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Restoration of the
Blackwater River watershed was a costly and complex task involving two large projects. The Douglas Highwall Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Project installed 16,000 tons (14,400 tonnes) of limestone in a "Wetland/Anoxic Limestone Drain (WALD) system" on the North Fork Blackwater
653:-designed limestone powder dosing system was also installed as backup to the drum system. The five miles (8.0 km) stretch of the Blackwater between the limestone station and the confluence with the North Fork has now become one of West Virginia's premiere catch and release trout streams.
863:
645:
River downstream of Thomas. Although the experimental WALD system did not perform as intended, and "has not generated measurable alkalinity" it did reduce the total acid and metal load in the water discharge from the abandoned mine into the river system.
875:
648:
More successful was a project just upstream of Davis, on Beaver Creek, a tributary of the
Blackwater. A six-drum water-powered limestone grinding station adds limestone slurry to the water flowing down Beaver Creek. A
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Beginning in the 1880s, the
Blackwater River watershed (especially the segment of the North Fork of the Blackwater River between the towns of
637:. By 2004, the combination of acid and dissolved metals drainage had destroyed or damaged about 12,000 miles (19,000 km) of streams in
136:
1072:
536:
from the decaying leaves of vegetation adjoining the stream in its upper reaches, which are slow moving. Fallen needles from stands of
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437:. It rises on Canaan Mountain at an elevation of 3,594 feet (1,095 m) and initially meanders north-northeastwardly through the
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1142:, Proceedings Twentieth Annual West Virginia Surface Mine Drainage Task Force Symposium, Morgantown, WV, April 13-14, 1999.
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also contribute. The
Blackwater is also typical in having transparent, acidic, and oligotrophic (very low nutrient) water.
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1167:, Seventeenth Annual West Virginia Surface Mine Drainage Task Force Symposium, Morgantown, WV, April 2-3, 1996.
602:
treatment of AMD in the
Blackwater River has met with success with the effort receiving an award from the U.S.
1049:
1006:
995:
829:
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1203:
West
Virginia Department of Natural Resources Special Fishing Regulations web page, accessed August 27, 2006.
461:. Below the mouth of the latter, the Blackwater turns west-southwestwardly for the remainder of its course.
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Early
Results from Calcium Carbonate Neutralization of Two West Virginia Rivers Acidified by Mine Drainage
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activities of the 1960s and '70s, which brought about a severe decline in water quality due to
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996:
U.S. Geological Survey
Geographic Names Information System: North Branch Blackwater River
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370:
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Douglas Falls (North Fork Falls), a drop of about 35' on the North Fork
Blackwater River
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U.S. Geological Survey
Geographic Names Information System: North Fork Blackwater River
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U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data.
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U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Little Blackwater River
789:
Blackwater River real time water gauge, 0.4 miles southwest of Davis, West Virginia
784:
Blackwater River real time water gauge, 2.8 miles northeast of Davis, West Virginia
549:
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1081:, 5th International Conference on Acid Rock Drainage, Denver, Colorado, May, 2000"
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Long Term Effects of Acid Mine Drainage Remediation Projects on Stream Quality
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U.S. Office of Surface Mining 1999 Award web page, accessed August 26, 2006
1021:. Ken Sullivan, editor. Charleston, WV: West Virginia Humanities Council.
947:. Ken Sullivan, editor. Charleston, WV: West Virginia Humanities Council.
715:
Blackwater River Gorge viewed from the lodge in Blackwater Falls State Park
410:
1073:"Sibrell, P.L., Barnaby J. Watten, B.J., Friedrich, A.E, and Vinci, B.J.,
59:
Map of the Monongahela River basin, with the Blackwater River highlighted.
1600:
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16:"Little Blackwater River" redirects here. For the river in Maryland, see
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and drains an area of 142 square miles (370 km). It is a true
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Mineral Information Institute web site, accessed August 26, 2006.
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614:
611:
607:
532:, the color of West Virginia's Blackwater River results from the
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The entire course and drainage area of the Blackwater lie within
1229:
650:
641:, including the Blackwater River and streams in its watershed.
625:
produced from the sulfite reaction can dissolve metals such as
422:
366:
626:
1017:
Kennedy-Venable, Norma Jean. 2006. "Blackwater Falls."
