Potomac River
The North Branch of the Potomac River
Until recently, the North Branch of the Potomac was considered to be
so degraded by acid mine drainage that it would never support fish
populations of any kind. For most of this century the ground water
flowing from abandoned coal mines has polluted the river with iron,
aluminum and sulfuric acid, lowering the water's pH level to the
point where fish and the invertebrates they feed on could no longer
survive. Thanks to the dedication and hard work of individuals
from the DNR's Freshwater Fisheries Division, the Bureau of Mines
and other agencies, the North Branch is now on it's way to becoming
on of the finest trout fisheries in the east. This large freestone
river is divided into two types of fisheries by Jennings Randolph
Lake, a man-made impoundment used for flood control. Above the
reservoir the river is subject to natural increases in temperature
and flow. The nine mile section of the river that borders
Potomac State Forest has been heavily stocked with rainbows and fish
over 20 inches are not uncommon. Although the tailwater
section of the river has yet to reach it's full potential, it is one
of the few eastern rivers that is inhabited by cutthroat as well as
brown, rainbow, and brook trout. Anglers fortunate enough to
land all four species have bragging rites to the only "Grand Slam"
in eastern fly fishing.
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