will have a logo and a number to mark the mile on the front and back. By working with the James River Association, the Botetourt organization is hoping that a unified design can be adopted for the length of the river.
Plans are to hang the signs on islands and overpasses and have them in place by the spring of 2015.
“Right now there are places where people have spray-painted dots on trees, if you know what to look for,” he said. But they aren’t always easy to spot or recognize, and boaters can miss their planned picnic or takeout spot.

Peters said they are also working to develop more access points and have identified three places — Last Lock near Eagle Rock, Glen Wilton and Roaring Run — that lend themselves to public improvements.
“Folks are already using them,” Peters said.  Last Lock is a spot marked with a flagpole to memorialize the last lock on the James River. The land is maintained by a garden club and owned by the Virginia Department of Transportation, which acquired it decades ago from CSX Corp.  “It’s above Eagle Rock proper on the left at a bend in the James,” Peters said. “What the county would like to do is see if it can be fully developed into a wayside park and boat launch.” And because it is near iron ore furnaces, Peters envisions a greenway running along the river linking attractions that visitors might want to explore.
Peters said county officials are already talking with VDOT and with the state Department of Conservation and Recreation on developing that area as well as the other two. Since many of the same people are involved in all three projects, Peters said, the county will work on them concurrently.

The water trail project was started in 2008 with planning and was officially launched in 2010 and continues to attract more people looking to canoe, kayak or fish along the Upper James River.
It’s hard to take an official count, but there are two measures. The first is what Peters calls the “eyeball test.” On a warm day the parking areas at the access points are filled. Then, there’s increased commerce.
Peters said new camps have started, business licenses for activities along the James have increased, fishing guides and outfitters are reporting upticks in business, and a few property owners have inquired about zoning changes so they can offer lodging.

He expects businesses catering to river users will continue to grow as the water trail is further developed.
Contact Luanne Rife at luanne.rife@roanoke.com.

Fishing Blog Post - January 2014  

We have some news about things to offer for this upcoming fishing season at Twin River Outfitters.  First of all, we have created a new website dedicated to the sole purpose of providing some up to date fishing information on the James River in our immediate guiding area.  We intend to post a monthly blog report of what has been working and other beneficial information as the season progresses.  The link is as follows:

 

http://www.jamesriverguide.com

Secondly, we have been fortunate to have had the services of Twin River Outfitters to be a part of a feature article in the February issue of Virginia Game & Fish on the state’s smallmouth forecast.  Many thanks to local outdoor writer Bruce Ingram for enabling this feature to come to print.

And lastly, if you and a friend are seriously considering a prime opportunity to catch a lunker pre-spawn smallmouth on one of our guided fishing trips this is the time to look at your calendar and focus on a date from late February to mid April.

Thanks and keep a tight line,

Richard Furman

Twin River Fishing Guide

James River Takeout - Cushaw Project

                         

            

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Cushaw Project Currents

FORVA Re-starts the Cushaw Project!  

            After a long, several years wait for the Glasgow access improvements to be completed, we have decided to move forward with our re-start for the Cushaw Project, the goal being a better take-out below Balcony.  The Glasgow improvements are somewhat bogged down in bureaucratic red tape, but at least the way is clear to use the new put-in that is directly on the James.  

           

First step:  apply to DCR

            The process set up by the legislature to apply for an at-grade crossing starts with a “Letter of Intent,” which is really a form that calls for nine different subjects to be addressed.  Then the application goes to the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR).  Jennifer Wampler is the point person at DCR.  After DCR reviews the application, and if it is approved by DCR, it then goes to CSX.   

Lock 14 is the first choice: 

            We are submitting a request for an at-grade crossing at Lock 14, which is a nice old historic canal lock in excellent shape.  Much of it is covered with brush and needs work.  Interested? 

            We plan to do a gravel road off Rt 501 that would run down to the track but not cross it.  There will be parking at the top of the hill but only a turnaround at the bottom for loading boats. 

CSX has argued liability, but has none: 

            Our last major work on this project was legislative.  We added language to the Virginia code that made it crystal clear that railroads would be exempt from lawsuits if they allowed the public to cross their tracks.  It remains to be seen if CSX has digested the new code and will recognize that liability issues are no more.  Their lawyers will not likely accept this as it reduces their work load. 

Cost of development?  

            We have estimated the cost of the project will be about $200,000.  Currently, we have $165,000 in funds available from Dominion Power.  So expect a major fundraising effort if we get the nod from CSX for the crossing. 

Support Grows: 

            Our newest letter of support for the project comes from Friends of the Roanoke River, as of January 7, 2014.  In February, we will solicit a support letter from the Botetourt County Blueway Committee.  If you know of other organizations or companies that would do a letter, please let me know.  

How to Help: 

Contact Bill Tanger:  Email address:  bill.tanger@verizon.net.   Home: 540-366-2228.  Cell:  540-266-0237. 

