Virginia's New River Valley region, colloquially named, is a four-county area along the New River in Southwest Virginia in the United States , including such major features as Claytor Lake , part of the Jefferson National Forest , the city of Radford , the town of Blacksburg , and the river itself, including the Pulaski terminus of the New River Trail State Park .
54-546: Local TV stations and tourism marketing promoters use the phrase to mean the counties of Giles , Pulaski , Montgomery and Floyd , the towns within them (e.g., Blacksburg), and the independent City of Radford, all located in the New River watershed. While Floyd County is not on the New River itself, it shares the Little River (New River tributary) with Montgomery and Pulaski. Radford is nicknamed "The New River City," as it and
108-647: A county located in the U.S. state of Virginia on the West Virginia state line. As of the 2020 census , the population was 16,787. Its county seat is Pearisburg . Giles County is included in the Blacksburg - Christiansburg , VA Metropolitan Statistical Area . Giles County is the location of Mountain Lake , one of only two natural fresh water lakes in Virginia. The lake drains into Little Stony Creek, which passes over
162-483: A diverse variety of amphibians like hellbenders (large aquatic salamanders). There are nearly 40 species of reptiles like the eastern fence lizard , five-lined skinks , copperhead snake , black rat snake , river cooter , stinkpot turtles (common musk turtle) and snapping turtles . And many benthic macroinvertebrates including worms , crustaceans and immature forms of aquatic insects , such as dragon fly , stonefly and mayfly nymphs. The New River and
216-501: A migration corridor for both plants and animals. For this reason, animals more commonly found much farther south may reach the northern extent of their range in the New River Gorge area. Likewise, animals more commonly associated with the northern forests may reach the southern extent of their range in this area. Other animals are found only in the New River area. These species, called endemics , were isolated from similar populations by
270-574: A waterfall known as The Cascades before reaching the New River . Giles County was established in 1806 from Montgomery , Monroe , Wythe , and Tazewell counties. The county is named for William Branch Giles who was born in Amelia County in 1762. Giles became a lawyer and from there was elected to the United States House of Representatives where he served from 1790 to 1815. He also served in
324-681: Is a river which flows through the U.S. states of North Carolina , Virginia , and West Virginia before joining with the Gauley River to form the Kanawha River at the town of Gauley Bridge, West Virginia . Part of the Ohio River watershed , it is about 360 miles (580 km) long. The origins of the name are unclear. Possibilities include being a new river that was not on the Fry-Jefferson map of Virginia, an Indian name meaning "new waters", or
378-493: Is impounded by three small dams between Galax and Ivanhoe : at Fries , by Byllesby Dam, and by Buck Dam. Continuing north, the river enters Pulaski County, Virginia , where it is impounded by Claytor Dam , creating Claytor Lake . North of the dam the New River accepts the Little River , bends around three sides of the city of Radford, Virginia and bends again around the Radford Army Ammunition Plant , marking
432-466: Is spanned near Fayetteville, West Virginia , by the New River Gorge Bridge ( US 19 ). "Bridge Walk" tours are offered on the 2-foot (0.61 m) wide steel catwalk running under the bridge deck. The bridge is also open for BASE jumping once annually on Bridge Day . Multiple West Virginia stage record fish were caught along the New River. Listed from upstream to downstream: Much of
486-611: The 1977 Surface Mining Reclamation Act (SMCRA), and are completely or partially unreclaimed. Since 1987, the National Park Service and the Office of Surface Mining (OSM) have worked together to mitigate the most severe safety hazards identified on this inventory. Air pollution sources resulting from activities within the park includes windblown soil and dust from construction activities, smoke from residential wood burning, automobile emissions, and forest fires. A significant issue for
540-617: The Appalachian Regional Commission , and it is identified as part of "Greater Appalachia" by Colin Woodard in his book American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America . It is the site of two of the highest mountain peaks of Virginia . As of the census of 2010, there were 17,286 people, 7,215 households, and 4,899 families residing in the county. The population density
