rapidan and robinson state of the rivers 2015

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Rapidan and Robinson State of the Rivers 2015 A StreamSweepers report to landowners and watershed supporters

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Page 1: Rapidan and Robinson State of the Rivers 2015

Rapidan and Robinson State of the Rivers 2015

A StreamSweepers report to landowners and watershed

supporters

Page 2: Rapidan and Robinson State of the Rivers 2015

State of the Rivers

• The Land around the Rivers• The River Valleys• The Rivers• Recommendations to Help People and Wildlife

Page 3: Rapidan and Robinson State of the Rivers 2015

The Land Around the Rivers

Page 4: Rapidan and Robinson State of the Rivers 2015

Robinson River

Rapidan River

Page 5: Rapidan and Robinson State of the Rivers 2015

Typical Upper Landscape around Rivers

~80% Forest Cover

Page 6: Rapidan and Robinson State of the Rivers 2015

Typical Landscape Around Lower River

Under 50% Forest Cover

Page 7: Rapidan and Robinson State of the Rivers 2015

The River Valleys

Page 8: Rapidan and Robinson State of the Rivers 2015

Floodplain (without trees)

Page 9: Rapidan and Robinson State of the Rivers 2015

River Forest Cropland Water Urban Hay/Pasture

Rapidan 29.9% 16.1% 5.5% 3.4% 45.2%

Conway 22.4% 29.3% 0.6% 8.5% 39.3%

Hazel 37.9% 14.4% 1.6% 2.0% 44.1%

Hughes 30.4% 9.5% 0.0% 8.9% 51.2%

Jordan 41.0% 0.5% 0.3% 3.8% 54.5%

Robinson 16.0% 12.8% 1.8% 9.5% 59.9%

Rose 13.7% 1.3% 0.0% 18.0% 67.0%

Rush 42.7% 0.5% 2.0% 4.4% 50.5%

South 16.3% 9.9% 2.6% 7.0% 64.2%

Thornton 30.9% 0.9% 2.6% 7.7% 58.0%

Low Percentage of Trees in River Valley Floodplains

Page 10: Rapidan and Robinson State of the Rivers 2015

Clear or tan areas are without trees

Page 11: Rapidan and Robinson State of the Rivers 2015

The Rivers

The Quality of the Canopy, Bed, and Bank

Page 12: Rapidan and Robinson State of the Rivers 2015
Page 13: Rapidan and Robinson State of the Rivers 2015
Page 14: Rapidan and Robinson State of the Rivers 2015

The Rapidan River from SNP to the Rappahannock

Five Sections

Page 15: Rapidan and Robinson State of the Rivers 2015

The Robinson River from Village of Banco to the Rapidan

Three Sections

Page 16: Rapidan and Robinson State of the Rivers 2015
Page 17: Rapidan and Robinson State of the Rivers 2015

Rapidan High Quality

Page 18: Rapidan and Robinson State of the Rivers 2015
Page 19: Rapidan and Robinson State of the Rivers 2015

Rapidan Low Quality

Page 20: Rapidan and Robinson State of the Rivers 2015
Page 21: Rapidan and Robinson State of the Rivers 2015

Robinson High Quality

Page 22: Rapidan and Robinson State of the Rivers 2015
Page 23: Rapidan and Robinson State of the Rivers 2015

Robinson Low Quality

Page 24: Rapidan and Robinson State of the Rivers 2015
Page 25: Rapidan and Robinson State of the Rivers 2015

Comparison of 2014/2015 to 2000 Shows Conditions Generally Worsening

Red shows river health decline since 2000

Page 26: Rapidan and Robinson State of the Rivers 2015

Water Quality Partnership National Cancer Institute

Page 27: Rapidan and Robinson State of the Rivers 2015

Recommendations• Need more forest and native grasslands in rivers landscapes

– especially in floodplains*• Need new businesses that will pay landowners to grow river

friendly crops• Rivers need ongoing Sweeping – people keep treating rivers

like dump**• Probably need for new comprehensive programs to eliminate

endocrine disrupting compounds getting into environment

* Invasive species becoming real problem** Especially in water supply rivers – tires leach endocrine

mimicking compounds