A study of vascular aquatic plants in three West Virginia acid mine water polluted rivers-the Monongahela, Tygart Valley, and West Fork-found plants abundant in many areas. The most common species is Eleocharis acicularis (L.) R. and S. The next most abundant plants are Sagittaria graminea Michx., S. latifolia Willd., Potamogeton ephydrus Raf., P. nodosus Poir., Sparaganium americanum Nutt., and Myriophyllum heterophyllum Michx. Six areas were chosen for intensive study. Water samples from each were analyzed chemically for nitrogen, phosphate, calcium, total acidity, iron and pH. Physical factors studied were the substrate, water velocity, and water-level fluctuation. From a stepwise discriminant analysis, substrate was determined to be the primary physical factor in determining plant distribution. Phosphate and water-level fluctuation were also significant. Nitrogen, calcium, total acidity, iron, pH, and water velocity were determined to be nonlimiting for the species studied. (Author)