The restoration of Sovern Run
Sovern Run, a tributary to Big Sandy Creek in the Cheat River watershed, flows through the Valley Point community of Preston County, West Virginia. The Sovern Run and lower Cheat River watersheds are severely impaired by acid mine drainage (AMD) pollution from abandoned coal mines. Sovern Run is 4.7 miles in length and joins Big Sandy Creek just upstream of a popular recreation area (Figure 1).