The Savage River Watershed Association (SRWA) will hold its bi-monthly meeting on Thursday, January 21, 2010 at 7 PM at Route 40 Elementary School.  Each meeting brings local citizens and SRWA members together to talk about issues within the watershed.  The guest speaker for this meeting will be Alan Heft, a Statewide Fisheries Biologist with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Inland Fisheries Management Division.

Mr. Heft will discuss results of a 2009 water temperature monitoring project that was conducted throughout the Savage River watershed and how this relates to the Brook Trout Barrier Removal Project being planned in the Savage River headwaters.  His presentation will be followed by a question and answer session about resources of the Savage River watershed.  Mr. Heft graduated from Frostburg State University in 1988 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Fisheries and Wildlife Management and he has been working in the DNR, Fisheries Division for 22 years.  His responsibilities with DNR include statewide coldwater fisheries research and management.

Mr. Heft will be accompanied by Matt Sell, a Western Region Biologist and brook trout specialist.  Mr. Sell graduated from Frostburg State University in 2004 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Fisheries and Wildlife Management.  Mr. Sell has extensive experience sampling stream fishes with the University of Maryland and the Maryland DNR, Biological Stream Survey.  His current responsibilities include conducting Western Region fishery activities and assisting Mr. Heft with brook trout management efforts.

SRWA is a group of local landowners and other citizens dedicated to preserving and enhancing the rural nature and natural resources of the Savage River watershed.  Members assist interested landowners and public land managers with environmental stewardship efforts and educational outreach.  Anyone who is concerned about the Savage River watershed is invited to join.  SRWA meetings are held at Route 40 Elementary School, 17764 National Pike, just west of Frostburg, MD on the third Thursday of odd-numbered months, beginning at 7 PM.  For more information persons may contact SRWA via email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or by phone at (301) 689-7156.  The SRWA is a nonprofit charitable organization.  Donations may be sent to: Savage River Watershed Association, P.O. Box 355, Frostburg, MD 21532.