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South Branch Potomac River
Tributary
Scenic tributary of the Potomac River, the South Branch drains some spectacular mountains and rocky streams. Unlike the North Branch, the South Branch watershed contains no coal, and so was not ravaged by mining and the residuals from abandoned mines. The South Branch has a long human and natural history shaped by its 130-plus-mile journey from the highlands of Virginia through the folded ridges of West Virginia and into Maryland.
Early European settlement along the river began around the mid-1700s, when families moving south from Pennsylvania established farms in the fertile bottomlands of what was then Augusta County, drawn by the valley?s rich soils and reliable water supply . Geologically, the river drains nearly 1,500 square miles of the Ridge-and-Valley province, carving dramatic features such as Smoke Hole Canyon and the Trough before meeting the North Branch near Green Spring to form the mainstem Potomac . Ecologically, the South Branch supports a mix of cool- and warm-water habitats: trout thrive in the upper reaches, while downstream sections host smallmouth bass, channel catfish, and sunfish, all benefiting from extensive public access and active fisheries management in West Virginia .
Suggested Links
Contact Information
West Virginia Department of Natural Resources
22288 Northwestern Pike
Romney WV 26757
304-822-7266
Website