http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler stories of landscapes, conservation, and people in and beyond the Rivanna Watershed Tue, 03 Feb 2009 16:11:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 en hourly 1 © lmiddleton@embarqmail.com () lmiddleton@embarqmail.com() stories of landscapes, conservation, and people in and beyond the Rivanna Watershed lmiddleton@embarqmail.com No no http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/wp-content/plugins/podpress/images/powered_by_podpress.jpg http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler 144 144 http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/10/02/105-walking-to-hightop-mountain-from-smith-roach-gap/ http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/10/02/105-walking-to-hightop-mountain-from-smith-roach-gap/#comments Thu, 02 Oct 2008 10:42:12 +0000 admin http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/10/02/105-walking-to-hightop-mountain-from-smith-roach-gap/ http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/10/02/105-walking-to-hightop-mountain-from-smith-roach-gap/feed/ 0
Warning: parse_url(/rambler/wp-content/plugins/podpress/podpress_backend.php?action=getduration&filename=http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/_106_carbon_sequestration_mp3.mp3) [function.parse-url]: Unable to parse url in /home/.juilee/seantubbs/cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/wp-content/plugins/podpress/podpress.php on line 151
5:19 October 2, 2008 The trail in Shenandoah National Park (SNP) in this stretch of Greene County shows signs of previous land use. nbsp;nbsp; This show originally ... October 2, 2008 The trail in Shenandoah National Park (SNP) in this stretch of Greene County shows signs of previous land use. nbsp;nbsp; This show originally aired on October18, 2007 and with an encore performance on October 2, 2008 on ldquo;The Rivanna Rambler,rdquo; a weekly public affairs show airing every Thursday at 11:55 a.m. on WTJU 91.1 FM or wtju.net. It is a golden warm October day ndash; one in which I would be inclined to take to the river, but cannot due to water levels that are impossibly low.nbsp; So instead, I head out with my husband for a high point in the watershed as if, perhaps to get closer to the clouds that hold the moisture hostage high above us. We drive up to Greene County and follow Route 33 ndash; the Spotswood Highway ndash; west following the crest of the divide between the Rapidan and the Rivanna.nbsp; From Ruckersville towards the mountains, the ridge defines the head of the watersheds of Welsh Run, Deep Run, Blue Run, and then Long Run.nbsp; At Lydia where Route 634 ends in the highway, we meet Swift Run which tracks right along Route 33 as it tumbles from its headwaters at Swift Run Gap, elevation almost 2400 feet.nbsp; We trace the curves in the mountain on a route that has changed little since it was traveled by Governor Alexander Spotswood and his famous Knights of the Golden Horseshoe, the 1716 exploratory party that crossed into the Shenandoah Valley through the pass here. Where we can see it, Swift Run itself is dry, its bones exposed between scant flow and small, still pools of wet. Once on Skyline Drive, we head south a few miles to the parking lot at Smith Roach Gap ndash; at 2600 feet, itrsquo;s the next crossing over the mountains.nbsp; Named for an early settler , last name Roach, first name Smith, it marks the headwaters of the Roach River which falls from the mountains eastward into Bacon Hollow, Deep Hollow, and Waterfall Hollow. We hike north in quiet on the trail towards the summit of Hightopnbsp; Mountain, the leaves so dry they barely rustle.nbsp; Everything is yellow and brown, like a summer in California, where water goes underground only to emerge in the rivers again during the rains of winter.nbsp; Here, too, it feels like the water is absent, but in a season of record high temperatures and record low rainfall, I feel unsure of its return.nbsp; Fall wildflowers are in show: purple and white asters, yellow goldenrod and milkweed pods in various stages of undress.nbsp; Grass beds along the path glisten in the afternoon sun. I am calmed by this walk in the woods, but I also know that this part of the piedmont is known for its rough and tumble ways.nbsp; Though itrsquo;s been 80 years since landowners were evicted from the Blue Ridge to establish Shenandoah National Park, the memory is still nursed ndash; and I am aware that this is a country where I need to cultivate understanding.nbsp; Tucked into these hills are homesteads, orchards, and graveyards:nbsp;nbsp; grown over, reclaimed by the succession of cedar given way now to hickory and oak.nbsp; We see little of this on our walk, but when the trail opens into flat stretches between granite outcrops and ferns, it is not hard to imagine