What’s Going on with Those Bare, Rocky Slopes Along the Bypass?
If you’ve driven along the U.S. 522 bypass, you’ve probably noticed the steep, rocky slopes with sparse vegetation and sliding shale. At first glance, those with some knowledge of geology might think these slopes resemble a rare Appalachian landscape known as shale barrens—but what you’re seeing is something quite different.
True Appalachian shale barrens are natural formations: steep, south-facing slopes made of thin, fragile shale with very little soil and intense summer heat. They host plants and animals specifically adapted to drought, instability, and blazing sun. In Morgan County, these natural barrens are found only in limited areas near the Cacapon River.
The slopes along the bypass may look similar, but they are not natural. They were created rapidly through blasting, grading, and large-scale earthmoving during construction. In just a few years, this work produced conditions that natural processes would take centuries to form. The result is a kind of “constructed barren”—a landscape that behaves like shale barrens in some ways but is far more fragile and unstable.
These slopes sit within the Warm Springs watershed, a network of springs, seeps, and tributaries that feed Warm Springs Run as it flows north to the Potomac River. Because the bypass cuts directly through this system, the condition of these slopes now plays an important role in how water moves across the landscape.
Where vegetation is beginning to return, roots and leaf litter help stabilize soil and rock, slowing runoff and reducing erosion. But where slopes remain bare or thinly vegetated, heavy rains inevitably wash sediment downslope into culverts and ditches, eventually reaching Warm Springs Run. This can increase flooding, erode streambanks, and degrade water quality.
Accordingly, even though the bypass slopes are not natural shale barrens, they have an outsized impact on the health of the watershed. They influence how quickly stormwater moves, how much sediment enters the stream, and how well downstream channels hold together. Importantly, they also sit upstream of springs and wells that many residents rely on.
These slopes are a visible reminder of something important: how we build—and how we respond afterward—can either damage or heal a watershed. The landscape we see today is the result of human action, which means restoration is also within our power.
That restoration is already beginning. The Warm Springs Watershed Association has applied for a major grant from the Chesapeake Bay Trust to reforest 34 acres along the bypass corridor. By planting trees and restoring native vegetation, this initiative aims to stabilize the slopes, slow stormwater, and rebuild a protective buffer between the highway and the waterways below.
This work does not try to make the landscape “look natural.” Instead, it recognizes the reality of what has been altered and focuses on what can be repaired. Deep-rooted trees and diverse plantings can gradually transform these unstable cuts into a recovering forest edge—one that better serves both people and the watershed.
There are also simple ways the community can support this work. Pay attention as you travel the bypass and notice where vegetation is returning. If you are walking near these publicly accessible areas, stay on established paths so young plantings have a chance to take hold. And consider joining and getting involved with the Warm Springs Watershed Association through volunteer days, stream cleanups, or public meetings that shape the future of our water.
Our ridges are more than a scenic backdrop. Even where they have been cut and reshaped, our choices still matter. In the Warm Springs watershed, we have an opportunity to turn these constructed barrens into living buffers—and to remember that the truly rare shale barrens along the Cacapon River deserve our respect and protection as well.