Please see below (after the transcript and show notes) for links to news and upcoming events.
TRANSCRIPT
From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is
Virginia Water Radio for the week of October 1, 2012.
This week we feature a famous tune about a famous Virginia
body of water—at least, that’s what the tune might be about! Have a
listen for about 35 seconds.
MUSIC.
You’ve been listening to a version of “Shenandoah,” by
Timothy Seaman and Paulette Murphy on the 1997 CD “Here on This Ridge,” from
Pine Wind Music. Whether this ballad was
originally about Virginia’s beloved
Shenandoah River is debatable, because the origin of the tune is not definitely
known and various versions of the lyrics exist.
But there’s no debate about the strong connection between Virginia and
the Shenandoah River. Starting from
tributaries in Augusta and Rockingham counties, the Shenandoah’s North and South
Forks flow northeast along opposite sides of Massanutten Mountain before
merging near Front Royal. From there,
the mainstem Shenandoah flows into West Virginia to join the Potomac River at
Harpers Ferry. Across this
approximately 3000-square-mile watershed, the landscapes, history, culture, and
economy have all been shaped by the winding turns of the legendary Shenandoah. Thanks to Timothy Seaman for permission to
use this week’s music.
For other water sounds and music, and for more Virginia
water information, visit our Web site at virginiawaterradio.org,
or call us at (540) 231-5463. From the
Virginia Water Resources Research Center in Blacksburg, I’m Alan Raflo,
thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water.
SHOW NOTES
Photos
(Above) South Fork Shenandoah
River in Andy Guest Shenandoah River State Park in Warren County, Virginia, December
27, 2003.
(Above) South Fork Shenandoah
River at the U.S. Rt. 211 bridge in Page County, Virginia, July 22, 2012.
(Above) North Fork Shenandoah
River at Mt. Jackson in Shenandoah County, Virginia, January 16, 2010.
(Above) Shenandoah River at Harpers Ferry, West
Virginia, August 14, 2008.
Acknowledgments: The “Shenandoah” excerpt was from the start of “Hazel River,” on the 1997
CD “Here on this Ridge,” copyright Timothy Seaman and Pine Wind Music, used
with permission. The CD was a
project celebrating Shenandoah National Park and the people and lands of the
Blue Ridge. Mr. Seaman’s Web site is http://www.timothyseaman.com/. Another
version of “Shenandoah” was previously
featured in the sound segment of Virginia Water Radio Episode 11 (week of 4-5-10),
now archived.
Sources and More
Information: More information about the origin of “Shenandoah” is available
from the Library of Congress’ Performing Arts Encyclopedia, online at http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/loc.natlib.ihas.200031152/default.html,
as of 10/1/12. Information on the Potomac-Shenandoah watershed’s tributaries
and landscape was taken from “The Geology of Virginia—Rivers and Watersheds:
Potomac-Shenandoah System,” available from the College of William and Mary’s
Department of Geology, online at http://web.wm.edu/geology/virginia/rivers/potomac-shenandoah.html
(as of 10/1/12). Information about
tributaries and water quality in the Shenandoah basin is available from the
U.S. EPA’s “Surf Your Watershed” Web site, at http://cfpub.epa.gov/surf/huc.cfm?huc_code=02070007
(as of 10/1/12).
For a
twice-weekly discussion of the Shenandoah River, listen to “Shenandoah River
Report,” with Mark Frondorf, from the Shenandoah Riverkeeper organization. From spring to fall, the show airs every
Monday and Friday on WZRV 95.3 FM in Front Royal. The four-to-five-minute segments discuss
cover river conditions, fishing conditions, events, and conservation activities
and issues. Podcasts are online at http://www.theriver953online.com/podcasts/shenandoah-riverkeeper.
Recent Virginia Water
News
For
news relevant to Virginia's water resources, please visit the Virginia Water Central News Grouper,
available online at http://vawatercentralnewsgrouper.wordpress.com/.
Water Meetings and
Other Events
For
events related to Virginia's water resources, please visit the Quick Guide to Virginia Water–related
Conferences, Workshops, and Other Events, online at http://virginiawaterevents.wordpress.com/. The site includes a list of Virginia
government policy and regulatory meetings occurring in the coming week.
