Kanawha River

Approximately 1.0 mile upstream of the Great Kanawha Falls, the Kanawha River is formed by the confluence of the Gauley and New Rivers. The New and Kanawha Rivers are the mainstem headwaters of the ancient Teays River, second only to the Nile River as the oldest existing river system on earth. The Kanawha River between the Great Kanawha Falls downstream to Alloy, West Virginia is approximately 5 miles. This 5-mile reach represents the one of last free-flowing reaches of a large river ecosystem in the Ohio River basin. Because of the relatively undisturbed nature of the river, characterized by good water quality, clean swept sand, gravel and cobble substrate, and high fish diversity, the river supports up to 38 species of freshwater mussels including two federally listed species, the endangered pink mucket pearlymussel, Lampsilis abrupta and the endangered fanshell, Cyprogenia stegaria. As an example of a natural faunal barrier, the Great Kanawha Falls has limited the freshwater mussel diversity to only 8 species above the falls. This reach of the Kanawha River supports one of the largest and most stable reproducing populations of the pink mucket pearlymussel in the Ohio River Valley Ecosystem.

In the past, the crest of Falls have been modified to enhance the production of hydropower to support metal manufacturing at the nearby Elkem Metals plant. In addition to the past modifications at the dam, this reach has potential threats from upstream coal mining and chemical spills, and the development of commercial and recreational boat docks in this 5-mile reach. At the present time, the WVFO is working with the Huntington District Corps of Engineers to purchase and protect the extreme lower section of this reach from commercial development.