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Watersheds: Lakes, Ponds & Streams
More Information Coming Soon!
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The Reston Association is a new member of ACT Tree by Tree Street by Street.
ACT member groups are making communities healthier and greener through tree planting and protection. ACT organizations have engaged 450,000 volunteers to plant and care for 7.8 million trees nationwide. This is a tremendous testament to people's passion and optimism as they take direct action to grow and protect their urban forests.
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The All Gardeners Meeting was a success. Gardeners from all garden plots joined RA staff and the Garden Plot Coordinators in a brief informational meeting. Main Presentation by RA Staff
Fairfax County Master Gardeners Amol Kaikini gave a brief but very informative presentation on the soil and organic gardening.
Organic Gardening Presentation
Norbert Pink, Garden Plot Coordinator of Hunters Woods I garden plot refreshed the groups' minds on the rules and guidelines gardeners must abide by.
Rules & Guidelines
Molly O'Boyle, Coordinator of Hunters Woods II garden plot enlightened those present on the diversity of weeds found in the gardens and easy and natural ways of eliminating them.
Weeds & Natural Ways to Eliminate Them
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Lake Anne has been experiencing problems with algae blooms for many years. This year, starting April 25th, RA is continuing with an algae treatment program consisting of a series of copper sulfate (algaecide) treatments at low concentrations to control algae blooms. Copper sulfate is commonly used in drinking reservoirs to control blue green algae and does not pose a threat to public health. There are no risk-restrictions associated with the use of copper sulfate for this purpose, so lake use will not be impacted. Aquatic Environment Consultants (AEC), a licensed and certificated herbicide applicator, which has been monitoring Reston’s lakes for the past 10 years, are conducting the treatments.
Please help maintain the quality of our lakes. Help reduce nutrient loading into our lakes and streams, which contributes to the algae blooms. Some quick tips include: fertilize in the fall, use less fertilizers or products that do not contain phosphorus, do not feed waterfowl, and establish vegetated shoreline buffers that filter out nutrients from runoff. Please contact Nicki Foremsky at (703) 435-6560 if you have questions or would like more information.
Historically, hyrilla (Hydrilla verticillata) has caused problems for lake users in the shallower upper end of Lake Audubon and along shoreline areas. The hydrilla growth was excessive during the 2007 season and based on our water quality report recommendation, RA will take action in June to control the growth of hydrilla in the problem areas. The treatment will consist of applying a mixture of Reward and Komeen herbicides through a subsurface application system using a power boat. Aquatic Environment Consultants (AEC), a licensed and certificated herbicide applicator, which has been monitoring Reston’s lakes for the past 10 years, are conducting the treatments.
A follow-up survey will be conducted later in the summer. Results of the survey will be used to determine future management recommendations. Please contact Nicki Foremsky at (703) 435-6560 if you have questions or would like more information.
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Update April 17, 2008:
Stream Restoration Plans are approved through Fairfax County up to and including Reach 11 (Soapstone Dr.)
We have DRB meeting for sections that run between Wheelwright and Saddler Oaks and Bristol House Condos happening at the end of April.
Reaches 1 & 2 are completely finished and planted.
Reach 3 construction is finished and they are still planting that area.
Pathways are paved in reaches 1 & 2.
Access path along sanitary sewer easement in Reach 3 was restored to natural surface trail with hay and wood chips.
Pathway in Reach 3 is scheduled to be repaved soon.
Pre-construction meeting for Reach 4 (near Hunters Wood Elementary, Shire Ct, and Deepwood) occurred last week. The orange fencing is installed.
Pathways will be closed in the section near Hunters Woods Elementary School between Colts Neck and Glade during construction until June.
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Living in Reston is like living
in a park with forests, paths, wildlife and streams,
but since Reston started developing, the tree roots
have been unearthed and the streams have been getting
deeper and the stream banks steeper.
In order to help our streams, Reston
Association is working with Wetland Studies and Solutions,
Inc. who will be redesigning the shape of the streams
to handle the water running off our streets, parking
lots, and houses during a rain storm.
Our restoration project focuses
on Snakeden Branch stream that flows from Reston Parkway
between South Lakes Drive and Glade Drive. Snakeden
Branch feeds water into Lake Audubon, even in times
of drought. Snakeden also delivers dirt from the stream
banks, filling in the west cove of Lake Audubon with
sediment. The restoration project will dramatically
reduce erosion of Snakeden Branch and help us have
beautiful streams again.