594-870: The Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program. The park lies directly in the path of the leading edge of spongy moth infestation. Baseline data on the condition of resources, which would be the indicators of the effects of defoliation, does not exist. Critical documents, such as the Environmental Assessment for spongy moth management, require detailed information and hard scientific data in order to justify management actions. Many areas within New River Gorge have been impacted by either strip or deep mining for coal, as well as by oil and gas operations. The park has completed an Abandoned Mine Lands Inventory (AML Inventory) that identifies 115 sites that are abandoned. Many of these sites were abandoned prior to
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#1732851351184648-735: The Ohio River at Point Pleasant, West Virginia . Much of the river's course is lined with steep cliffs and rock outcrops, particularly in its gorge in West Virginia. The New River is formed by the confluence of the South Fork New River and the North Fork New River on the Ashe County - Alleghany County line in North Carolina . It then flows through Alleghany County into southwestern Virginia, passing near Galax, Virginia . It
702-600: The Ridge and Valley Province , cutting between Walker Mountain and Sinking Creek Mountain , and then between East River Mountain and Peters Mountain . It then turns and following a more northwestward course into West Virginia, where it then cuts through the Appalachian Plateau in the New River Gorge . It meets the Gauley River to become the Kanawha River in south-central West Virginia. The Kanawha then flows into
756-478: The Virginia General Assembly from 1816 to 1822. In 1827, he was elected Governor. In all, he served his nation and state around a total of forty years. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 360 square miles (930 km ), of which 356 square miles (920 km ) is land and 4.6 square miles (12 km ) (1.3%) is water. Giles County is one of the 423 counties served by
810-577: The oldest rivers in the world , and certainly one of the oldest rivers in North America. The New River flows in a generally south-to-north course, at times cutting through the southwest-to-northeast-trending ridges and geological texture of the Appalachian Mountains , and flows directly through the Appalachian Plateau , contrasting with the west-to-east flow of most other major rivers to the east and northeast in Virginia and North Carolina, and on
864-562: The river's course through West Virginia is designated as the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve , and the New River is one of the nation's American Heritage Rivers . In 1975, North Carolina designated a 26.5-mile (42.6 km) segment of the river as "New River State Scenic River", by including it in the state's Natural and Scenic Rivers System . The segment was added to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System
918-401: The "NRV" region's population over 190,000. The New River Valley has several institutions of higher learning, including Virginia Tech , Radford University , Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine and New River Community College . 37°08′06″N 80°34′48″W / 37.135°N 80.58°W / 37.135; -80.58 Giles County, Virginia Giles County is
972-457: The 18th century. A branch of the Great Wagon Road led through the valley. The area was the location of several small American Civil War battles. While the U S. census does not count the "New River Valley" as a region, the government-recognized Blacksburg–Christiansburg metropolitan area includes the three larger counties and the city of Radford; adding Floyd County, population 15,000, puts
1026-496: The 190 towns in Virginia, Glen Lyn is the fifth smallest in population. Giles county is home to three public elementary/middle schools, two public high schools, and one technical school: The schools have a combined enrollment of 2425 as of mid 2014. The county and its courthouse are the setting of the 2013 Wish You Well (film) . 37°19′N 80°42′W / 37.32°N 80.70°W / 37.32; -80.70 New River (Kanawha River) The New River
1080-596: The Appalachian Mountains, and therefore is believed to be a corridor facilitating the movement of southern plant and animal species into West Virginia. In addition to serving as a refuge for some species, New River Gorge provides a geographical barrier that limits the east-west distribution of other species. Because the New River is so old, its habitats and wildlife have been able to achieve a form of stability. Millions of years of available passage have allowed many species of plants and animals to move in and persist in
1134-483: The Blue Ridge Pumped Storage Project. Many citizens in West Virginia felt that such a dam would negatively affect the gorge. Water flow and quality were major concerns. These West Virginia opponents to the dam joined those in Virginia and North Carolina and helped block the dam before shifting attention toward protection of the New River in West Virginia. The coalition ultimately chose a designation for
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#17328513511841188-619: The National Park Service. This low-level crossing of the Appalachians, many millions of years old, has long been a biogeographical corridor allowing numerous species of plants and animals to spread between the lowlands of the American East Coast and those of the Midwest . Unusual kinds of plants occur on the gorge's cliffs or rim-top ledges. Portions of this corridor are now also used by various railroads and highways, and some segments of
