Genesee River has a friend in Potter County
By James Moate Endeavor News

One of northeastern United States' most important waterways has a friend in Potter County - a whole group of friends.

Watching over the Genesee River from the "roof of the East" are members of the Genesee Headwaters Watershed Association (GHWA). Recently, they pulled together volunteers to perform much needed maintenance work in the Genesee headwaters.

"The motto of the GHWA is 'neighbors helping neighbors,' because that's what it's all about," said Larry Hinrichsen.

He and his wife, Diana, are enthusiastic supporters of GHWA. They're also owners of two businesses along the watershed, Genesee Natural Foods and the Genesee Environmental Center. The Hinrichsens credit watershed specialists Stephen Richard and Jack Fleckenstein with the creation and nurturing of the GHWA as an organization committed to protecting and improving the ecosystems in the Genesee area.

Streambank stabilization work, which was conducted in cooperation with the Potter County Conservation District, both enhanced water quality and improved protection against flooding. Signs have been posted to educate the public about the watershed and to remind people of the need to protect it.

Pictured above are volunteers who were part of a recent clean-up at the seasonal residence of Allen stone.

That "neighbor" theme has been extended to youth groups such as the Ulysses Boy Scouts, Genesee Little League baseball players, and Trout Unlimited from Wellsville, N.Y. They conducted a spring clean-up at a seasonal residence just downstream from the Genesee Environmental Center.

The worksite is owned by Allen Stone. A Naples, N.Y. resident, Stone made a financial contribution and provided a dumpster where volunteers deposited refuse collected during the work sessions.

The idea that the Genesee River is special dates back several centuries. Its name is derived from the Seneca Indian word for "good valley" or "pleasant valley." Water flows northward through western New York and empties into Lake Ontario, north of Rochester.

Falls along the river are within the gorge of Letchworth State Park and the City of Rochester. The Genesee River Valley westward to Lake Erie and the Niagara River was the homeland of the Seneca Nation of the Iroquois Confederacy.