Work Resumes On The George Washington Forest Plan
Warm Springs, VA – A draft revision of the George Washington Forest Plan is scheduled to be released in March 2011. Public meetings will occur to answer questions and take additional public comment during the spring and summer of 2011. A final revision of the George Washington Forest Plan is set for January 2012. Evaluations, analysis and information discussed at previous meetings are available on our website.
Repair work that added new decking and rails to the Walton Tract Bridge were completed by Tri County Construction. Funding for this project was available from The Recovery Act. The Walton Tract bridge repair was the last of the Recovery Act projects in our area. A total of $4.1 million dollars of Recovery Act projects were funded on the George Washington Forest.
The elevation of Lake Moomaw is approximately 16 feet below full pool or normal levels. The lake was 23 feet below full pool last November. Pulse releases are continuing on a trial basis over the next 12 months.
The pulse releases simulate natural storm flows in the Jackson River and are designed to better transport impurities downstream in the river system. These pulse releases have not affected lake levels by more than 6 inches which was the original agreement between the Forest Service, Army Corps of Engineers and the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation.
Hidden Valley Campground will open on March 25 this year. Campground 1 at Lake Moomaw will open on April 1. Campgrounds 2, 3 and Sugar Ridge at Lake Moomaw will open on May 23. McClintic Point and Blowing Springs Campgrounds remain open year round.