Overview
During the summer of 2007, WVDEP received numerous complaints regarding the amount of
algae in the Greenbrier River. Most of the complaints centered on the Caldwell to Alderson section of
the river; and at least one complaint was received about the level of algae further upstream in the
Denmar area. Several employees of WVDEP were familiar with the problem and indicated that the algae
bloom had been occurring at various intensities for decades; some asserted that the algae had been
getting worse, and perhaps starting earlier, than it had historically.
In September 2007, a meeting within the WVDEP Division of Water and Waste Management
was held to discuss the problem. Results of water quality samples from the Watershed Assessment
Branch sample database (WAB‐Base) were summarized at the meeting.
The final Greenbrier River Restoration Plan is an adaptive management strategy for eliminating algae related impairment in the Greenbrier River.
The restoration plan contains information on the implementation and progress achieved so far, as well as adaptive management updates which set new
milestones for making further progress toward full elimination of algae related impairment of the Greenbrier River. In this updated restoration plan,
activities associated with the original 2013 plan are referred to as Phase 1. Future activities and milestones make up Phase 2.