pasture, croplands, and the hardscrabble life of the mountains. In my own life, I have felt the loss of landscapes special to me -- places that have been paved, graded, or filled and planted with houses, shopping centers, roads and marinas.nbsp; Though truly incomprehensible, this helps me feel compassion for the Monacans and other Native Americans displaced from the land during the so-called era of contact.nbsp; And centuries later, in these hills, it is a similar displacement, but the opposite has happened ndash; where the dead are buried, the cemetery markers are overgrown with honeysuckle; where the barns and houses once stood, the foundations are crumbling under lichen and wind. And the springs nursed forth from the folds of the hills are secrets only the ... Greene,County,,History,,Natural,History,,Rivanna,River,,Tributaries lmiddleton@embarqmail.com no No http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/09/18/103-swimming-with-snakes/ http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/09/18/103-swimming-with-snakes/#comments Thu, 18 Sep 2008 22:59:15 +0000 admin http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/09/18/103-swimming-with-snakes/ http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/09/18/103-swimming-with-snakes/feed/ 0 00:01:01 September 18, 2008 A trip with Cole Peale-Grody to find the northern water snake on the North Fork of the Moormans River in Sugar Hollow ... September 18, 2008 A trip with Cole Peale-Grody to find the northern water snake on the North Fork of the Moormans River in Sugar Hollow results in enough close encounters that The Rambler learns to feel comfortable swimming with these non-poisonous snakes. This show originally aired in September 11, 2008 on ldquo;The Rivanna Rambler,rdquo; a weekly public affairs show airing every Thursday at 11:55 a.m. on WTJU 91.1 FM or wtju.net When we arrive at the informal parking lot at Sugar Hollow Reservoir, it isn't surprising to find almost every available parking slot between the tall trees already taken. It's a hot Sunday afternoon with moist air pushed northward by the hurricane ndash; most are here to get cool, to swim or sit by the water. But Cole Peale-Grody, his father, Charles, and me have another goal. Along with another father-son team we meet here, we're going snake hunting on the north fork of the Moormans in Shenandoah National Park, where today folks have filled every available swimming hole, mostly oblivious of the fact the they are sharing the cool water with the Northern water snake, On the drive out Cole tells me that he caught his first snake, a ringneck, at five years and has been into them ever since. He likes them because they are, well, "cool"ndash; like any passion words are not adequate for the deep attraction some feel for certain landscapes, or animals, or works of art. And, as Cole's father explains, he's also got the eyes. On outing after outing, Cole invariably is the first one to spot the snakes, whether on the ground, under a log, or draped over a tree limb above. Since the river is so crowded, Cole says we'll likely find them where the people aren't. Though snakes donrsquo;t have ears, they can sense vibrations from sound and movement, so we start our trek up the river bed, rock-hopping from pool to boulder. Not as nimble as the guys, I'm well behind when I hear that the first snake has been spotted. As I round the bend, I see Cole already handling a slim dark snake about two feet long, with his younger friend, Drake, looking on. Turns out they'd spotted the snake on a small rock dam that had been built to create a swimming hole that is presently in use by another family, who are all busy scrambling over to see the catch. We all gather around as Cole explains that the snake does have long teeth and will bite humans ndash; but only if it's been cornered or mis-handled. Perhaps it is unnerving to think that they inhabit the swimming hole here, but there's really little to fear since these, as well as all other snakes seen in the water in this part of Virginia, are non-venomous and have no interest in us except to not get caught. If it hadn't been for Cole's keen eyes and quick hands, the snake would be nowhere to be found amidst the family splashing. And once caught, the snake slowly calms as Cole expertly hand over hands its long curling body. After awhile, it stops moving, and I have the opportunity to touch it. Now, I fall into the category of those who would never consider catching a snake, let alone holding one. And though I understand that this snake is not dangerous, it's still a bit of a stretch for me to touch it. But now that I'm in the second half of life, I'm inclined to go back and fill in the gaps of my experience. In spite of the slightly keeled (or ridged) scales, the snake's firm body has a texture that is soft and cool. On this hot afternoon, the