State officials spread the word about pleasures of rural river

BEVERLY - A 112-mile-long river that runs through four Appalachian counties is getting attention from Ohio officials.

"We want to expose the river statewide, and we want to do all we can to promote this asset," Dan West, state parks division chief, said of the Muskingum River.

"We've been working with (the Division of) Travel and Tourism to really try and promote the river," West said.

While the river is a historical and natural attraction, some consider it an untapped resource for southeast Ohio.

The number of visitors has declined in the past 16 years, and that's something that a river parkway advisory board wants to change.

"Things are really looking better. I really think we are making headway," said Steve Weber of Lowell. "But it all comes down to money. Will the state have the money to do the things we want them to do?"

West said the state is doing what it can to bring people to the river to boat, fish and picnic. But he stressed the state cannot do it alone, and what it will take is a concerted effort by local communities to promote the entire river.

A recent study shows that money spent on bike paths to connect the communities along the river and creating park space would be a significant boost to the local economy.

"For every dollar spent on a bike path, you get six to eight dollars in return to the local economy," said Hunt Brawley of Marietta Community 20/20, founded in 1998 to create a vision for Marietta in the year 2020. "That's a huge return."

The study says money spent on repairing locks and dams has not brought in enough tourists to offset the cost. The state has spent more than $11.8 million in lock and dam repairs since the mid-1980s.

The state parks division also is spending $1.3 million for a review of the entire lock and dam system, including suggestions for improvements.