The Buffalo Creek Watershed is a very important economic resource. It provides drinking water for residents, businesses and industries. In particular the North Branch of Buffalo Creek and Spruce Run are used for public drinking water supplies, while many homeowners have wells that tap the groundwater in the watershed. The leading business activity in the watershed remains crop and livestock production and farm support services. Timber harvesting, while not as dominant as it once was, continues to provide resource materials for lumber and other wood products. Tourism has also been on the rise and continues to support the local economy as traditional manufacturing trades are in decline.