On November 27, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the PA Organization for Watersheds and Rivers open public voting for the 2019 Pennsylvania River of the Year.  The deadline for voting is January 4.

Voters will have the opportunity to cast their ballots for the Clarion River, Conodoguinet Creek, Delaware River, or the Lackawanna River.

“Pennsylvania is filled with countless waterway treasures,” said Gov. Tom Wolf. “I encourage everyone to vote on their favorite river as this annual contest enters its ninth year.”

Nominations consider each waterway’s conservation needs and successes, as well as celebration plans if the nominee becomes 2019 River of the Year.

“This annual undertaking is much more than a public vote gauging popularity of a Pennsylvania waterway,” said Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn. “Regardless of outcome, the competition builds community support around our rivers and streams, putting them in the public limelight. All have unique attributes; offer incredible recreational opportunities; and offer significant boosts to local economies.”

Presented since 1983, this year’s 2018 winner was Loyalsock Creek.

“We are excited to kick-off, for the ninth year, the public on-line voting process for Pennsylvania River of the Year,” POWR Director Janet Sweeney said. “The River of the Year program is a great way for us to highlight the opportunities and challenges facing the state’s waterways.”

After a waterway receives the annual honor, local groups put in place a year-round slate of activities and events to celebrate the river, including a paddling trip, or sojourn. The organization nominating the winning river will receive a $10,000 leadership grant from DCNR to help fund River of the Year activities.

POWR and DCNR also work with local organizations to create a free, commemorative poster celebrating the River of the Year.

The River of the Year sojourn is among many paddling trips supported each year by DCNR and POWR. An independent program, the Pennsylvania Sojourn Program, is a unique series of a dozen such trips on the state’s rivers.

These water-based journeys for canoeists, kayakers and others raise awareness of the environmental, recreational, tourism and heritage values of rivers.

Click Here to vote.

For more information on rivers, visit DCNR’s Rivers Conservation webpage.

For more information on state parks and forests and recreation in Pennsylvania, visit DCNR’s website, Click Here to sign up for the Resource newsletter, Visit the Good Natured DCNR Blog,  Click Here for upcoming events, Click Here to hook up with DCNR on other social media-- Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr.

NewsClips:

Voting Now Open For 2019 Pennsylvania River Of The Year

Vote Now: Lackawanna River Competing For 2019 River Of The Year

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[Posted: Nov. 28, 2018]

12/3/2018