Rapid Watershed Assessment for
The Big Sandy River Basin
In West Virginia
Prepared by United States Department of Agriculture
Natural Resources Conservation Service
June 2008
H:\word\word\Rapid Watershed Assessment\Rapid Watershed Assessment.doc
2
Table of Contents
Page
Scope & Authority
5
Assessment Objectives
5
Geographic Area of Study
5
Topography, Climate, Agriculture
7
Early History of the Big Sandy River Basin
10
Demographics
11
The Local Economy
16
Wildlife and Fishery Resources
21
Coal Mining in the Big Sandy River Basin
22
Forestry in the Big Sandy River Basin
26
Resource Concerns
27
Impediments to Resource Improvement
35
Assessment Matrix
37
Evaluation of Rapid Watershed Assessment Approach
37
References
38
3
List of Maps
Map 1 - Big Sandy Geographic Area
Map 2 - Land Use / Land Cover
Map 3 - Population Density by Census Block Groups
Map 4 - Poverty Rates in Appalachia
Map 5 - Distance / Travel Times
Map 6 - Mining Impacts
Map 7 - At-Risk Floodplain Structures
Map 8 - Impaired Streams
Map 9 - RC&D Office Locations
List of Tables
Table 1 – Prime Farmland by Hydrologic Unit
Table 2 - Resident Profile
Table 3 - Housing Characteristics
Table 4 - Income Information
Table 5 - Existing Recreation
Table 6 - Coal Production
Table 7 - Wood Processing Facilities
Table 8 - Land in Forests and Timberland
Table 9 - 2001 and 2002 Flood Damages in McDowell County
Table 10 - 2006 Section 303(d) List for Tug Fork and Big Sandy
Table 11 - Abandoned Mine Land Sites by HU
Table 12 - NRCS Program Activities in the Big Sandy Watershed
Table 13 - Assessment Matrix
4
List of Photos
Photo 1 - Farm in Wayne County
Photo 2 - Big Sandy Watershed Settlement
Photo 3 - Construction on the Coalfields Expressway
Photo 4 - Twi