snake has as much need of the water to cool itself as we humans have the desire to take to the water for the same reason. Eventually, since Cole is a practitioner of the catch-and-release style of snake hunting, he steps back into the water to let the snake go near the rock dam, and it glides into a dark wet hole in the wall. We make our way up to a popular swimming spot where the trail crosses the river. Apparently, it is known as "Snake Hole," though likely not by the forty odd folks who are cong... Albemarle,County,,Ecology,,Headwaters,,Moormans,River,,Rivanna,River,,Tributaries,,Wildlife lmiddleton@embarqmail.com no No http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/05/01/87-legacy-sediment/ http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/05/01/87-legacy-sediment/#comments Thu, 01 May 2008 23:35:31 +0000 admin http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/05/16/87-legacy-sediment/ http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/05/01/87-legacy-sediment/feed/ 0 00:01:01 May 1, 2008 This show originally aired on March 7, 2007 and then again on May 1, 2008 on ldquo;The Rivanna Rambler,rdquo; a weekly public affairs ... May 1, 2008 This show originally aired on March 7, 2007 and then again on May 1, 2008 on ldquo;The Rivanna Rambler,rdquo; a weekly public affairs show airing every Thursday at 11:55 a.m. on WTJU 91.1 FM or wtju.net. Itrsquo;s the time of the year when rivers run high and brown here in Albemarle County. Some well-placed rain events, brought water levels to seasonal highs. Sediment from surrounding floodplains and other sources colored the water various shades of brown, from slick and bubbling chocolate during the first flush, to a steely brown that mirrored the gray March skies. I find myself wondering, again, where does all that dirt come from? It turns out that here in the Rivanna Watershed, as elsewhere, the answer to that question is not as obvious as it might seem. It is clear that some of the earth is washed into the river from adjacent lands ndash; sheet flow traveling over fields, lawns and parking lots picks up soil that is not firmly rooted. Construction sites, whose bare earthen slopes are theoretically protected by black and orange plastic woven silt fences, are another source especially in severe rainfall, no matter how conscientious the contractor. But there is another source of sediment in the rivers that scientists are just starting to quantify ndash; and this is called legacy sediment. Legacy sediment has its origins in the earliest days of European settlement of the colonies. With few restrictions save the terms of the Land Grants, settlers immediately set to work clearing the Piedmont hills to make way for pasture, row crops, and especially, tobacco. At the same time, rivers and creeks of all sizes were dammed to provide hydropower and to aid in navigation. The Rivanna River was, by 1840, a series of long flat impoundments between dams built in key locations: coming up from the James, a traveler would come first to Rivanna Mills, then Palmyra Mills. There were mills at Bernardsburg, now called, Crofton , at Stump Island , and at Shadwell, to name a few. The present day dams at the Woolen Mills and on the North Fork at Advance Mills are remnants of that time gone by. US Census figures reveal that by 1840 there were 65,000 water-powered mills operating in the eastern United States. That this happened at the same time as widespread removal of trees meant that massive amounts of sediment from hillsides cut bare washed down, across fields and into the rivers. And much of that sediment was trapped behind the dams, occasionally washing downstream in floods. And though a good many of these dams have been removed, their legacy is layers of sediment, sometimes 2 to 4 feet thick spread out across the floodplains above the site of the dam. Now a riverrsquo;s job, some would say, actually is to move dirt. If you take the long view ndash; the one over centuries and eons ndash; we can thank water and its erosional power on the landscape for the layers of sand and clay that ultimately form sandstones and other sedimentary rocks. And it is the river bursting out of its channel in high water and rain that spreads sediments, fine and rough, downstream to build floodplains, wetlands, and marshes on out to the deltas of rivers as they reach into the ocean. And it is precisely when we disturb this normal flow by damming the river or by forcing it into concrete channels and between floodwalls in our cities, that the river becomes disconnected from its floodplain. And lacking the floodplain to absorb the excess volume of water in peak flows, the river cuts stronger and deeper into its channel. Itrsquo;s a vicious cycle and one that is now being studied to learn whether sediments layered across floodplains in colonial times are