CLARKSBURG, W.Va. – The Guardians of the West Fork Watershed marked their 25th anniversary with a speaker series at the Waldomore in downtown Clarksburg Tuesday night, highlighting ongoing efforts to restore and protect the West Fork River and its tributaries.
The event focused on a quarter-century of work aimed at cleaning up streams affected by pollution and promoting recreational opportunities throughout the watershed. Senior Research Scientist Mel Shafer of the West Virginia Water Research Institute outlined the long-term environmental damage caused by abandoned mine drainage and other sources of contamination affecting the West Fork River and waterways across the region. She also detailed current mitigation strategies designed to reduce pollutants and improve water quality.