1242-558: The New River Gorge that would have a chance of success in Congress. That designation passed Congress in 1978. The New River exhibits class II to IV rapids in the summer, making it a popular whitewater rafting and kayaking destination. The spring runoff brings class IV and V rapids. Several commercial outfitters offer guided river trips. New River Gorge National Park and Preserve contains numerous trails for hiking and mountain biking, as well as over 1400 established rock climbs. The New River
1296-590: The New River continues upstream into North Carolina and downstream into West Virginia . Geologically part of the Great Appalachian Valley , the New River Valley became a contested frontier area in colonial times, and continued during the westward expansion of the United States. The first European to explore the valley was Abraham Wood of Fort Henry in 1671 and settlements began to develop in
1350-531: The New River, agricultural runoff, road salt runoff, direct discharge of residential sewage, inadequate municipal sewage treatment facilities, recreation waste streams, and industrial discharges. Pollution of rural streams by fecal coliform bacteria is a widespread issue. Since fecal coliform bacteria live in the gut of warm-blooded animals, fecal contamination of rural streams can come not only from humans, but also from livestock, pets, and wildlife (including birds). Several research efforts have been made to understand
1404-517: The New merges with the Gauley River to form the Kanawha River . The Kanawha is a tributary of the Ohio River , which in turn is a tributary of the Mississippi River . Few highways cross the gorge, with the most dramatic bridge by far being the New River Gorge Bridge on U.S. 19 , a steel arch bridge spanning 1,700 feet (518 m), with the roadway 876 feet (267 m) above the average level of
1458-665: The U.S. 19 bridge crossing it are shown on the West Virginia State Quarter , minted in 2005. This ancient river begins in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, and its North Fork and South Fork meet near the City of Boone, North Carolina . It flows generally northeastward through the New River Valley portion of the Great Appalachian Valley in western North Carolina and Virginia. It then crosses through
1512-478: The U.S. House of Representatives. The Giles County Sheriff's Department patrols and investigates crimes in the county. It also serves process, provides security for the county court, and operates the county's E-911 service. Since the establishment of the Sheriff's Office, 1 officer has died in the line of duty, in 1954. Giles County has five incorporated towns. Only nine other counties have more towns than Giles. Of
1566-429: The age of 18 living with them, 52.46% were married couples living together, 10.49% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.10% were non-families. 27.86% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.56% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.88. In the county, the population was spread out, with 22.70% under
1620-468: The age of 18, 4.89% from 20 to 24, 23.85% from 25 to 44, 29.43% from 45 to 64, and 18.03% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.14 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.55 males. The median income for a household in the county was $ 45,231, and the median income for a family was $ 53,750. Males had a median income of $ 41,521 versus $ 36,886 for females. The per capita income for
1674-495: The area in Congress. The initial goal, however, was not protective designation of the gorge in West Virginia, but stopping an engineering project on the Virginia-North Carolina border. Plans had been proposed in the early 1960s to dam the New River in Virginia, backing up water into North Carolina for pumped storage, the production of hydroelectric power, and the regular flushing of pollution downstream. Proponents called it
New River Valley - Misplaced Pages Continue
1728-447: The area. Since the New River cuts from east to west through the Appalachians, we find species that are typically Atlantic coastal plain and piedmont, such as melic grass , living with northern mountain species. Because time has favored the New River Gorge, certain unique species have been able to carve their own niches here. Several species of fish have evolved that are endemic (found nowhere else) to this river. New River Gorge lies at
1782-550: The boundary between Pulaski and Montgomery County, Virginia , before passing through Walker Mountain via a narrow water gap . After flowing north through Giles County, Virginia and the town of Narrows , the river crosses into West Virginia. The New River is impounded by Bluestone Dam, creating Bluestone Lake in Summers County, West Virginia . The Bluestone River tributary joins the New River in Bluestone Lake. Just below
