What’s your dam story? New River Conservancy looking for stories and memorabilia for Saved by a Salamander event

April 24, 2024
For immediate release

Conservation of the New River in Ashe County, NC and Grayson County, VA has a rich and successful history that deserves to be remembered and celebrated. By raising awareness and celebrating success, Saved By a Salamander Day, May 18 from 1:00 – 8:00 PM at the Old Store at Grassy Creek,  not only shares the story of conservation, but also educates the community about conservation efforts that will help everyone enjoy the New River and its remarkable wildlife for years to come. 

The years-long fight by the New River’s advocates resulted in permanent protection for the New, with 26 miles ultimately designated a National Wild and Scenic River, signed into law by President Gerald R Ford on September 11, 1976. In addition, North Carolina formed the New River State Park, protecting 1,500 acres along the river for the public to enjoy.

This is how we began, with people coming together to protect the New River in the face of a proposal to build two hydroelectric dams. Deemed The Blue Ridge Project, these dams were a proposed two-dam pumped storage and hydro-electric project on the upper reaches of the New River in Grayson County, VA and Ashe and Alleghany Counties in NC. The New River, and the way of life along it, would have been changed forever. More than 42,000 acres would have been lost. Homes gone. Lives altered in everlasting ways.

This year, those that were part of the fight or living in the region are asked to share their dam fight story. Did you write letters from your classroom? Did your parents talk about it at the dinner table? Did you join the fight in some way – paint rocks, go to Washington, write letters? Tell us your story, bring your memorabilia to the Saved by a Salamander event. We’ll have tables available for photo albums and scrapbooks, and a place for you to share your stories of the dams of the Blue Ridge Project.   You can also upload your story at https://newriverconservancy.org/whats-your-dam-story/

Saved By a Salamander Day is a fundraiser for New River Conservancy, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.  All donations are tax deductible.  For more information, please contact Lisa Stansell-Galitz at li**@ne*****************.org