actually the source of much of the sediment in our now unbridled rivers as they slice through steep river banks such as we find here in the Rivanna Watershed. Add to the equation, stronger flows, augmented by high velocity runoff from our urban and suburban developments, ... Greene,County,,History,,James,River,,Rivanna,River,,Sediment,,Trails,and,Footpaths,,Tributaries,,Water,Quality lmiddleton@embarqmail.com no No http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/04/24/88-the-right-river-shoes-for-the-job/ http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/04/24/88-the-right-river-shoes-for-the-job/#comments Thu, 24 Apr 2008 23:58:41 +0000 admin http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/05/16/88-the-right-river-shoes-for-the-job/ http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/04/24/88-the-right-river-shoes-for-the-job/feed/ 1 00:01:01 April 24, 2008 This show originally aired on September 7, 2007 and then again on April 24, 2008 on ldquo;The Rivanna Rambler,rdquo; a weekly public affairs ... April 24, 2008 This show originally aired on September 7, 2007 and then again on April 24, 2008 on ldquo;The Rivanna Rambler,rdquo; a weekly public affairs show airing every Thursday at 11:55 a.m. on WTJU 91.1 FM or wtju.net. Today is my third day of walking streams, not a bad way to spend a hot and humid summer morning ndash; and I have finally mastered the footwear problem. The first two days, I wore my Chaco water sandals. No problem getting them wet, of course, but every step was an opportunity for pea-sized gravel to become wedged between the sole of my foot and the sandal, resulting in a pointedly painful step that reduced my progress to an awkward hobble until rectified ndash; and just as soon as I had dislodged the offending rock, another would take its place. But now, Irsquo;ve discovered that an old pair of cheap canvas hiking boots not only keeps the gravel out but provides support and traction on the slippery rock outcroppings of Preddy Creek where today, I am working as a volunteer on a river morphology study with StreamWatch. Getting up close and personal with the sand and gravel is exactly what this work is all about. We are here to classify the stream according to a system devised by Dave Rosgen that will help scientists and managers in our watershed understand better how the tributary streams are performing as streams ndash; in other words: can the creek efficiently move its collected waters downstream? Are its banks relatively stable, or are they eroding in such a way as to alter the channelrsquo;s form? Is the stream in some state of equilibrium with its floodplain? The analytic tools used to answer these questions include the Rosgen classification method ndash; and this in turn requires that we measure the shape and curviness of the channel, the width of the floodplain, the slope of descent, and the distribution of the size of particlesndash; the sand, gravel, cobble, boulders, and bedrock that make the channel what it is, in this moment of time. From these measurements, a host of ratios are derived ndash; and finally a classification. Today, wersquo;re taking measurements along the stretch of Preddy Creek immediately upstream of the StreamWatch biological monitoring stations ndash; as are all the sites selected for this geomorphic study. Tributary to the North Fork of the Rivanna, Peddy Creek originates in the rolling hills on either side of Route 29 where Albemarle and Greene Counties meet. Though the stream seems to adequately support aquatic life, downstream stretches have been designated as impaired by the Virginia DEQ due to excess bacteria. For a lot of reasons, itrsquo;s an area to keep an eye on. Turning onto Route 670 at the big red dome of the Sheetz gas station, we have a front row view of acres of land cleared and graded, the contours draped with rows of truck-sized boulders lined up to check the flow of runoff during the construction of the retail and residential buildings that are on their way. Branching roads named Hickory, Fir and Willow, feed into the subdivisionrsquo;s main road, Preddy Creek Drive. Access to the creek is in down the gas-line right-of-of way, a grassy swale that is mowed to the edge of the creek. We clamber down the bank into the rough cobble laid to protect the pipeline and start upstream to take our measurements, soon finding ourselves in the shaded cover of trees. My boots gush expelling water with each step and I am grateful for their heavy protection, even as I sink to my knees from time to time in small pools. We work with measuring tape, stadia rod, and transit ndash; gathering the data which in turn will be compiled with other data, such as land use, impervious surfaces cover, and habitat assessments, to see what correlations can be made between the health of Rivannarsquo;s creeks and streams