The mighty Allegheny River is one of three up for consideration for Pennsylvania’s 2024 River of the Year.
The river, which won in 1994 and 2017, starts as a stream in Potter County, crosses into New York and then runs through six counties in Western Pennsylvania, right down to Pittsburgh, where it meets the Monongahela River and flows into the Ohio River, providing drinking water to more than one million people and acting as an ecologically and economically precious water trail.
The Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers, an affiliate of the Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC), administers the River of the Year program with funding from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
The description offered of the 325-mile Allegheny River is as follows: “The fertile valleys and abundant biodiversity have led many communities to call this place home, including the O-non-dowa-gah (Seneca Nation) who call the Allegheny Ohi:yo’ (beautiful river), the Lenni Lenape (Delaware Nation) who named it welhik-heny (most beautiful stream), and French settlers who referred to it as La Belle Riviere.
“A series of locks and dams were constructed in the early 20th century to make the Allegheny River navigable for barges to transport goods, and now swimming, boating and fishing are profoundly enjoyed by residents and visitors. The river includes the Allegheny Islands Wilderness, a seven-island, 372-acre preserve that boasts old-growth hardwoods and prolific bird populations.”
The wildlife found along the Allegheny are of note.
“The US Forest Service has documented over 50 mammals, 200 birds, 25 amphibians, 20 reptiles, 80 fishes and 25 freshwater mussels in and around the Allegheny, including the threatened salamander mussel (Simpsonaias ambigua), who help improve our water quality by filtering out sediment and pollutants,” the description read.
“Whether you are bird watching, island camping or traveling through the locks, you are sure to find that the Allegheny River is rich with life, history and beauty. Join Three Rivers Waterkeeper in making the Allegheny River the 2024 River of the Year!”
The nominees for the 2024 River of the Year are the Allegheny River, Lackawaxen River and Youghiogheny River.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the Allegheny River was in a slim lead with 42% of the votes, followed by the Youghiogheny at 39% and Lackawaxen at 17%.
Nominations were based on each waterway’s conservation needs, successes and programming plans if the nominee is voted 2024 River of the Year.
Selection of public voting choices is overseen by the Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers (POWR) in cooperation with DCNR. The public can vote for a favorite state waterway through 5 p.m. Jan. 19.
The Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers website at pawatersheds.org enables voting and offers details on nominated waterways and the River of the Year program. Voting is managed through Woobox, an online contest application restricting voting to one email address.
