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Welcome to the Smith
Creek Watershed Partnership
Imagine hoisting an 18-inch eastern brook trout from the
crystal clear waters of Smith Creek or watching children
splash in sparkling streams. To ensure these
recreational activities are possible in the future,
private citizens, non-profit organizations, communities
and government agencies are joining forces to clean up
Smith Creek and its tributaries.
Many agencies and organizations are now collaborating on
projects such as the
Clean Streams Initiative
and the
Eastern Brook Trout Joint
Venture. Recently, the
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service also
designated Smith Creek as a
“Chesapeake Bay Showcase
Watershed” to be used
as a model for other watersheds in the state.
Flowing through Virginia’s scenic Shenandoah Valley, the
watershed contains 105 square miles (approximately
67,335 acres) of land in Shenandoah and Rockingham
counties. It is located at the headwaters of the North
Fork of the Shenandoah River. Framed by the western
slope of the Massanutten Mountain range, the rolling
countryside is predominantly used for agriculture and
forestry with less than four percent in residential and
commercial uses.
The Smith Creek headwaters lie in Rockingham County with
a small portion in the city of Harrisonburg. Major
tributaries include:
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Lacey Spring Branch (short branch of Lacey Spring)
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Mountain Run (western slope of the Massanutten
Mountains)
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Fridley Run (tributary of Mountain Run)
In 1996, Smith Creek was added to
Virginia’s Impaired Waters List
due to excess sediment and bacteria. A Total Maximum
Daily Load (TMDL) Plan identifying goals for reducing
bacteria and sediment was released in January 2009. A
grass-roots committee is guiding actions and energizing
residents to clean up the stream and remove it from the
state's impaired waters list.
Partners are working to educate and engage the
agricultural and urban communities in improving land
management to benefit water quality. Each landowner has
an opportunity to help.
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For the homeowner, perhaps it's placing a barrel
under a gutter to catch rainfall or checking to see
that the septic tank is working properly. (Tips for
homeowners)
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For town officials, it might be advocating for
stronger storm water controls in developing
areas. (Tips for local governments)
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Farmers can help by planting plants and trees along
streams to filter out pollutants or fencing livestock
out of waterways. (Tips for farmers)
Updated:
2/2/2012
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