VALLEY GROVE, W.Va. — Fishing access at Bear Rock Lakes Wildlife Management Area near Wheeling will temporarily close as the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources begins modifications to two dams at the popular Ohio County fishing area.
The work aims to bring the dams into full compliance with the West Virginia Dam Control and Safety Act, according to a release from the division. Lake levels will be lowered during construction, which could last up to six months.
State purchasing records show that a contract for the Bear Rock Lakes dam modifications was awarded to Doss Enterprises LC for approximately $1.54 million earlier this year. Construction documents identify the project as modifications to Dam No. 1 and Dam No. 2 at the wildlife management area.
Division officials say fishing will be prohibited during construction due to active work areas, limited parking, and public safety concerns. New trails also are planned as part of the project to improve fishing access around the lakes.
The work marks another period of disruption at Bear Rock Lakes, following several years when underground coal mining affected water levels and fishing access at the wildlife management area.
Lakes previously lowered during underground mining
In April 2022, division officials announced that Tunnel Ridge LLC would conduct longwall mining beneath the Ohio County Wildlife Management Area. Baker and Bear Lakes were expected to be lowered by about half as the mining operation passed beneath the property.
At the time, the agency said it would assess any damage to the dams and surrounding area after mining was completed.
Paul Johansen, chief of the division’s wildlife resources section, said in the agency’s 2022 announcement that the state would assess the lakes and the area after mining was completed.
“For the safety of anglers, hunters, and other members of the public who enjoy Bear Rock Lakes, the DNR will be doing a safety assessment of the lakes and wildlife management area once the longwall mine has passed under the area,” Johansen said.
Mining beneath Bear Lake continued into 2023. In February of that year, the division suspended trout stocking and fishing due to low water levels and again said it would conduct a safety assessment of the lakes and surrounding area after mining was completed.
The division has not indicated in its announcement of the new dam project that the modifications are related to the previous underground mining or to conditions identified during the subsequent safety assessment.
Small WMA is a longtime Wheeling-area fishing destination
Bear Rock Lakes Wildlife Management Area encompasses 242 acres near Valley Grove, about eight miles east of Wheeling. The property consists primarily of mixed hardwood forest and open fields surrounding several small lakes and ponds.
Bear Lake covers approximately eight acres and includes a boat ramp and an accessible trail. Rock Lake covers about four acres, while Baker Lake covers approximately 3.4 acres and offers accessible fishing opportunities.
The wildlife management area is named for the large rocks on the property. The state began acquiring the land in 1936, more than a decade before the Conservation Commission constructed its lakes in 1949.
The lakes support largemouth bass, bluegill, and channel catfish and have been stocked seasonally with trout. Hunting opportunities at the relatively small wildlife management area include deer, rabbit, squirrel, turkey, and waterfowl.
Division officials advise visitors and anglers to monitor agency announcements for updates as construction continues. Anglers seeking other places to fish during the closure can use the agency’s interactive fishing map to locate nearby waters.
Additional information about the Bear Rock Lakes project is available from the WVDNR District 1 Office in Farmington at 304-825-6787.