[va-richmond-general] Re: Pocahontas State Park

Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
I kayaked the entire lake and the feeder streams today and the lake is on 
average only 1 foot deep (varies from 4 feet to 8 inches deep).  this is 
shallower than in past years.  Rapid succession due to thick pond vegetation 
which 
decays each fall and ultimately fills in the already shallow pond.  (observe 
the 
large patches of the alien invasive Parrot's Feather along the western shore) 
While this is a contributing factor to the rise of the mudflats, I really 
believe that soil deposition from upstream is the major factor.  

Walk upstream and observe the large volumes of sand deposition all along 
third branch creek (& many other creeks in Chesterfield County).  Two major 
high 
water events in 2003 (memorial day & Lizzy) coupled with a very rainy year have 
likely contributed to the rise of the mudflats you have observed.  

Large areas of impervious surfaces (pavement), storm drains & runoff result 
in large volumes of soil and sand deposition in Falling Creek, Swift Creek, 
Third Branch, etc. etc.  Water quality in Chesterfield is closely linked with 
storm water management.  As we grapple with growth and development issues, 
especially along the 360 corridor, responsible runoff management will become 
increasingly important. 

Kristi Orcutt
Chief Naturalist, Pocahontas State Park



-- Binary/unsupported file stripped by Ecartis --
-- Type: image/jpeg
-- File: Trees .jpg


You are subscribed to VA-Richmond-General. To unsubscribe, send email to
va-richmond-general-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject 
field. To adjust other settings (vacation, digest, etc.) please visit, 
http://www.freelists.org/list/va-richmond-general.

Other related posts: