Allegheny named Pennsylvania's River of the Year
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The Allegheny River was voted Pennsylvania's River of the Year.
The Allegheny was one of three waterways nominated for the title and snagged more than 8,300 of the 20,200 votes to win, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources announced on Monday.
The organization Three Rivers Waterkeeper nominated the Allegheny and will receive a $10,000 grant to help fund year-long activities. There will also be a commemorative River of the Year sojourn to celebrate.
"We'll get some money to do a river sojourn and bring awareness to the Allegheny, highlight how important it is and what a cool river it is," said Captain Evan Clark with Three Rivers Waterkeeper.
The Allegheny River starts as a stream in Potter County and crosses briefly through New York before flowing through six counties in western Pennsylvania. The river ends in Pittsburgh, where it meets the Monongahela River and flows into the Ohio River at Point State Park.
The river provides drinking water to more than 1 million people. The U.S. Forest Service has documented over 50 mammals, 200 birds, 25 amphibians, 20 reptiles, 80 fishes and 25 freshwater mussels (including the threatened salamander mussel) in and around the Allegheny and its fertile valleys.
Jess Friss, the director of community programs at Three Rivers Waterkeeper, said the organization is excited by the public's support for the river.
"We are looking forward to everything we are able to do this year to promote all the wonderful resources the Allegheny River provides to us, including a summer kickoff!" Friss said in a news release. "We are dedicated to protecting the water quality of the Allegheny River and all its uses, and knowing that it was awarded the River of the Year because of the support of the community shows the collective commitment to environmental stewardship, recreation, and love for our waterways that defines this community."
The Allegheny River was up against the Youghiogheny, which got about 7,200 votes, and the Lackawaxen River, which got about 4,700.