Friends of the Chemung River Watershed

Who We Are

Chemung River Friends is everything rivers! 

We are a nonprofit organization celebrating 15 years of stewardship, community education, and love for one of our most valuable resources, the Chemung River. We work to protect and promote the entire Chemung River Watershed, including the four main tributaries the Cohocton, Canisteo, Cowanesque, and Tioga Rivers. We encourage the public to become stewards of the river through educational programs, guided paddle trips, and riverside cleanups to keep the waters clean and safe for all to enjoy. We believe in a world where the natural beauty and health of the river’s ecosystem is valued and maintained by students, the community, and the regional policy makers; and where the public enjoys regular outdoor recreation on the river and riverside trails that are supported by local infrastructure and regional business.

Education

The streams and nature trails we help maintain offer hands-on outdoor classrooms for environmental education, a means to reconnect our residents, especially youth, to nature and our natural resources, to foster an environment of stewardship, and to provide a source of expeditionary learning. In partnership with the Town of Elmira we host 3 youth camps each year at a low cost to families, where youth learn all about the river, macroinvertebrates, pollution, and so much more. We explore the local trails with littles as young as one at Park Rangers, a program in partnership with Horseheads Family Resource Center.

We also host workshops for folks of all ages, all year round, with topics including: composting, water quality, recycling, watershed management, riparian buffers, beneficial pollinators, native plants and animals, and more.

Environmental Stewardship

Since our inception, we have removed more than 60 tons of trash from the watershed and formed a dedicated network of community volunteers, called River Guardians, who regularly monitor the river and trails for signs of distress. We provide our volunteers with all the supplies they need, including safety gear, training, and coordination with the local DPWs.

Recreation

We host three paddle programs monthly during the spring and summer including our Beginner Paddle Workshop, where folks of all skill levels can come learn or brush up on their paddling skills, Guided River Paddles, where our experienced river guide and co-founder leads us down beautiful stretches of the river, and new in 2026 Guided Evening Paddles, where folks get to enjoy the river along a peaceful section stretching from West Elmira to downtown Elmira.

Safety is always our top priority! Each year we give away more than 200 life jackets to our community, while providing the instruction needed to make sure they are used properly. In addition to our free life jacket program, we source available grants to assist in providing the means for local emergency crews to receive river rescue equipment, training, and supplies.

The Chemung River Watershed

The Chemung Basin sits at the top of the watershed that drains into the Chesapeake Bay. Thanks to strict enforcement of anti-pollution laws, the Chemung River Watershed has become a clean source of drinking water. Its topography features scenic tree-covered palisades, shady islands, sunny lowlands and farms dotted about a steep and lush river valley. Hundreds of community members, municipalities, and our dedicated board and staff have helped position the Chemung River as the center of regional recreation including guided paddles, fishing, riverside hikes, cross-country ski trips, bird watching, nature photography and river festivals.

Promotion and increased use and knowledge of the river have helped the community develop a greener attitude toward our environment. Thousands of people have visited since 2009, to paddle the waterway and hike or bicycle along the river trails. The river has become a fun and easy way to promote and improve the community’s health. And thousands more from schools, scouts, civic groups, businesses and organizations have volunteered to help with trash cleanups, tree and flower planting, and trail and river maintenance, showing just how invested our community is in protecting the river.

Unique and Accessible Outdoor Recreation

The Chemung River is accessible through almost a dozen boat launches, built by Chemung River Friends and its municipal partners, making it easy to take a paddle trip of a few hours, enjoy a day of fishing, or let your creativity flow with an en plein air painting session.

Our future plans include maintaining our outreach and inviting all those who care deeply for one of our favorite places on earth. Increasing our capacity to offer unique recreation opportunities and environmental education. Bridging the gap between all the municipalities that call the Chemung River Watershed home.
 
The secret to our success is simple: We are all on this paddle trip together. Let’s keep our paddles in the water and let the river point us in the same direction.