 

Cushaw Update – FORVA-FFV 1-7-14

Upper James River Clean Up Report

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2013

James River Association River Rat volunteer John Mays sent this report about a river cleanup on the Upper James.

 

Another 140 tires and a dump truck full of debris were collected from the Upper James River Water Trail this last week.  This was the 5th year the river clean up event has been conducted in Botetourt County.   The river cleanup efforts were coordinated by Twin River Outfitters out of Buchanan, VA with the logistical help of the Botetourt County Parks and Recreation & Solid Waste departments who help with properly disposing of the collected river trash.  This year the group collected 143 tires, several chairs, two tables, air conditioner, clothing items, and a basket ball with lots of holes in it.  The debris collected filled up a 30 yard dumpster and 1 small dump truck.

 

The clean up event was sponsored by Botetourt County Parks & Recreation Department, Botetourt Division of Solid Waste, Twin River Outfitters, the Clean Valley Council, and numerous private citizens who all share the goal of a tire free Upper James River.     This year's cleanup efforts were concentrated from Horseshoe Bend to Arcadia boat landings, and from the Iron Gate to the Craig Creek / Eagle Rock river access points.  The clean up was done on several days by Twin River Outfitters staff, with a group of about 14 volunteers concentrating on the section from Springwood to Buchanan Saturday Oct 5, 2013. 

A partial list of river cleanup volunteers included George Delvin, Adam Delvin, Walter Saundberg. Stephen Austin, Jacob Stump, Wayne Patterson, Jackie Stern, Milford Stern, Chris Adelinann, Tim McKee, Valentina Donnini, Zak Keith, Anastasia Donnini, Sharon Keith, James River High School Interact club, John Mays, Dan Mays, Michael Denton, Kevin Brookman, James Manuel, Dan Mays, John Mays, Mike Perdue, and Greg Perdue. 

The river cleanup efforts were started by Twin River Outfitters right as the Upper James River Water Trail initiative was being rolled out.  The outfitter's staff was tired of hearing the comment of "Hey that's a great river, but what's up with all those tires."   That motivated us to do something about it and with the help of many concerned volunteers and support of Botetourt County we are starting to make a difference.  With the 140 tires collected this year the cleanup efforts the group has now removed more than 800 tires from the Upper James River in Botetourt County significant visual difference as you float the river.

Thanks again to all those that helped keep our river looking great. Interested in helping out next year? We have already set next year's river clean up date for Saturday October 4, 2014. To volunteer, contact John and Dan Mays of Twin River Outfitters, 653 Lowe Street, Buchanan, Virginia, 24066. Email tro@canoevirginia.net or phone the office at 540-261-7334.

Upper James River Fishing Report - Blog Post #4

Welcome to the fourth of our seasonal blogs for fishing updates on our guided rivers in the Twin Rivers Fishing area.  Summer is on the “run” and early fall is already waiting in the wings.  Water levels are good, water temperatures have already started to move downward from the “bathtub” syndrome, and the weather has started to level off from many of the extreme downpours that we have seen this fishing season.  The sun position has already moved to a lower angle in the later part of the day – this is the first sign to a bass, especially a small mouth, that the season is about to change.  We should have already noticed that it is also getting dark at a much earlier time of the day, another  indicator for the wily small mouth.  The only real problem that we have is the slime that is showing up in many of our favorite fishing holes and areas.  This is, in my opinion, a problem that is principally brought on by mankind’s unwillingness to really address the nutrient overloading in the Upper James watershed.  Gathright Dam has started scheduled “pulses” of dam release or water purging, if you will, this season to help alleviate some of this algae that collects on the stream bed in the Jackson River and Upper James.   The leaves have also started to fall and are creating a few problems with getting crank baits and surface baits to stay in the strike zone for most of a retrieve. 

 

              

Caught by client on a jig & pig           

 

We had the good fortune to have a couple of guided fishing trips on the James during the past week and found the fishing to be quite good – our clients caught and released several good fish in the 2 to 3 pound size class and lost a couple of near citations (the big ones do always seem to get away).  Hard and soft minnow baits usually become fairly successful at this time of year with top-water, a small jig/pig, tubes, and creature baits rounding out the tackle box.  These small mouths will be getting ready to stock up on food for the upcoming winter months and the fall can not only provide for some real beauty on the river but can also provide for some good days of angling.  Keep this in mind:  the gradual lowering of air and water temperatures, the changes in daylight, and the lowering of the sun angle at dusk will cause you to find that your most productive fall fishing will generally, but not always, be in the last three hours of the day.  Take extra care of your fish, respect the river, and keep a tight line.  Contact John or Dan at Twin Rivers if you are interested in a personal guided fishing trip via canoe, kayaks, or raft @ canoevirginia.net/ or 540-261-7334.

Sincerely,

Richard Furman

Twin Rivers Fishing Guide