• Watershed plans
• Natural resource plans
• Wild and Scenic River studies
• Community-based assessments
• River management plans
• River recreation use and impact studies
• River recreation management and visitor education

Watershed-based Plan for the Wolf Creek Watershed of the New River (2009)

This watershed-based plan covers the 11,000-acre Wolf Creek watershed. The plan addresses fecal coliform, iron, and aluminum impairments attributed to acid mine drainage; streambank erosion; pastureland; and onsite sewer systems.

• Policy analyses
• Local economic benefits analyses
• Economic impact analyses
• Total maximum daily load (TMDL) development and implementation
• Municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) programs
• Green infrastructure
• Vulnerability analyses
• Water indices related to quality, quantity, value, and access
• Relationships between water and energy resources
• National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) and 404 permitting
• Database and geodatabase development
• County, state, and regional projects
• Agriculture and the Chesapeake Bay
• Acid mine drainage treatment design

Plants Not Pipes: Promoting Green Infrastructure and its Side Benefits in Region VI (2010)

Green infrastructure refers to stormwater management techniques that infiltrate, evapotranspire, and capture and reuse runoff. These techniques include green roofs, rain barrels, permeable pavement, and many others. In addition to reducing the volume and pollution levels of stormwater runoff, green infrastructure provides many side benefits ranging from reduced maintenance and water utility costs to improved aesthetics and air quality. This report is part of a broader project to introduce green infrastructure to communities within West Virginia’s Region VI Planning and Development Council’s region and to provide tools to encourage more widespread use of the techniques.

• Streams and water wells
• Chemical, physical, and biological monitoring, including fish and benthic macroinvertebrates
• Surface and underground coal mines
• Natural gas drilling, including Marcellus Shale

Marcellus Shale Water Monitoring

As more Marcellus Shale gas wells are fractured across West Virginia and Pennsylvania, nearby property owners may have concern about the quality of drinking water or nearby streams. Water monitoring can document baseline water quality and detect potential changes. Downstream Strategies offers technical staff to conduct a variety of water monitoring and related services for property owners near gas wells. All water samples are analyzed by a certified laboratory to ensure results are accurate and defensible.

• National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits, including antidegradation requirements
• Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) mining permits
• Quarry permits
• Public Service Commission certificates of convenience and necessity

Sample Exhibit

• Watershed delineation and management systems
• Watershed, hydrologic, and hydraulic modeling
• Aquatic habitat modeling and statistical assessments
• Water quality and quantity analyses
• NEPA project support and analyses
• Water pollution modeling and load calculations
• Groundwater modeling and investigations
• Flood management and delineation
• Customized GIS tool development
• Surface and groundwater protection and  vulnerability analyses
• Permitting
• Water and wastewater infrastructure management
• GPS surveys
• Custom cartography

State of the Watershed: Elk Headwaters, West Virginia (2008)

The Elk River headwaters provide habitat for a diverse range of species including trout, birds, and rare crayfish. This report analyzes watershed characteristics, compiles water quality data, identifies issues of concern to local stakeholders, and provides recommendations for further analyses and action.

• Qualitative research such as interviews, focus groups, content analyses, and case studies
• Quantitative social science research such as survey design, execution, and analyses
• Community visioning as a foundation for energy planning
• Facilitation and conference planning
• Development of strategic partnerships
• Curricula and outreach material development
• Education and outreach in the classroom and field
• Training and technical assistance

The Benefits of Acid Mine Drainage Remediation on the North Branch Potomac River

After decades of impairment, a successful program initiated by innovative staff at Maryland state agencies has transformed the North Branch Potomac River into a popular recreational river and a driver of local economic development. This remarkable improvement in water quality is the direct result of the installation of eight dosers since 1992, which add alkaline material to the river and its tributaries to treat acid mine drainage from abandoned coal mines. This study calculates the local economic benefits generated in these Maryland counties stemming from acid mine drainage remediation on the North Branch, so that policy makers can make informed decisions about future funding to ensure that this remediation continues. These benefits are calculated from a survey of North Branch anglers and boaters and include three types: local spending, the economic impacts of that spending, and the willingness-to-pay even more for recreational experiences.