and the way the surrounding land is being used and changed. River morphology is defined as a tool for diagnosis ndash; for understa... Albemarle,County,,Geology,,Rivanna,River,,Tributaries lmiddleton@embarqmail.com no No http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/02/07/76-tale-of-two-rivers/ http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/02/07/76-tale-of-two-rivers/#comments Thu, 07 Feb 2008 22:32:56 +0000 admin http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/02/07/76-tale-of-two-rivers/ http://www.cvillepublicmedia.org/rambler/2008/02/07/76-tale-of-two-rivers/feed/ 2 00:01:01 Headwater streams, if they are healthy, can provide a good reference for evaluating the health of river segments downstream in the watershed. The Doyles ... Headwater streams, if they are healthy, can provide a good reference for evaluating the health of river segments downstream in the watershed. The Doyles River, which will provide reference conditions for a StreamWatch study, is in many ways a sharp contrast to a creek downstream in the urban part of Albemarle County. This show originally aired on February 7, 2008 on ldquo;The Rivanna Rambler,rdquo; a weekly public affairs show airing every Thursday at 11:55 a.m. on WTJU 91.1 FM or wtju.net. February 7, 2008 On a day in January when the snow is still on the ground in the higher elevations, Rose and I drive out Garth Road turning onto 810 at White Hall and head towards the Browns Gap Turnpike. With the landownerrsquo;s permission, we drive across pastures that slope uphill into the headwater basin of the Doyles River. Where the pastures stop, we enter a tunnel of briars, bush-hogged to clear an old farm track that leads further up the floodplain as it narrows in the mountainrsquo;s ascent. Just wide enough for the truck, it leads into the woods. This floodplain rubble is the story of the river in its headwaters, how gravity and the slope of the drainage combine to move whatever is in the way, including rocks. After 5 minutes of rocking and scraping, we agree that this would be a good place to stop. We can walk the rest of the way. Irsquo;m thinking about adopting this site for StreamWatchndash; becoming the once-a-season water sampler here where the Doyles can provide a reference for other sites downstream, where the land use includes people, cows, cats, and shopping centers. Rose, who trains and coordinates those of us who volunteer, has told me that this is just about her favorite site to visit and I am about to see why. We scramble up and through, where trees and briars have taken hold in the floodplain and the periodic floods have left lines of rubble in their wake. Briars snag my pants; I go slowly so as not to turn my ankle or immerse my boot in a pool of melting snow. A quarter of a mile later, we are at the bank of the Doyles, overlooking a gentle drop a few feet down to a spot between sycamore roots next to the water that looks right for setting up. The wind sings slightly through determined beech and oak leaves that will cling for another couple of months until new buds cast them to the ground. A pileated announces its territory as it glides down from higher elevations. The water in the stream is doing what water does, heading downhill, down river, down the watershed. We unpack, set up for sampling and get to work catching bugs and counting. And in this setting, time does what it does best: passes from one bright moment to the next. Three hours and 345 bugs later, we are on our way back to Charlottesville. Later in the afternoon of the same day, I am now in the heart of the urban ring of Charlottesville ndash; off Woodbrook Drive, where an unnamed tributary of Meadowcreek cuts along steep banks on its way to the Rivanna where it will join the water that has drained from the Doyles via the South Fork. Albemarle County is preparing to restore a section of this urban stream in the hopes that aquatic life will return and the water quality be improved. Some County employees are set up with their table and net by the banks of this creek, which are deeply incised, dropping six feet or more in overhang. The group is somewhat in despair as they scrape the net with tweezers and examine each decayed leaf for a clinging caddisfly or something else alivendash; theyrsquo;ve spent the better part of the last three hours straining bugs from the creek ndash; and their total is only 75, and of those, most are bugs that only survive in heavily impacted streams. That there is little life is no surprise, this section of the stream drains down from Route 29, through shopping centers and neighborhoods and over a whole lot of asphalt, rooftops, and lawns. I doubt that I would claim this a... Albemarle,County,,Doyles,River,,Ecology,,Headwaters,,Meadowcreek,,Rivanna,River,,South,Fork,,Tributaries,,Water,Quality lmiddleton@embarqmail.com no No