Community Solutions in the Big Sandy River Watershed

Wonderful accomplishments abound in the Big Sandy River watershed, as the Big Sandy River Basin Coalition (BSRBC) is determined to establish an alliance in spite of adversity. The BSRBC is a group of citizens from three states dedicated to improving water quality in their watershed. Approximately 50 percent of the Big Sandy River Basin is in Kentucky, while West Virginia and Virginia each share about 25 percent of the watershed.

During one of their early meetings in the spring of 1999, the BSRBC motto was, “Keep Your Watershed Vision Alive.” It may not seem all that impressive at first glance, but a closer look reveals that the first letter in each word represents the three states that are involved in this cooperative effort (i.e., Kentucky, West Virginia and Virginia). That motto has essentially become their “battle cry” and collectively, they are keeping their vision strong. If persistence and determination are any indication of future water quality benefits, then cleaner water in the Big Sandy is just a matter of time.

Every year, as a symbol of their tri-state commitment to the entire Big Sandy watershed, BSRBC hosts a stream cleanup on the Tug Fork, a tributary of the Big Sandy River, where the three states meet — on the Kentucky, Virginia, and West Virginia state lines.

Persevering in their efforts to improve the Big Sandy River watershed across state lines, BSRBC has taken significant steps toward becoming an “Interstate Commission” recognized by Congress, which would allow the group to become eligible for Congressional funding. This will require a mutual agreement between the three state legislatures as well as other hurdles, but political support does exist in all three states for the BSRBC effort.

On the ground, BSRBC is distributing stencils of aluminum to all three states to help heighten public awareness of nonpoint source pollution. Hopefully, storm drains throughout the watershed — in all three states — will soon read “Dump No Waste: Drains to the Big Sandy River” as a result of their efforts.

For more information on these community issues and solutions, contact:

DCR’s Tennesssee-Big Sandy Watersheds Office
252 W. Main Street, Suite 3
Abingdon, VA 24210

Phone: (276) 676-5528
Fax: (276) 676-5527