Potomac and Shenandoah Riverkeepers

Gap Run in the Middle Potomac-Catoctin Watershed

Being at a state park with such diverse wildlife and features, I've always wanted to divulge more into the wetlands and streams and learn more about them. I don't have have a background in aquatics, but I'd like to learn for my own purposes, as well as being able to give knowledge to the park staff and visitors. From what I have gathered, Sky Meadows State Park, in Delaplane, VA, is in the Middle Potomac-Catoctin Watershed. 

Here are some links that I have found useful so far:

EPA Watershed profile: http://cfpub.epa.gov/surf/huc.cfm?huc_code=02070008

USGS resource links: http://water.usgs.gov/lookup/getwatershed?02070008

EPA 2010 Waterbody Report for Upper Goose Creek/Gap Run: http://ofmpub.epa.gov/waters10/attains_waterbody.control?p_au_id=VAN-A04R_ZZZ01A00&p_cycle=2010

The Upper Goose Creek/Gap Run waterbody includes the sections of Gap Run that are in Sky Meadows.

I'm particularly interested in the sections that are east of Rt. 17 on the Lost Mountain side of the park. 

Lost Mountain is one of the least-visited portions of the park and is primarily used for horseback riding in the fields towards the mountain. There is a trail, Shearman's Mill Trail, that follows Gap Run for a portion of the way and is my favorite trail. Turner Pond, as seen at the top of the above photo, is a stream-fed pond in the park that is fished regularly and has a variety of fish, reptiles, waterfowl, and other wildlife. Along with the pond, Sky Meadows hosts woodlands, wetlands, and pastures, so there is a wide variety of wildlife within the park, including cattle. The more I get involved with the park, the more interested I become with its ecosystems and how they effect one another.