Virginia's Potomac-Shenandoah Watershed

Happy Sunday,  This week's blog post is going to be about a very specific area of the Shenandoah River. I wanted to get maps showing the floodplain around the North Fork of the Shenandoah River right next to the Town of Strasburg in Virginia. The reason that I chose this area is because in a search of the VA DCR's Virginia Flood Risk Information System (VFRIS), it seems that this whole area has either a medium or high risk of flooding so I was interested in the land use data for the town and how they mitigated flood risks. This data was compiled by DCR through FEMA's Flood Mapping tool (VA DCR 2024).  Below is a quick snapshot of the area and the floodplain surrounding this part of the Shenandoah River:               Graphic obtained from VA DCR, 2024.  This link provides a more detailed look into the floodplain that the graphic above shows. In addition, you can zoom in to understand the infrastructure that is affected by flooding e...

 Happy Sunday,  This week I have decided to go on a deep dive of one of the invasive species found in the Potomac-Shenandoah Watershed. This species was first found in the watershed in 1982 and thought to come from the Indian subcontinent for the aquarium trade. It has since spread far and wide causing problems for many ecosystems. Take a look at the PowerPoint below to learn more about this particular species.  Check it out:  Invasive Species Spotlight: Hydrilla

 Good afternoon everyone,  This week I am going to be discussing equipment that is used to monitor watershed health. I have worked on several water quality projects for school as well as for my profession and one of my favorite and most helpful pieces of equipment is a good water quality meter. This equipment can provide you with a wealth of information about your waterways and is one of the ways that I have determined health of streams and creeks for my own projects. There are several companies that manufacture this equipment and each provides products that you can match to your specific requirements. Click the link below to learn more about the different water quality meters on the market today! Check it out here:  Water Quality Meter Information!

Hello again,  Today I have a presentation on the challenges that we face as we try to conserve the Potomac Watershed and man, are they doozies. Of course, there are always solutions that everyone can take to mitigate a lot of these threats. A huge solution that anyone can take part in is cleaning up after yourself and others. If you see trash on the ground, then pick it up. Help the environment and make sure that piece of trash does not make into local tributaries. This goes for all watersheds, not just the Potomac watershed. If you want to learn more about the specific challenges that the Potomac watershed faces, check out the link below.  Learn more:  Challenges to the Potomac Watershed

 Hi everyone,  Today, we are talking about a particular conservation organization that does amazing work to help conserve and protect the Potomac River and the greater Potomac watershed. The Potomac Conservancy is a leading clean water advocate as well as a protector of the river and the natural resources surrounding it. It began as a small organization but after thirty years, it has become a large entity in the DMV area that has had such positive conservation impacts on the region.  To learn more, click this link:  Learn about Potomac Conservancy!

 Hello again,  This week we are going over the impacts that floods and droughts can have on a watershed! This is very relevant information considering the hurricane season that we are having and recent storms surges that have left various regions of the southeastern United States in disrepair.  Please check out the PowerPoint linked for more information on flooding events and droughts that have occurred in the Potomac-Shenandoah watershed, specifically in the South Fork segment of the Shenandoah River.  Hit the link:  South Fork Flooding