National Park Service wants to hear from you on Pike Drive Dam

GLEN JEAN, WV (WOAY) The National Park Service is conducting civic engagement on the Pike Drive Dam/Pond Decommissioning and Restoration Project.  Comments are being accepted through September 23, 2021.

The NPS is considering decommissioning an earthen pond dam and reclaiming the 1.25-acre impounded area as a wetland and wildlife habitat.  The dam and pond, located in New River Gorge National Park and Preserve off Pike Drive at Interstate 64, exit 129, do not meet modern design criteria and are currently failing and hazardous to human safety, natural resources, and infrastructure below the dam. The NPS is considering decommissioning the dam because of the present hazards, high cost of repair, and relatively low value of the pond for natural resources or visitor use.

In addition to general comments, the NPS is seeking comments on two topic questions:

  1. Are there any visitor use, wildlife, vegetation, aquatic, or cultural resources impacts that the NPS should consider?
  2. Are there any visitor opportunities or considerations that you would like to see addressed in this area?

How to Comment

Please consider the topic questions above then number your responses to match the corresponding question. Please feel free to provide general responses as well.

Members of the public and organizations are encouraged to provide comments online through the National Park Service Planning, Environment, and Public Comment website, which is used by the agency to manage official correspondence and analyze public comment in the planning process. From the project website, https://parkplanning.nps.gov/PikeDriveDam, navigate the menu on the left hand side of the page to Document List, and Comment on Document.

Comments may also be submitted in writing to:

Attn: Pike Drive Dam Project

National Park Service

New River Gorge National Park and Preserve

PO Box 246

Glen Jean, WV 25846

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