New River Currents, the newsletter for the New River.

New River Conservancy Annual Meeting

The New River Conservancy celebrated another year of protecting the New River watershed on the banks of the New at New River's Edge in Pembroke, Virginia. We began the day with a community paddle/ river clean up and ended the day honoring some of the best of us.

Thank you to everyone who came out to join us, and thank you to everyone who continues to believe in and support our mission.

Mike Horn awarded

Lifetime Achievement Award

We were incredibly pleased to award Mike Horn the Wallace and Peggy Carroll Vigilance Lifetime Achievement Award. The Wallace and Peggy Carroll Vigilance Awards honor the spirit, dedication, and perseverance that former Winston-Salem Journal publisher and editor, Wallace Carroll, brought to the battle to save the New River.

Andrew Downs and Charlotte Hanes spoke of Mike's dedication to the New River for almost 50 years.

Click here to read more

Charlie White awarded

VA Volunteer of the Year

We are likewise pleased to award the Wallace & Peggy Carroll Vigilance Volunteer of the Year Award winner from Virginia to Charlie White, for the work he has done with Water Watchers and Friends of Peak Creek.

John Copeland, NRC Water Quality Coordinator, concurs with ”Charlie Whittle is a faithful Water Watcher. In fact, looking back at my sampling records for 2025, Charlie never missed a sample, which is spectacular for a guy who is turning 80 this year. He is a key individual in the largest monitoring network I administer, the Peak Creek watershed.” The Volunteer of the Year recognizes an individual who, within the past year, has participated in a significant way to preserve, protect, and restore the River.

Amy Heflin awarded

NC Volunteer of the Year

We are also pleased to award the Wallace & Peggy Carroll Vigilance Volunteer of the Year Award winner from North Carolina to Amy Heflin for her work on many NRC events and clean ups.

From Will Sowards, NRC Clean Up Coordinator“Since October, Amy has been on multiple river clean ups, removed Bradford Pear Trees on restoration events, and she saved our butts at New River Symposium and the New River Canoe Race. In addition to her consistent support on the water, she also does a great job advocating and spreading our mission.” From Stella Cybulski, NRC Director of Development “One of the things I love about her is she is always the calm needed at the registration tables. She was so helpful at the Canoe Race, at Symposium. She provides the calm needed.”

West Virginians awarded

Vigilance Awards

the Wallace & Peggy Carroll Vigilance Award winners from West Virginia will be presented to WV Rivers for the Advocacy Group of the Year and Aquatic Ecologist National Park Service, Jennifer Flippin for the WV Volunteer of the Year Award. Eve West, Chief of Interpretation at New River Gorge National River, Gauley River National Recreation Area, and Bluestone National Scenic River will receive the Doug Blatney Public Service Award, one of the highest honors NRC can bestow upon an individual. 

The Awards will be presented at The Gaines Estate on August 9, 2026 as part of the “Journey’s End” event from 3:00 – 6:00 PM.

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Join us as we celebrate the Journey’s End of the New River Expedition 2026 and bid a final farewell to the amazing crew at the historic Gaines Estate in Fayetteville, WV on Sunday, August 9, 2026 from 3:00 – 6:00 PM.

We are excited to bring to you one final chance to meet the New River Expedition crew live and in person. Talk to Abbey, Anastasia, Dave and Lucy about their journey through almost the entirety of the New River, and their adventures along the way.

Find out what’s next for the New River Water Trail and the benefits it could bring to your community.

A cocktail hour plus presentation from the crew will be highlights of the afternoon at the Gaines Estate, a restored 1920’s era mansion that sits on 192 acres in downtown Fayetteville, WV . T

he estate is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Tickets for this incredible afternoon are just $20 and include hors devours and soft drinks. A cash bar with beer, wine and cocktails will be available in the main house for the event.

Crew Journals on Substack

Read Week Eight of the Crew Journals on our Substack page, and subscribe for new entries to come straight to your inbox each Friday.

As we approach our finish line, we continue to be grateful for the support, new friends and old friends joining us, and everyone who has made this journey one that will be remembered for the next 50 years and more.

Director of Conservation position open



For full description and particulars, please visit HERE

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The staff, board of directors, and volunteers of the New River Conservancy have been dedicated to protecting the waters, woodlands, and wildlife of the New River Watershed for over 50 years. We're here for 50 more. Join us!