Studying our waterways can give us a better understanding of water’s importance in an environment, how our lives and activities factor into the quality of the water, and how the water quality affects us as well as the other organisms who use it.

It is for these reasons that in the upcoming months, Caledon State Park is instituting a new water quality monitoring program. We are going to be testing at five different locations for a variety of parameters, and you are invited to participate.

The scenic Potomac River Overlook at Caledon State Park

PARK FEATURES AND EDUCATION

Caledon State Park has many wonderful features, like a spectacular old-growth forest, an expansive trail network, many opportunities to view bald eagles, just to name a few.

Many visitors come in just to hike to the Potomac River and capture its beauty in a photograph; to hunt for sharks teeth, fossils, and beach glass; or to relax with their toes in the water and a cool breeze in their hair. But our access to the Potomac River and a few small tributaries is one of the greatest features this park holds.

It is one of our goals at the park that people would use these watering holes not only for recreation, but for education as well. 

Caledon Marsh was split in half and is now one half freshwater and the other half brackish

TESTING SITES

Caledon Marsh is a beautiful marsh located just off the Potomac River at the end of the Caledon Marsh trail. This marsh is amazing because of its size and beauty. What once was one big marsh has since been split by a large beaver dam into two separate bodies of water; the inland half is now freshwater and the other half is brackish like the Potomac. We will have two testing sites on the marsh, one by the trail and the other in the channel that flows into the Potomac.

We will also test at Mallows Marsh, Jones Pond, and Alder Flats. The main parameters we will be using will be turbidity, temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen.

Using this monitoring kit we will monitor, collect data, and help fill a database

For the water quality of the Chesapeake Bay

IMPACT

This new program is made possible through the partnership and advisement of the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay’s River Trends program, learn more about it here. With their help, Caledon State Park will be able to monitor, collect data, and help fill a database for the water quality of the Chesapeake Bay.

We hope that through this opportunity, we can learn more about Caledon’s environment, what we can do to limit our impact on the water quality, as well as find new and exciting ways to get people involved in environmental science.

Caledon State Park is located on Rt. 218 in King George County; follow this link for Google Maps. For more information on Caledon State Park, check out our webpage here or call the Visitor Center at (540) 663-3861. 

VOLUNTEER

If you are looking for volunteer opportunities at a Virginia State Park, the Water Quality Monitoring at Caledon State Park will provide you with a fun, educational experience and training as you get to know this amazing park first-hand.

If you, or your organization would like to volunteer as water quality monitors at Caledon State Park, please contact me directly via email here.