1836-691: The core of the largest remaining block of relatively unfragmented, mid-latitude forest in the world. The gorge section of New River supports the most diverse plant assemblage of any river gorge in the central and southern Appalachians. This is due, in part, to the moisture gradient extremes that exist between the rim and river. This portion of southern West Virginia falls within the Mixed Mesophytic Forest Region . Recognized forest types include oak-hickory, mixed oak, oak-maple, oak-yellow pine, hemlock-hardwoods, northern hardwoods, cove hardwoods, and bottomland and floodplain hardwoods. Also located in
1890-514: The county was $ 23,766. About 6.60% of families (2000 census) and 12.7% of the population were below the poverty line (2012), including 17.70% of those under age 18 (2012)and 10.50% of those age 65 or over (2000 census). Giles is represented by Democrat John S. Edwards in the Virginia Senate, Republican Jason Ballard in the Virginia House of Delegates, and Republican H. Morgan Griffith in
1944-494: The dam the Greenbrier River joins the New River, which continues its northward course into the New River Gorge . Near the end of the gorge the river flows by the town of Fayetteville, West Virginia . A few miles northwest of Fayetteville, much of the New River's flow is diverted through the 3-mile (4.8 km) Hawks Nest Tunnel for use in power generation. The water re-enters the river just upstream of Gauley Bridge , where
1998-484: The exception of Floyd, the communities in the NRV promotion area comprise the statistical Blacksburg–Christiansburg metropolitan area . Further south in Virginia, outside the "Visit NRV" marketing campaign, the New River also flows through Wythe , Carroll , and Grayson Counties, and its physical watershed includes parts of Tazewell and Bland Counties, and small portions of Smyth and Craig Counties. Outside of Virginia,
2052-564: The exclusion of fire. Internal development projects, increasing recreational activities, and expanding commercial and residential influences on the boundary continue to put pressure on a highly fragmented base resource. Power lines and rights-of-way present additional problems. There is currently only limited information on all such areas throughout the park. Right-of-ways are routinely maintained with herbicides application or mechanically treated. There are currently no Special Use Permits in place to regulate this activity. Herbicides are managed through
2106-641: The following year. The quality of the surface water resources of the New River has been studied in recent years by both the State of West Virginia and New River Gorge Park Resource Management staff. Data from these studies suggest the presence of metals, organic contaminants and influx of raw sewage are common in many tributaries of the New River. Metals contamination, resulting from mining activities and or urban surface flows, are present in most tributaries. Other sources of pollutants within park boundaries include unlined landfills, illegal dumps, pesticide sprayed directly into
2160-420: The glaciers. On its journey through the New River Gorge, the New River passes through an extensive geological formation. Emergent rocks and rock outcrops are found to provide diverse habitat producing rich and abundant flora and fauna species. In the gorge, there is typically a 1000 feet difference in elevation between the river bottom and the adjacent plateau. The New River dissects all physiographic provinces of
2214-730: The gorge area provides critical habitat for birds such as bald eagles , osprey , great blue herons , kingfishers , numerous ducks and migrating waterfowl like loons , cormorants , hooded mergansers and other migratory birds including the Cerulean warbler, a species in decline elsewhere in its range. The New River basin has eight endemic species of fish, which are the Appalachia darter , bigmouth chub , bluestone sculpin , candy darter , Kanawha sculpin , Kanawha darter , Kanawha minnow , and New River shiner . The fur trading Batts and Fallam expedition of 1671, sent by Colonel Abraham Wood ,
New River Valley - Misplaced Pages Continue
2268-449: The gorge is the rare Appalachian Flatrock plant community which includes sedges, cedars and pines. This plant assemblage occurs on flat sandstone ledges along the New River and is dependent on the scouring caused by occasional flooding for its long-term integrity. A wide variety of animals live in and around the New River, the Gorge, and the surrounding forests. The New River has long served as
2322-575: The nearby Radford Arsenal are wrapped by bold loops in the river where it turns from flowing northeast to flowing northwest into West Virginia. The "New River Valley" name is also used by other institutions in the region, including the New River Valley Community College and New River Valley Regional Jail , both in the Pulaski County town of Dublin, although they serve a wider region than the tourism-centered "NRV" promotions. With
