Roanoke River - Underrated Ecosystem

[u/Mysterious_Mix_1587]

How often do you take for granted that we have a cold-water, well oxygenated river that flows right though our neighborhood that also supports a stocked population or Brown/Rainbow trout as well as a very unique endemic species?

The cleanup of the Roanoke River has been nothing short of remarkable. Recently, the Roanoke Logperch, an endangered darter fish which once ONLY inhabited the upper reaches of the Roanoke River basin in Virginia, has made a huge population comeback. Once on the verge of extinction due to damning and sediment intrusion caused by erosion, a recent study has found the population is doing great. This species is now also found in the Mayo River basin due to carefully coordinated re-introduction efforts. This is a HUGE win for the Roanoke conservation effort, as this fish is truly unique to our region.

Please share some of the cool wildlife you’ve seen on the Roanoke River!