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We are excited to announce that that the 3rd annual Monongahela River Sweep will be held this April! This event is hosted by the West Virginia Water Research Institute and Ascend WV.

3 Rivers QUEST's latest research on long-term water quality trends in the Monongahela River Basin has recently been published with the Universities Council on Water Resources (UCOWR) in a special issue of the Journal of Contemporary Water Research & Education. WVWRI's very own student worker, Sarah Nelson is featured on the cover!

On May 10th, 2025, the West Virginia Water Research Institute held its second annual Mon River Sweep, which had a turn out of around 70 volunteers, including WVU students, staff, and members of the Morgantown community. As part of Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission’s (ORSANCO) Ohio River Sweep Season, the Three Rivers Quest (3RQ) Common Waters Program, housed at the West Virginia Water Research Institute(WVWRI), organized the event with help from Ascend WV for a 5 hour clean up, both on and off the water. Volunteers had the opportunity to collect trash on foot and by kayaking.

The first annual report of 3RQ's Common Waters initiative is now available!

"Since June of 2024, West Virginia is experiencing one of the most severe droughts in a quarter-century, with water supplies and soil moisture failing to recover fully from prior dry spells. As we confront these environmental challenges, understanding the interaction between drought and water quality has never been more important."

Private support from the Colcom Foundation for West Virginia University and the West Virginia Water Research Institute is providing $3.5 million in financial resources to help bolster environmental sustainability and water research efforts at WVU and throughout the region.

Private support from the Colcom Foundation for West Virginia University and the West Virginia Water Research Institute is providing $3.5 million in financial resources to help bolster environmental sustainability and water research efforts at WVU and throughout the region.