DAVIS, W.Va. — The ongoing drought in West Virginia is having severe impacts on tourism.
Tucker County Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Jessica Waldo said the lack of rainfall has resulted in low water levels and reduced availability our outdoor recreation activities in the county.
“The water levels are quite low. There is still some water coming over Blackwater Falls. It’s a little thin as we like to say, but it’s still coming over and there’s still things to do and experience,” Waldo told MetroNews Tuesday.
White water rafting at Blackwater Outdoor Adventures has been limited because of the low water levels. Tubing and swimming are still being offered to visitors.
Local businesses are feeling the impacts as well. Some restaurants are conserving water.
“You might go somewhere that might be serving bottled water versus tap water. They might be on paper plates to avoid washing dishes,” Waldo said.
In response to Gov. Jim Justice’s statewide emergency declaration due to drought conditions, the West Virginia Department of Transportation has sent a tanker truck filled with service water to the town of Thomas in Tucker County. Read more: https://t.co/3QP8goKNB0 pic.twitter.com/hfnubuEkfa
— WVDOT (@WVDOT) August 2, 2024
According to the National Weather Service, Eastern Panhandle counties are considered to be under severe drought, the Northern Panhandle, Central West Virginia and the Greenbrier Valley are under moderate drought while the Huntington-Charleston corridor is considered abnormally dry.
Gov. Jim Justice declared a state of emergency over drought conditions last month. Justice said the drought has “plagued West Virginia farmers, putting them at risk of losing everything.”
Waldo said it’s too hard to tell if the county has lost any revenue do due to the drought. She said fortunately, Tucker County has outdoor recreational activities to enjoy that don’t have to do with water.
“Most of our things are not surrounded by the water. There’s still plenty of hiking to do, sightseeing to do, all the overlooks are still quite gorgeous,” she said.