Boat Tour Looks at Future of the Monongahela River

The Monongahela River Association hosted its seventh annual "Mon River Boat Tour"

WBOY-TV
16 October 2010
By Mike Krafcik

MORGANTOWN -- On Saturday, close to 20 people boarded a 52-foot Enchantress Coastal Cruiser, guided by Grafton's Mayor Tom Bartlett and the Coast Guard Auxiliary.

The tour was sponsored for various community and economic leaders to look at the river and envision its potential from a new perspective.

"You have an opportunity to see the river firsthand. You get a different prospective, you really get a better feel for the great opportunities that the river provides us," Barry Pallay, Upper Monongahela River Association said.

The ride took passengers from the Hildbrand Lock & Dam to the Point Marion Lock & Dam. Organizers hope the ride will help community leaders focus on economic development along the river.

"The focus of the rides is to get the decision makers from the local community a chance to see the community from the riverside," Wally Vernable, Upper Monongahela River Association said.

Much of the group's discussion focused on promoting some of the rivers' recreational and economic potential.

"Great potential for economic development, riverfront development. This could be an economic engine for the next 10 years and on," Pallay said.

The river is a strong economic force for its heavy freight traffic and a source for drinking water for more than 1,000,000 residents. "It really is a bedrock for our local community," Vernable said.

Although the river has come a long way, the environmental effects of Total Dissolved solids (TDS) can't be ignored completely.

"We're going to have to work with the coal companies, agencies, especially in drought season to minimize the total dissolve solids that are in the river," Pallay said.