The standard view. This is on the North Fork of the Blackwater River and is recorded as a 39 foot drop in the main falls. It is quite a drop. I think the water level shown here is pretty much the normal level. I would love to see it (and hear it) at high water!

Unfortunately the river still suffers from mine acid drainage from the many old coal mines in the area. Despite efforts throughout the area to mitigate the acid by liming creeks and attempting to seal mine seeps, this stretch of the river is probably completely dead and will remain that way indefinitely unless man finds a way to stop it. This is a good example of why it is so important to have good regulations with rigorous enforcement in place BEFORE permits are granted for operations like coal mines and shale gas fracking. Once an aquifer is damaged it will stay that way. “Remedies” after the fact are only very expensive bandaids that you and I end up paying for.

21mm Zeiss Distagon ZE, Canon 5D Mk II, Aperture 3, Ps CS5.