Alice Ferguson Foundation
Connecting people to the natural world, sustainable agricultural practices and the cultural heritage of their local watershed through education, stewardship and advocacy.
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South Branch – Blue Ford to Indian Rock Meander
April 9, 2023 @ 8:00 am - 2:00 pm
The South Branch Science Consortium is organizing a canoe-based river cleanup near Green Spring in northern Hampshire County from Blue Ford to Indian Rock fishermen’s access areas (along Arnold Stickley Road) on Saturday, April 8. This is part of a larger collection of Potomac River cleanups supported by The Alice Ferguson Foundation and Project Clean Stream.
Volunteers will provide canoeists who arrive at the Indian Rock Fishermen’s Access before noon with a shuttle to the upstream launch point, so participants only need a single vehicle. There is no rain date. We can often help with a shuttle any day someone wanted to do a canoe-based cleanup on this somewhat isolated stretch of the South Branch.)
Paddlers, especially, can reach some tough spots where trash accumulates in our otherwise beautiful creeks and rivers.
There are tall cliffs on the northern side of each meander of the South Branch near Indian Rock, so this is among the prettiest stretches of the river; but the flood plains opposite the cliffs also collect significant flood debris from upstream.
To take advantage of the shuttle, arrive at Indian Rock between 9am and noon, and contact Jim@SouthBranchPotomoc.org to make special arrangements.
Contact Jim@SouthBranchPotomac.org. Register here for supplies (Bags, gloves, etc.): https://bit.ly/SouthBranchCleanup
Related Events
- County: Hampshire
- Site Type: River
- Is RSVP required?: 1
- Who should participants contact for questions?: With questions, or to RSVP, contact Jim Egenrieder at Jim@SouthBranchPotomac.org
- Notes: Kids over 10 will enjoy this trip with their parents, but should never be unsupervised. Everyone should be on the lookout for venomous snakes and cautious with extra weight in their canoes, especially while the water is still too cool for swimming. Cell phone access in this part of the South Branch valley near Green Spring and Levels is very limited, even with a tower in nearby Oldtown, MD. Sometimes T-Mobile and U.S. Cellular customers get phone or data access, and others may get lucky, but do not rely on cell service. To get to Indian Rock, go through Green Spring and then south along Arnold Stickley Road. The South Branch Consortium will provide gloves and bags to participants, and arrange disposal of collected trash.
- Site Leader Phone/Email: 571-482-8289 Jim@SouthBranchPotomac.org
- Directions: From Oldtown Bridge, travel south 0.5 miles under the railroad bridge. Turn left on Arnold Stickley Road. Travel 3.4 miles to Indian Rock Fisherman's Access on the Left.
- Maximum Volunteers: no limit