Allegheny River Wins 2017 PA River of the Year Contest
Penn Soil RC&D Co-Sponsors River of the Year Celebration
Among the most biologically diverse watersheds in Pennsylvania, and a federally designated National Wild and Scenic Recreation River, the Allegheny River in western Pennsylvania has been designated the 2017 Pennsylvania River of the Year. The general public was invited to vote online from Nov. 14-Dec.19, 2016 choosing from among four waterways nominated across the state. At the conclusion of the public voting campaign, the Allegheny River was the clear winner tallying 45% of the more than 16,700 total votes cast for the four finalists.
As the organization that nominated the Allegheny River, Penn Soil Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Council, a registered 501-c-3 charitable organization serving the residents of eight northwestern PA Counties will receive a $10,000 leadership grant from the PA DCNR and the PA Organization of Watersheds and Rivers to help plan and celebrate the River of the Year celebration. DCNR and POWR will work with the Penn Soil Resource Conservation and Development Council to create a free, commemorative poster celebrating the Allegheny River. Penn Soil RC&D will also coordinate with many partner organizations to manage the 2017 River of the Year celebration over a large geographic area to hold educational and recreational events connecting residents and visitors alike to the value of clean water and the resources provided by a high quality stream such as the Allegheny River.
As part of the 2017 River of the Year Celebration, Penn Soil RC&D will be co-sponsoring a series of public events to be held in various locations from the source of the Allegheny River in Potter County all the way downstream to the confluence with the Monongahela River in Pittsburgh, where it forms the Ohio River. From the $10,000 River of the Year grant awarded by PA DCNR and POWR, Penn Soil RC&D will be offering a mini-grant program to co-sponsor River of the Year Events in communities all along the Allegheny River. The River of the Year Grant requires us to provide a local cash match to those funds and there are limitations on what the grant funds can be used for, so we are also searching for additional partners who would be interested in co-sponsoring the River of the Year Celebration. For the time being, there is no hard and fast deadline to submit an application for a mini-grant to co-host your own River of the Year Event. For more information on the Penn Soil RC&D River of the Year Mini-Grant Program in a PDF version Click here
We also invite you to consider becoming a River of the Year Celebration Sponsor by reviewing the River of the Year sponsorship materials. Your sponsorship benefits will apply to all River of the Year events occurring after receipt of your sponsorship commitment. At the present time, we are aware of at least six events that are already being planned and we anticipate that the number of events could possibly grow to more than 20 events that will occur starting in April and happen throughout this calendar year. Please click here for more information about sponsorship opportunities for the River of the Year Celebration.
To View the River of the Year Celebration Calendar of Events, Click Here
To View a summary of the River of the Year Celebration Click Here