670:
Upper reaches of the Blackwater River in the wetlands of
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trees in its watershed, the tannins of which impart a
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North Branch Blackwater River, Little Blackwater River
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American Whitewater report on lower Blackwater River
813:
579:) suffered extreme environmental degradation due to
453:, and collecting two short tributaries known as the
1285:Spruce Knob–Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area
1685:
685:The Blackwater River near where it crosses into
1269:
617:are exposed to air and rainwater, such as when
1138:Skousen, J., Gorman, J., and Ziemkiewicz, P.,
943:Hissom, Patricia. 2006. "Blackwater River."
515:, at an elevation of 1,690 feet (520 m).
492:and collects the eight-mile (13 km) long
1255:
328:12,500 cu ft/s (350 m/s)(1929)
476:and enters the eight-mile (13 km) long
1714:Wild and Scenic Rivers of the United States
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318:22 cu ft/s (0.62 m/s)(1930)
967:
965:
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901:"USGS 03066000 BLACKWATER R AT DAVIS, WV"
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844:United States Department of the Interior
587:production. This was exacerbated by the
1153:
544:contribute primarily to this, although
1704:Rivers of Tucker County, West Virginia
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1235:Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge
1075:ARD Remediation with Limestone in a CO
958:
451:Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge
1243:
1126:
566:
23:River in West Virginia, United States
1111:Williams, T., "Coal Country Trout",
937:
775:water gauges are available from the
766:
700:Blackwater Falls drops about 62' in
308:189 cu ft/s (5.4 m/s)
976:West Virginia Atlas & Gazetteer
835:Geographic Names Information System
365:is a 34.3-mile-long (55.2 km)
13:
917:
503:Finally, the Blackwater joins the
18:Little Blackwater River (Maryland)
14:
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270:142 sq mi (370 km)
1709:Natural history of West Virginia
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1230:Canaan Valley Resort State Park
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840:United States Geological Survey
801:List of rivers of West Virginia
777:United States Geological Survey
746:North Fork Blackwater River in
672:Canaan Valley Resort State Park
496:, which flows past the town of
447:Canaan Valley Resort State Park
1331:Roaring Plains West Wilderness
1019:The West Virginia Encyclopedia
1011:
1000:
989:
945:The West Virginia Encyclopedia
211: • coordinates
130: • coordinates
1:
978:. Yarmouth, Maine: DeLorme.
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523:
455:North Branch Blackwater River
96:Physical characteristics
1321:Laurel Fork South Wilderness
1316:Laurel Fork North Wilderness
1115:Magazine, July/October 2004.
428:
250: • elevation
173:3,594 ft (1,095 m)
169: • elevation
7:
1699:Monongahela National Forest
1271:Monongahela National Forest
1225:Blackwater Falls State Park
794:
702:Blackwater Falls State Park
687:Blackwater Falls State Park
494:North Fork Blackwater River
482:Blackwater Falls State Park
288: • location
195: • location
114: • location
46:Blackwater Falls State Park
44:viewed from Lindy Point in
10:
1730:
1637:Fernow Experimental Forest
1508:South Branch Potomac River
934:, accessed August 15, 2011
656:
464:After passing the town of
397:rivers, it is part of the
324: • maximum
314: • minimum
304: • average
254:1,690 ft (520 m)
15:
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1657:Mill Point Federal Prison
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1278:National Recreation Areas
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1120:October 17, 2006, at the
864:"Blackwater River Source"
472:62 feet (19 m) over
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1208:August 23, 2006, at the
1190:October 4, 2006, at the
604:Office of Surface Mining
351: • right
1694:Rivers of West Virginia
1647:Highland Scenic Highway
1362:Back Allegheny Mountain
459:Little Blackwater River
262:34 mi (55 km)
1652:Middle Mountain Cabins
1326:Otter Creek Wilderness
905:U.S. Geological Survey
872:U.S. Geological Survey
606:. AMD is created when
445:, passing through the
1642:Gaudineer Scenic Area
1345:Mountains and summits
1311:Dolly Sods Wilderness
1172:May 10, 2006, at the
1147:May 10, 2006, at the
598:In recent years, the
389:. Via the Cheat, the
233:39.07222°N 79.62917°W
152:39.06083°N 79.48444°W
1336:Spice Run Wilderness
1306:Cranberry Wilderness
1301:Big Draft Wilderness
425:color to its water.
