The Town Run Watershed Steering Committee was awarded a $5,000 Stream Partners Grant to improve stream and river health, educate community members about their watershed, and engage volunteers in watershed protection, recreation, and restoration activities. Founded in 2023, the Town Run Watershed group works to protect and enhance the Town Run, which runs from Morgan Grove Park through Shepherdstown, as a source of drinking water for Shepherdstown as well as a natural area for recreation to be enjoyed by all the community.
Town Run Watershed group is one of 20 volunteer organizations to receive a Stream Partners grant for 2025. According to Kay Schultz, one of the group’s founders, Town Run is one of the most beloved features of Shepherdstown and has been so important in the development of the character of the town. The grant will be used to support monthly stream cleanups, monitor water quality, offer outreach events, and develop outreach materials to share with students and the community. Sandy Brown who coordinates the monthly work sessions to remove invasive plants in and along Town Run added that community building happens when people join together to take care of Town Run.
Established in 1996, the Stream Partners Program is a four-agency cooperative administered by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, State Division of Forestry, the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, and the State Conservation Agency. For more information on Stream Partners Program, visit West Virginia Stream Partners webpage.
