Raindrop to the Bay By Kathy Woodard Lessons from the Bay Virginia Department of Education Raindrop to the Bay By Kathy Woodard Presentation by LEEP: Lake Anna Environmental Education Program

Follow a raindrop’s journey… Lessons from the Bay As we… Virginia Department of Education Follow a raindrop’s journey… Lake Anna … from Louisa to the Bay! Chesapeake Bay

When it rains, where does the water go? Lessons from the Bay Virginia Department of Education When it rains, where does the water go?

Lessons from the Bay Downhill: this map shows elevation— tan parts mountains, then foothills, green parts closer to sea level Downhill! Virginia Department of Education http://www.maps.com/explore/atlas/physical/North_America_United_States_Virginia.html

A watershed is all the land that drains into a body of water. Lessons from the Bay So when it rains some of the water soaks into the ground (which we then pump up with our wells). The rest flows over the ground into streams, ponds, creeks, and into this river. So all this land is part of the watershed of this river.—Not this part because that flows down this way. That would be part of a different watershed. Virginia Department of Education A watershed is all the land that drains into a body of water. http://www.epa.gov/win/what.html

What watershed are we a part of? Lessons from the Bay EPA has a great website—Surf your Watershed– we click on VA Virginia Department of Education What watershed are we a part of? http://www.epa.gov/surf3/locate/map2.html

Virginia Watersheds Then we click on where Louisa is… Lessons from the Bay Then we click on where Louisa is… Virginia Department of Education Virginia Watersheds

Pamunkey River Watershed Lessons from the Bay Here is our local watershed- see Louisa, Lake Anna--- all creeks/streams flow to N/S Anna Rivers– which join to form the Pamunkey River Virginia Department of Education Pamunkey River Watershed http://www.epa.gov/surf3/hucs/02080106/

Kayaking on the Pamunkey River Lessons from the Bay Here are some people frp, the MPRA kayaking on the Pamunkey River, and all the water in the Pamunkey comes from our local watershed. Virginia Department of Education Kayaking on the Pamunkey River http://www.mpra.org/celebrat.htm#gallery

Pamunkey Joins the Mattaponi River to Form the York River Lessons from the Bay The water doesn’t stop there. See, the yellow area is our Pamunkey Watershed. The P joins the M to form the York. So we are also part of a bigger watershed: The York Watershed. Virginia Department of Education Pamunkey Joins the Mattaponi River to Form the York River Mattaponi Pamunkey York

Canoeing at the York River State Park Lessons from the Bay Virginia Department of Education Canoeing at the York River State Park http://www.dcr.state.va.us/parks/pictures/yorkfoto

You can see how huge it is, here is Virginia… Lessons from the Bay You can see how huge it is, here is Virginia… Virginia Department of Education The Pamunkey Watershed is a small part of the 64,000 square miles of land that drain into the Chesapeake Bay. http://www.mpt.org/learningworks/baytrippers/explore/forests.htm

Everyone has a Watershed Address: Lessons from the Bay Virginia Department of Education Everyone has a Watershed Address: R. Drop Cloud 9, Sky 33 Louisa County Library, Parking lot, High School pond, creek behind High School, Northeast Creek Reservoir, Northeast Creek, South Anna River, Pamunkey River, York River, Chesapeake Bay

Let’s follow the path of a raindrop that falls on Brackett Farm! Lessons from the Bay Let’s follow the path of a raindrop that falls on Brackett Farm! Virginia Department of Education Photos, this page, courtesy of Brackett Farm

Brackett Farm’s Watershed Address: Lessons from the Bay Virginia Department of Education Brackett Farm’s Watershed Address: R. Drop Cloud 9, Sky 33 Brackett Farm, Bunch Creek Nolting Pond, Hudson Creek, South Anna River, Pamunkey River, York River, Chesapeake Bay

Lessons from the Bay Virginia Department of Education Bunch Creek…

…flows into Nolting Pond. Lessons from the Bay Virginia Department of Education …flows into Nolting Pond.

The pond flows into Hudson Creek. Lessons from the Bay Virginia Department of Education The pond flows into Hudson Creek.

Hudson Creek flows into the South Anna River. Lessons from the Bay Virginia Department of Education Hudson Creek flows into the South Anna River.

Trees slow the raindrops. Lessons from the Bay Virginia Department of Education Trees slow the raindrops.

Roots hold the soil and reduce erosion. Lessons from the Bay Virginia Department of Education Roots hold the soil and reduce erosion.

Tree cover cools the water. Lessons from the Bay Virginia Department of Education

Confluence of the North Anna and South Anna Rivers Lessons from the Bay Virginia Department of Education Confluence of the North Anna and South Anna Rivers North Anna South Anna Pamunkey

Paddling the Pamunkey Lessons from the Bay Virginia Department of Education

We drive past the York River… Lessons from the Bay Virginia Department of Education We drive past the York River… http://www.dcr.state.va.us/parks/pictures/yorkfoto

…to take the Ferry to Smith Island in the Chesapeake Bay! Lessons from the Bay Virginia Department of Education …to take the Ferry to Smith Island in the Chesapeake Bay!

A few hours later we spot land… Lessons from the Bay Virginia Department of Education A few hours later we spot land…

…just barely above sealevel! Lessons from the Bay Virginia Department of Education …just barely above sealevel!

Lessons from the Bay Virginia Department of Education Photos by Kathy Woodard Brackett Farm (farmhouse, feeding calf, Nolting Pond) URL’s cited for online maps and photos