Stories of Hope: An Environmental Justice Analysis of the Past, Present, and Future Direction for Buckhannon and Tygart Valley River

This project was conducted out of the WVU Center for Resilient Communities in partnership with local non-profits Save The Tygart Watershed Association and Buckhannon River Watershed Association. This research focuses on the impacts of industrialization and water contamination on the health and well-being of communities in the Tygart Valley Watershed. The Tygart Valley Watershed, like all other watersheds, is an incredibly important natural system that influences not only water quality and ecosystem health, but also the community within it. Encompassing rivers such as the Tygart Valley and Buckhannon, this watershed is no stranger to contamination and other challenges. Even so, there are still stories of hope, resilience, and prosperity to be found. This study aims to seek out these stories of hope through a historical analysis of newspaper archives, water quality monitoring, community mapping exercises, and gathering community perspectives of the watershed. By assessing the watershed with a holistic approach, this work aims to understand the potential of the newly designated water trail that runs along both the Buckhannon and Tygart Valley River.