When the members of the Leadership Warren County Class of 2012 were picking projects, they came up with two targets - Washington Park and the Conewango Creek Watershed.
Kirk Johnson, Penny Wolboldt, Ruby MacWithey, Joe Beardsley, and Jason Anderson are on the watershed project.
At 900 square miles, the watershed is a big area. Narrowing that down entailed figuring out what those involved in the project wanted to accomplish.
They focused on the creek. In particular, they want people to use it for recreation and to help keep it clean.
"We'd like to promote all of the values that the Conewango Creek has to offer," Johnson said.
"This whole concept is about getting people outdoors, exercising," MacWithey said. "There's so much to do in Warren County. If a sign can remind people what we have..."
In the case of the creek, "more reminders make people more likely to support the ecological preservation of it," Wolboldt said.
The group plans to put up three three-sided information kiosks at strategic points along the creek.
"The idea is to get this information in front of as many people as we can," Johnson said.
"Larimer Park (in Russell) is a good location," Johnson said. "The trailhead for the bike-hike trail gets a ton of visitors. Point Park (in Warren) is another high-profile location."
On one side of each kiosk, readers will learn about watersheds in general, starting with, "A watershed is a basin-like landform within which water drains to lower elevations."
The Conewango watershed is mostly located in New York State - from Mayville to the northwest to South Dayton to the northeast and Randolph to the east. Water that enters Chautauqua Lake eventually drains to the Conewango. In Pennsylvania, Jackson Run and Stillwater Creek run into the Conewango and the watershed extends from a little west of Sugar Grove, east of Russell, to where the creek empties into the Allegheny River.
The map of the watershed will take up most of the second panels of the kiosks. The mission statement of the Conewango Creek Watershed Association (CCWA) will also appear.
Because the Conewango empties into the Allegheny which eventually feeds the Ohio River and the Mississippi, its watershed is a sub-basin of the watersheds of each of those rivers.
The third panel will give a detailed look at the Conewango Creek Water Trail. The formal designation was applied to the creek in 2011. The map will give recreation seekers details like boat launches, points of historic interest, camping, dining, lodging, shopping, and areas of rough water.
Eagle Scout candidates are expected to do most of the work of constructing the kiosks this summer.
Brenda Adams Weyant designed the signs.
MacWithey said the group expects expenditures of about $9,500 on the project.
They have received about two-thirds of that amount so far. "We're really impressed with the positive response we've gotten from everybody," Wolboldt said.
Financial backers include the Pine Grove Township Lions Club, DeFrees Family Memorial Fund, Community Foundation of Warren County, Whirley DrinkWorks, the City of Warren, and the CCWA.
"We do want to see this project help promote the Conewango Creek Watershed Association - help them grow in profile and influence," Johnson said.
The city government as well as the Pine Grove, Glade and Conewango township supervisors are supportive of the project, Johnson said.
The Leadership Warren County group is working with the Warren County Development Association.