The Blackwater River Watershed
The Blackwater River watershed, in Tucker County, WV is comprised of 42 square miles and is an indirect tributary of the Mississippi River. . It is a true blackwater stream, owing to spruce and hemlock trees in its watershed, the tannins of which impart a tea or amber color to its water.
The region was once an immense old growth forest with numerous cold mountain streams. Now the forests are in recovery from turn of the 20th century clearcutting and acid mind drainage from in adequate aquifer protections by regional coal mining companies.