The Shenandoah River
Journey down the North Fork from Brocks Gap to Harpers Ferry

The Shenandoah River has been a river that I have been drawn to since I grew up near its banks as a child. On a hot summer day during my youth, the river would be the place to cool off and enjoy nature. Today, the beauty of the river is still there but the health of the river has worsened with the years. Fish kills in the last few years have shown that its purity has been compromised and recent tests have found dozens of chemicals. Pollution, consumption, development and drought have made the Shenandoah one of the most endangered rivers in the nation. Because of this, I have decided to take on a project of extensively photographing the Shenandoah and its tributaries to show the beauty of the river during the seasons and its wildlife. I am also planning a journey to occur in the Spring of 2009 in which I will hike and canoe the entire length of the North Fork of the Shenandoah River from the spring where it begins to Harpers Ferry where it meets the Potomac River. I hope to promote awareness and action to help protect and preserve the river and the valley.

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Shoemaker River in early spring Shenandoah River
Shoemaker River in early spring Shenandoah River
Deer Rapids Shenandoah River
Canada geese on the Shenandoah River
Common Mergansers four males and one female on the Shenandoah River.
Canada geese on the misty Shenandoah River.
Great Blue Heron fishing in the Shenandoah River.
Osprey hunting for fish. Shenandoah River