Restoration programs are expanding worldwide, but assessments of restoration effectiveness are rare. The objectives of our study were to assess current acid-precipitation remediation programs in streams of the Allegheny Plateau ecoregion of West Virginia (USA), identify specific attributes that could and could not be fully restored, and quantify temporal trends in ecosystem recovery. We sampled water chemistry, physical habitat, periphyton biomass, and benthic macroinvertebrate and fish community structure in three stream types: acidic (four streams), naturally circumneutral (eight streams), and acidic streams treated with limestone sand (eight streams). We observed no temporal trends in ecosystem recovery in treated streams despite sampling streams that ranged from 2 to 20 years since initial treatment. Our results indicated that the application of limestone sand to acidic streams was effective in fully recovering some characteristics, such as pH, alkalinity, Ca2+, Ca:H ratios, trout biomass and density, and trout reproductive success. However, recovery of many other characteristics was strongly dependent upon spatial proximity to treatment, and still others were never fully recovered. For example, limestone treatment did not restore dissolved aluminum concentrations, macroinvertebrate taxon richness, and total fish biomass to circumneutral reference conditions. Full recovery may not be occurring because treated streams continue to drain acidic watersheds and remain isolated in a network of acidic streams. We propose a revised stream restoration plan for the Allegheny Plateau that includes restoring stream ecosystems as connected networks rather than isolated reaches and recognizes that full recovery of acidified watersheds may not be possible.

Stream ecosystem response to mitigative limestone treatment in acid impaired, Central Appalachian streams Sarah Elizabeth McClurg We quantified water chemistry, primary production, and benthic macroinvertebrate and fish community structure in 20 Central Appalachian streams: 4 acidic streams, 8 naturally circumneutral streams and 8 historically acidic streams treated annually with limestone sand over varying lengths of time. The objective was to determine the extent of chemical and biological recovery and temporal trends in the recovery process of limestone treated streams compared to circumneutral reference conditions in Central Appalachia. Results indicate that the application of limestone sand to acidic streams is effective in fully and immediately recovering some of the chemical and biological characteristics of naturally functioning stream ecosystems such as pH, alkalinity, Ca 2+ , Ca:H ratios, trout densities and trout young of the year densities. However, recovery of many characteristics is strongly dependent upon spatial proximity to treatment, and still others are never fully recovered. Limestone treatment does not restore several major ions and nutrients (K + , Mg 2+ , Na 2+ , NO 3-I would like to sincerely thank all of my committee members for their endless contributions to this research. Special and gracious thanks to Dr. Todd Petty for his insight and guidance through every step of this project. I would also like to thank our funding sources the West Virginia University Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, USGS and West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. I am grateful to the countless number of WVDNR personnel, and WVU undergraduates and graduate students for invaluable field and laboratory assistance especially Ryan Braham and Cindy Sanders. I would like to thank George Siedel and Jason Freund for statistical advice. Finally, I wish to thank all of the wonderful friends I have made during the course of this research adventure. Without you, the all nighters (both in school and on the town) would never have been possible. It has been incredible learning, growing, and most importantly laughing with you all! THANK YOU! v Table of Contents List of Tables .