2376-511: The park is solid waste management. Hundreds of illegal dumps and roadside trash create both aesthetic and health and safety problems. Hazardous waste is also an issue. The area has active rail lines and abandoned mine operations. There is great potential for hazardous material spills to occur within the gorge. Also, some potential development sites within the New River Gorge have been surveyed during preliminary development concept planning. Asbestos has been found in several historic structures within
2430-498: The park, and this has lengthened the time and costs involved in renovation of these buildings. Over time, the New River Gorge has provided a refuge for plants and animals as habitats have shifted with changing weather patterns. As global climate change progresses, the New River Gorge will provide critical habitat for species displaced from warmer climates. According to the Geographic Names Information System ,
2484-412: The railroad tracks. The New River and its Gorge and Valley have been turned into protected parks and recreation areas along much of the river. Congress has designated the New River Gorge the "New River Gorge National River". The choice of national river designation came about through a long series of discussions among interested parties. A grassroots coalition formed and pleaded the case for protection of
2538-438: The river have been dammed for hydroelectric power production. The New River Gorge is not only quite scenic, but also offers numerous opportunities for white-water recreation such as rafting and kayaking . Many open ledges along the rim of the gorge offer popular views, with favorites including Hawks Nest State Park and various overlooks on lands of the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve . The New River Gorge and
2592-601: The river. This structure is the fifth-longest single-arch bridge in the world, and is also the world's twenty-third-highest vehicular bridge, and the fourth highest in the Americas. At the time it was built, New River Gorge Bridge was the world's highest bridge carrying a regular roadway, a title it held until the 2001 opening of the Liuguanghe Bridge in China. Ironically, the New River is considered by some geologists to be one of
2646-586: The role of these various potential sources of bacteria. One of these studies was conducted in New River Gorge by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the National Park Service. The results indicate that human-caused wastewater pollution is present in each of the four New River Gorge tributaries sampled. The report also found other sources of contamination in some streams. Most of the original deciduous forest stands and understory species have been impacted by past and current activities associated with timbering, mining, agriculture, transportation, utilities, and
2700-424: The steep, rugged terrain of New River Gorge and/or the tumultuous rapids and waterfalls of New River. Thus isolated, these animals evolved to be adapted to the unique circumstances of New River Gorge. Approximately 65 species of mammals are known to occur in the New River Gorge area, such as beaver , mink , muskrat , river otter . Continuous forest, abandoned mine portals, rivers and streams provide habitat for
2754-472: The surname of an early settler. It was once called Wood's River for Colonel Abraham Wood , an English explorer from Virginia, who explored the river in the mid-17th century. Despite its name, the New River is one of the five oldest rivers in the world geologically. However, a claim that the river is the second oldest in the world is disputed by the West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey and
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#17328513511842808-526: The west side of the Appalachians on the Plateau. It may have been in its present course for at least 65 million years. In the geologic past, the New River was a much longer stream. Geologists have named it the Teays . The last advance of Pleistocene continental glacial ice buried most of this river. At that time, the waters of the New were diverted into rivers (the present-day Ohio & Kanawha Rivers ) created by
2862-478: Was 48 people per square mile (19 people/km ). There were 8,319 housing units at an average density of 23 units per square mile (8.9 units/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 96.74% White , 1.51% Black or African American , 0.12% Native American , 0.32% Asian , 0.36% from other races , and 0.95% from two or more races. 1.21% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 7,215 households, out of which 29.27% had children under
2916-475: Was the first recorded exploration of the river. Variant names of the New River include "Wood River" and "Wood's River", after Abraham Wood. Mary Draper Ingles traversed the gorge during her 1755 escape from captivity among the Shawnees . Hiking or driving through New River Gorge today will provide glimpses of old stone walls, foundations of homes and buildings, coal mine entrances, and coke ovens decaying alongside
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