381:, it is a principal
40:Blackwater River in
1622:Bear Rocks Preserve
1532:Canyons and valleys
1518:Tygart Valley River
1407:North Fork Mountain
1079:Pressurized Reactor
534:leaching of tannins
371:Allegheny Mountains
337:Basin features
238:39.07222; -79.62917
229: /
157:39.06083; -79.48444
148: /
1594:Observation towers
1402:Mount Porte Crayon
1357:Allegheny Mountain
1113:Fly Rod & Reel
930:2012-03-29 at the
830:"Blackwater River"
593:acid mine drainage
567:Acid mine drainage
1681:
1680:
1674:US Forest Service
1632:Cheat Summit Fort
1554:Smoke Hole Canyon
1539:Blackwater Canyon
1441:Rivers and creeks
1367:Backbone Mountain
767:River water level
530:blackwater rivers
486:whitewater rapids
478:Blackwater Canyon
409:stream, owing to
403:Mississippi River
359:
358:
42:Blackwater Canyon
1721:
1585:Cranberry Glades
1575:Spruce Knob Lake
1493:Greenbrier River
1458:Blackwater River
1422:Shavers Mountain
1294:Wilderness areas
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925:The National Map
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878:on March 1, 2012
874:. Archived from
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727:Confluence with
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484:. Here it forms
474:Blackwater Falls
363:Blackwater River
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1468:Cranberry River
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1377:Burner Mountain
1352:Allegheny Front
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1174:Wayback Machine
1163:Zurbuch, P.E.,
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1513:Shavers Fork
1503:Seneca Creek
1483:Gauley River
1457:
1417:Seneca Rocks
1387:Champe Rocks
1198:
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1095:. Retrieved
1088:the original
1074:
1067:
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1045:
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908:. Retrieved
880:. Retrieved
876:the original
867:
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847:. Retrieved
833:
770:
647:
643:
621:occurs. The
597:
570:
546:rhododendron
527:
507:to form the
502:
493:
463:
458:
454:
432:
362:
360:
1606:Olson Tower
1601:Bickle Knob
1580:Summit Lake
1498:Laurel Fork
1463:Cheat River
1427:Spruce Knob
1412:River Knobs
1382:Bickle Knob
1372:Barton Knob
581:deep mining
490:Class IV-V+
391:Monongahela
387:Cheat River
373:of eastern
342:Tributaries
236: /
155: /
1688:Categories
1488:Glady Fork
1453:Black Fork
1097:2006-08-27
910:2008-05-30
849:2008-05-30
807:References
733:Black Fork
639:Appalachia
542:red spruce
524:Blackwater
509:Black Fork
407:blackwater
379:Black Fork
267:Basin size
224:79°37′45″W
221:39°04′20″N
188:Black Fork
143:79°29′04″W
140:39°03′39″N
1478:Elk River
773:real time
635:magnesium
610:-bearing
600:limestone
513:Hendricks
429:Geography
399:watershed
383:tributary
279:Discharge
200:Hendricks
1473:Dry Fork
1206:Archived
1188:Archived
1170:Archived
1145:Archived
1118:Archived
974:(1997).
928:Archived
795:See also
731:to form
729:Dry Fork
631:aluminum
554:sphagnum
552:and the
505:Dry Fork
457:and the
449:and the
439:wetlands
393:and the
65:Location
1448:Big Run
972:DeLorme
882:May 27,
657:Gallery
651:Swedish
612:mineral
608:sulfite
595:(AMD).
577:Douglas
415:hemlock
401:of the
385:of the
369:in the
70:Country
1025:
982:
951:
748:Thomas
633:, and
615:strata
573:Thomas
498:Thomas
411:spruce
345:
282:
259:Length
105:Source
90:Tucker
86:County
1091:(PDF)
1084:(PDF)
470:falls
468:, it
466:Davis
423:amber
367:river
293:Davis
183:Mouth
78:State
1023:ISBN
980:ISBN
949:ISBN
884:2010
771:Two
627:iron
585:coke
583:and
575:and
557:bogs
540:and
413:and
395:Ohio
361:The
559:of
488:of
480:in
441:of
421:or
419:tea
1690::
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297:WV
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123:WV
121:,
1263:e
1256:t
1249:v
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20:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
