Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID WRI-326

Assessment of Economic Benefits from Restoration of Three Fork Creek of the Tygart River Drainage

Institute: West Virginia
Year Established: 2023 Start Date: 2023-09-01 End Date: 2024-08-31
Total Federal Funds: $49,993 Total Non-Federal Funds: $50,079

Principal Investigators: Julian Hwang

Project Summary: The proposed research will complete a full circle of development, implementation, and assessment of watershed-scale acid mine drainage remediation for to a recently restored watershed - Three Fork Creek of the Tygart River Drainage.  The proposed project will quantify ecological, biological, and chemical improvements in the watershed utilizing existing 10+ years of pre-and post-remediation water quality data.  Moreover, such improvements in the watershed have resulted in a significant increase in fish diversity and population providing new recreational fishing opportunities to angers in the state.  The proposed project will estimate the economic benefit of the restoration which has been transferred to anglers and conduct a comprehensive benefit-cost analysis of the watershed restoration project to provide a justification for efforts to restore mine-impacted natural systems.