Latest News

7th Annual Spring Meltdown

Our 7th Annual Spring Meltdown on April 26 was an evening filled with fun, great live music and great support for FODC.  Huge thanks to FODC Board Member Brian Carlson for stepping up at the last minute to be our auctioneer.  Thanks also to The Soul Miners and Billy Matheny for entertaining the crowd, to the Morgantown Brewing Company for hosting and Adventure WV for a great group of volunteers.  Click here for more info and a complete list of our auction item donors here.

FODC Receives $5,500 for Citizen Scientist Monitoring Program

FODC is excited to announce that we have received a $5,500 grant from 3 Rivers QUEST, a water quality monitoring program through the West Virginia Water Research Institute, to support another year of our vital Citizen Scientist Monitoring (CSM) project. The CSM program began last year as part of our Watershed Bill of Rights project. 30 Citizen Scientists collect bi-weekly water quality measurements at 38 sites throughout the watershed, providing important pre- gas drilling baseline data. Thank you to 3RQ and to our committed Citizen Scientists!  Click here for more information on the Watershed Bill of Rights.

Youth Advisory Board inspiring the next generation

FODC's Youth Advisory Board has been mentoring students at the Morgantown Learning Academy on all kinds of water quality issues.  Working in the outdoors and along West Run, our YAB'ers are providing the MLA youth the tools needed to become the next generation of environmental stewards.

YAB also has been hard at work delivering recycling bins to schools in Morgantown and demonstrating the importance of not only recycling but also reducing consumption and waste.  Visit the YAB News page here for additional details.

To join our award-winning Youth Advisory Board or to get more information, contact Education Coordinator Jen Osha-Buysse at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Upcoming Events

Outdoor Learning Park "Final Reveal" Community Makeover, Sat July 13

Come on down to FODC's Outdoor Learning Park on Saturday, July 13 for the "Final Reveal" of our Community Makeover.  Staff and volunteers have been hard at work preparing for the event for over a year by removing invasive species, planting a wildflower garden, planting trees donated by Citizen Scientist John Bird, widening park paths and doing general maintenance throughout.  New elements to be introduced to the community include 3 educational kiosks, funded by a Chesapeake Bay Trust grant, and a small picnic pavilion, constructed through generous donations of time and funds by Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant, ACI Restoration and Biafore Landscape.  The event will be 11a - 2p with a ceremony at 12p to highlight the roles of all partners.

The OLP is located behind the Sabraton Kroger and along the Deckers Creek Rail-Trail.  The goals of the OLP are to protect and restore the land, educate the public on environmental initiatives, be a focal point for acid mine drainage (AMD) pollution and habitat restoration, and explore the use of art in the outdoor environment. In the past, FODC’s Youth Advisory Board (YAB) used the OLP for an AMD & Art Workshop, a Water & Wildlife Workshop, creek insects workshops, and a community stewardship garden.

Save the Date - Sat, Oct 5:  Deckers Dash 5K and West Virginia Water Festival

FODC is changing things up for our annual Fall fundraising event.  For the first time, we are hosting a 5K race called The Deckers Dash the morning of Saturday, October 5.  Additional details and registration will be available at the beginning of June.  The Deckers Dash is replacing our traditional Deckers Creek Adventure Race.

And then from 11a - 5p, FODC, along with BOPARC, the Morgantown History Commission and Mon River Trails Conservancy, is hosting a West Virginia Water Festival at Hazel Ruby McQuain Waterfront Park.  The Water Festival will be an opportunity for the community to participate in fun, hands-on, educational activities on a variety of topics all dealing with water - from water quality and watershed issues to recreation, history and commerce.  There's no WVU football game that day, so nothing to keep you from coming on down.  Stay tuned for details!

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Deckers Creek is a scenic tributary to the Monongahela River in north central West Virginia. From its headwaters outside the historic town of Arthurdale, Deckers Creek meanders through Preston County into Monongalia County where it descends through a steep scenic gorge.  This beautiful section of Deckers Creek is filled with waterfalls, boulders, and rock slides, contains world class kayaking, and is frequented by kayakers, rock climbers, bikers, and swimmers.  From here, Deckers Creek passes through several communities and into Morgantown, where it empties into the Monongahela River.

Over the years, Deckers creek has been degraded by numerous pollutants. These pollutants include, but are not limited to, acid mine drainage (AMD), bacteria from combined sewage overflows, heavy metals, sediment, trash, and general abandonment, which negatively impact the 64-square mile watershed.  The biggest threat to the watershed is AMD.  This product, of abandoned coal mines, destroys the environmental quality of Deckers Creek and its tributaries, turns the waters red-orange, and creates acid conditions in which fish and macroinvertebrates cannot live. 

Friends of Deckers Creek is working to clean-up the decades of environmental degradation that have been inflicted on the watershed.  Through remediation projects, trash clean-ups, community outreach, and environmental education, it was FODC’s goal for the entire length of Deckers Creek to be fishable by 2010 and swimmable by 2015, turning the creek from a liability into a community asset.  However, delays in getting a treatment facility at the devastating Richard mine discharge have pushed back this deadline to 2020. To learn how you can help or to become a member, check out our calendar and newsletter, or send us an email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . 

FODC's Mission:  To improve the natural qualities of, increase the public concern for, and promote the enjoyment of the Deckers Creek Watershed.