Widmyer Elementary School Wetlands
Widmyer Elementary School was built in the floodplain of Warm Springs Run, destroying the wetlands at the south end of the property. Without the wetlands, runoff from the surrounding steep hills increased the frequency and severity of flooding, especially at Berkeley Springs High School, located downstream of the elementary school. In 2009, the Eastern Panhandle Conservation Agency, in partnership with the Morgan County School Board, reestablished the wetlands.
Wetlands typically have three characteristics: soggy soils, water-loving plants, and standing water. In addition, they provide habitat for frogs, salamanders, and small fish, as well as a nesting site for red-winged blackbirds. Wetlands naturally control stormwater. Known as the “kidneys of the earth,” wetlands operate on the standard principles of green stormwater management: stormwater runoff is captured in ponds and absorbed and filtered by the soil.
In 2019 and 2020, WSWA received Stream Partner grant funds to install a boardwalk and three benches to make the area more accessible and inviting to the general public.
Members of the local Boy Scout troop installed a bridge over the Run, allowing easier access to a meadow seeded with native wildflowers.
Local artist Mary Klotz provided signage informing people about the importance of wetlands to the community.
The work we do is meaningful
Stay informed about our efforts to protect and restore the Warm Springs Run watershed. Sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest news, events, and ways you can get involved.
Read Our News and Articles
The Bypass and its Unnatural Shale Barrens
What’s Going on with Those Bare, Rocky Slopes Along the Bypass? If you’ve driven along the…
The Critical Importance of Groundwater Stewardship
What if the most important river in Morgan County never appears on a map—because it’s flowing…
WSWA Battles Invasive Species
It takes an army to tame purple loosestrife. In our case, that army’s soldiers are about…