|
WHAT IS A WATERSHED?
Do you know what a watershed is or why it
is important? If you used water today, you should. A watershed
is an area of land that drains into an underground water supply, lake, small
holding pond or wetland. Everyone lives in a watershed and everyone
has an impact on their watershed.
Watersheds in Rockbridge County:
"Small" ones include Woods
Creek, Buffalo Creek, Colliers Creek, Irish Creek, etc.
They may flow into the Maury River watershed, South River Watershed.
From there, all flow into the James River
And into the Chesapeake Bay.
Boxerwood is in The Woods Creek Watershed
The Woods Creek Watershed drains a 5.2 square mile area that
includes parts of Rockbridge County and much of the City of
Lexington. Its headwaters span from the Brushy Hills to the
hills comprising Jacob's Ladder to the east of Route 11 South.
Its tributaries include Sarah's Run, Spring Branch, Town Branch
and several small, unnamed spring branches and intermittent
streams. Land use in the upper reaches is primarily woodland and
agricultural fields. The Lexington Country Club golf course and
its surrounding suburban residential development are in the
watershed. Almost all of the land within the City is developed
for residential, commercial and institutional uses.
Pollutants deposited in Woods Creek ultimately make their way
to the Chesapeake Bay
Woods Creek Trail
The Woods Creek Trail parallels the creek for 2.1 miles through
Lexington from Ross Road to Jordan’s Point Park. The
trails winds past Waddell Elementary School, through Woods Creek
Park, and the campuses of Washington and Lee University and the
Virginia Military Institute before ending at Jordan’s Point Park
and the banks of the Maury River. Walking along the rail,
you can see the young trees and shrubs which have been planted
by citizen volunteers to re-establish a riparian buffer to
protect Woods Creek. This riparian buffer provides natural
habitats for many animals, birds and amphibians along the creek.
The rain garden constructed on the Washington and Lee campus to
intercept and treat runoff from nearby streets and parking lots
is also immediately adjacent to the trail.
Read about
problems in the Watershed and
some ways you can
help!
|
