With a mean elevation of 1500 feet, West Virginia has a higher elevation than any other
state east of the Mississippi River. This quality along with its longitude and latitude place
the state in a transition position. According to the West Virginia state wildlife action plan,
habitats are dominated by contiguous forests, pristine rivers and streams, housing a broad
array of fish, mussels, and other invertebrates. Only 12% of the land is publically owned.
About 364,000 hunters and anglers live in West Virginia, according to a National
Shooting Sports Foundation [link to www.nssf.org/07report/index.cfm] report. The $1.5
billion a year they spend while hunting and fishing directly supports 25,000 jobs and
generates $172 million in state and local taxes. The action plan focuses on 128 species of
concern, and is the state’s first step in developing a continuous adaptive management
process for collaborative conservation of the state’s fish and wildlife and the habitats that
sustain them.
Current Instream Flow Policy: Although Ch. 22 of the West Virginia State Code
describes the policy to protect and conserve water resources for the state and provide for
the public welfare, it has no standard for water withdrawal ‘permitting.” West Virginia
uses 7Q10 for water quality permitting at this time.