Lynchburg Water Resources is partnering with the U.S. Forest Service in its Pedlar River Watershed Restoration Project which includes ecological investments that will improve water quality in the Pedlar River and the Pedlar Reservoir, the City of Lynchburg’s main water source. The U.S. Forest Service was recently awarded nearly $2 million for this project.

The Pedlar River, located in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests in Amherst County, has been identified as one of the highest priority watersheds in the Southern Appalachians because of its ecological importance and provision of clean drinking water to roughly 100,000 people in Lynchburg and surrounding counties.

“We are extremely excited to have the opportunity to partner with the U.S. Forest Service and other partners and their use of the Collaborative Aquatic Landscape Restoration funds to further enhance and protect water quality,” said Tim Mitchell, Director of Lynchburg Water Resources. “This will not only benefit the aquatic habitat and water quality in the Pedlar River Watershed but will also benefit over 100,000 people in Lynchburg and portions of surrounding counties that depend on the Pedlar Reservoir for their drinking water.”

“We value our relationship with Lynchburg Water Resources and appreciate this collaborative opportunity to allow active forest and watershed management to protect the quality of drinking water for downstream residents,” said the Forest Service’s Glenwood and Pedlar District Ranger, Lauren Stull.

The Pedlar River Watershed Restoration project will include the following improvements:

• Augmentation of James River Spinymussel populations
• Prescribed burns on 4,000 acres to reduce risk of wildfires
• Non-native invasive plant species control on 1,000 acres
• Tree plantings of chestnuts, oaks, and short leaf pines
• Restoration of 2 acres of wetlands
• Reduction of sediment on 23 miles of U.S. Forest Service roads
• Decommissioning 1.42 miles of roadway
• Riparian buffer management and planting
• Recreation rehabilitation in fishing areas and at Oronoco campground

Other partners in the program include the Nature Conservancy, Trout Unlimited, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ruffed Grouse Society, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, National Forest Foundation, Conservation Legacy and Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources.

On June 12, Lynchburg Water Resources hosted officials from the U.S. Forest Service and other partners at the Pedlar Reservoir as an official kickoff for the program. Mike White, LWR’s Reservoir Caretaker, provided a tour of the reservoir area and Pedlar Dam for those in attendance, including Rick Lint, Southern Region Deputy Regional Forester, and Joby Timm, Forest Supervisor for the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest, among other Forest Service officials.

For more information about this project, call Lynchburg Water Resources at 434.455.4250.