Smith Creek (Virginia)
Encyclopedia
Smith Creek is a 35.5 miles (57.1 km) tributary
stream
of the North Fork of the Shenandoah River
in the Shenandoah Valley
of Virginia
. Its watershed comprises 106 square miles (274.5 km²) within Shenandoah and Rockingham
counties on the western slope of the Massanutten Mountain
ridge. Its headwaters lie in Rockingham County just north of Harrisonburg
, and its confluence with the North Fork of the Shenandoah River is located just south of Mount Jackson
.
Smith Creek's major tributaries include:
project to revitalize the stream to a point where the native trout
species can again thrive. Prior to the Civil War
, trout up to 5 and 6 pounds were common in the stream, but as forested land was converted to pasture land for livestock the stream became unsuitable for fish. Restoration techniques include restricting livestock's access to the stream, which will reduce sediment and contamination from fecal bacteria, and planting grasses and trees along the banks, which will reduce erosion and sediment and reduce the stream's temperature by shading the water from the summer sun. By 2006, populations have already been reestablished in Mountain Run, and they have begun migrating downstream.
In 2010, the Smith Creek watershed was named Virginia’s Chesapeake Showcase Watershed in recognition of the community's outstanding efforts to rejuvenate the creek's aquatic ecosystem. Fishermen continue to flock to the creek for its excellent fly fishing. By 2011, Smith Creek was home to brown trout
over 24 inches (61 cm) and 7 pounds (3.2 kg), and rainbow trout
over 5 pounds (2.3 kg) are not uncommon.
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
stream
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
of the North Fork of the Shenandoah River
Shenandoah River
The Shenandoah River is a tributary of the Potomac River, long with two forks approximately long each, in the U.S. states of Virginia and West Virginia...
in the Shenandoah Valley
Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. Its watershed comprises 106 square miles (274.5 km²) within Shenandoah and Rockingham
Rockingham County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 67,725 people, 25,355 households, and 18,889 families residing in the county. The population density was 80 people per square mile . There were 27,328 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
counties on the western slope of the Massanutten Mountain
Massanutten Mountain
Massanutten Mountain is a synclinal ridge in the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians, located in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Geography:The mountain bisects the Shenandoah Valley just east of Strasburg in Shenandoah County in the north, to its highest peak east of Harrisonburg in Rockingham County in the...
ridge. Its headwaters lie in Rockingham County just north of Harrisonburg
Harrisonburg, Virginia
Harrisonburg is an independent city in the Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia in the United States. Its population as of 2010 is 48,914, and at the 2000 census, 40,468. Harrisonburg is the county seat of Rockingham County and the core city of the Harrisonburg, Virginia Metropolitan Statistical...
, and its confluence with the North Fork of the Shenandoah River is located just south of Mount Jackson
Mount Jackson, Virginia
Mount Jackson is a town in Shenandoah County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,994 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Mount Jackson is located at in the southern part of Shenandoah County, Virginia at...
.
Smith Creek's major tributaries include:
- Mountain Run, which runs from the west slope of the Massanutten Mountain
- Fridley Run, a tributary of Mountain Run
- Dry Fork, which rises just east of Harrisonburg, joining Smith Creek just before Lacey Spring
- Lacey Spring Branch, a short branch which runs from the limestone springs at Lacey Spring
- War Branch, which rises at the base of the Massanutten Mountain southwest of the community of Athlone and continues past the community of Arkton before joining Smith Creek near Moores Mill Road
- Gap Branch, which rises at the base of the Massanutten near New Market GapNew Market GapNew Market Gap is a wind gap in the Massanutten Mountain in Virginia. The gap is located approximately in the middle of the range, dividing it into north and south sections....
and joins Smith Creak just prior to the North Fork of the Shenandoah River.
Smith Creek restoration project
Smith Creek has been the beneficiary of a large-scale stream restorationStream restoration
Stream restoration or river restoration, sometimes called river reclamation in the UK, describes a set of activities that help improve the environmental health of a river or stream. Improved health may be indicated by expanded habitat for diverse species and reduced stream bank erosion...
project to revitalize the stream to a point where the native trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
species can again thrive. Prior to the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, trout up to 5 and 6 pounds were common in the stream, but as forested land was converted to pasture land for livestock the stream became unsuitable for fish. Restoration techniques include restricting livestock's access to the stream, which will reduce sediment and contamination from fecal bacteria, and planting grasses and trees along the banks, which will reduce erosion and sediment and reduce the stream's temperature by shading the water from the summer sun. By 2006, populations have already been reestablished in Mountain Run, and they have begun migrating downstream.
In 2010, the Smith Creek watershed was named Virginia’s Chesapeake Showcase Watershed in recognition of the community's outstanding efforts to rejuvenate the creek's aquatic ecosystem. Fishermen continue to flock to the creek for its excellent fly fishing. By 2011, Smith Creek was home to brown trout
Brown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
over 24 inches (61 cm) and 7 pounds (3.2 kg), and rainbow trout
Rainbow trout
The rainbow trout is a species of salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead is a sea run rainbow trout usually returning to freshwater to spawn after 2 to 3 years at sea. In other words, rainbow trout and steelhead trout are the same species....
over 5 pounds (2.3 kg) are not uncommon.