As of May 2007, the designs of
reaches 1 and 2 were submitted to Fairfax County for
review. Reach 1 includes 950 ft of the Snakeden Branch
headwater stream valley between Reston Parkway and
Colts Neck Road. Reach 2 encompasses 1000 ft of Snakeden
Branch stream channel from Colts Neck Road along the
pipeline easement. The restoration will be accomplished
through a Stream Mitigation Bank managed by Wetland
Studies and Solutions, Inc.
Click
here for..
more information
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View
Pictures | Download
Report
Beginning October
4, 2007, a two-day fish population survey was conducted
on four Reston Association lakes by Aquatic Environment
Consultants, Inc. The lakes included in the survey
were Lake Newport, Lake Anne, Lake Thoreau and Lake
Audubon. The purpose of the survey was to collect
data on the fish population of each lake, identify
any problems with the fish population and formulate
a fisheries management plan for each lake. Data that
related to water quality and the fish population was
collected.
Each of the four lakes has an established fish
population that has reached the carrying capacity for
the water body. Our goal is to manage the fish population
in such a way as to improve the largemouth bass population
and populations of other desirable species in the lake.
Improvements are to be made in the growth rates, sizes,
numbers and
reproductive potential of each species.
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What is it? The storm drain
marking project is an outreach campaign to improve
the water quality of Reston’s streams and lakes
by alerting people that storm water entering
the drains DOES NOT go to a waste treatment plant but
empties DIRECTLY into our streams. The
markers are just one way to prevent trash and pollution
from entering Reston’s streams
and lakes.
Storm drains are designed to prevent
flooding of roads and neighborhoods by carrying rain
and snow melt away from streets and sidewalks. Unlike
water from our taps and tub, water flowing into storm
drains is NOT treated. Trash, pet waste, motor oil,
paint and other materials dumped or washed into storm
drains pollute our lakes, Difficult Run, (the stream
that receives most of the water from Reston) and ultimately,
the Chesapeake Bay. Markers on each storm drain remind
us all to keep storm drains and our streams clean.
Opportunities to Volunteer
Opportunities to volunteer
are available at any time just by contacting Reston’s
Watershed Manager.
Who is funding this project?
The
markers are currently funded by the Fairfax County
Department of Public Works and Environmental Service,
and co-sponsored by the Northern VA Soil and Water
Conservation District. They have generously donated
the markers used throughout the county.
There are roughly 4000 drains
in Reston. Our
goal is to mark each one. In 2006, 785
markers were applied by two Eagle Scouts, Girl Scout
groups, Counselor in Training campers and other cluster
volunteers.
Reston Association has received
a Permit from the Virginia Department of Transportation
(VDOT) to accomplish the Storm Drain Marking project
on all VDOT maintained drains. We also encourage
Management companies and Clusters that are responsible
for privately maintained drains to participate in
the project.
Why are we participating
in the project really???
This
summer, our office has had to call the Fairfax County
Fire and Rescue office twice to report hazardous and
illegal dumping. Someone had dumped into a storm drain,
which led under Sunrise Valley Drive directly into
Lake Thoreau. The dumping resulted in a white
plume coming into the lake and coating the bottom.
We were concerned about what was being dumped and the
effect it might have on the fish. Numerous times we
have caught uninformed painters looking for a quick
place to dump excess paint. Folks changing their car
oil and dumping it down the drain is sadly, still common.
In addition, we are surprised at the pollution entering
our streams when we have our annual stream clean-ups. For
example, we have found in our streams bagged pet droppings,
leaves and brush from private property, and other trash
that belongs in a trash can. All of this garbage
ends up in our streams and is carried during a rainstorm
to our lakes.
We encourage everyone to take
part in the Storm Drain Marking Project to help protect
the water quality of Reston’s streams and lakes.
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Invasive Plant Invades Reston
Lakes
A very aggressive exotic weed introduced from northern Europe during the mid-1800’s
is now invading Reston’s lake shorelines. Although attractive while blooming,
established plants send up several stalks, each containing 300,000 seeds. If
left unchecked, purple loosestrife can take over acres of shoreline, out-competing
native plants for growing space.
Reston Association first noticed purple loosestrife on Lake Newport and discovered
it on Lake Anne during the National Lake Survey on July 12, 2007. RA would
like to remove all of the purple loosestrife that we find along the lakes.
We are lucky that there are only small infestations of the plant which makes
it amenable to being pulled by hand, preferably before seeds set. We encourage
landowners to grant us permission to remove the plant from private property
along the lakes.
For a detailed fact sheet on purple loosestrife, visit: http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact/lysa1.htm
http://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/aquatics/loosestrife.shtml
Please call Nicki Foremsky, Watershed Manager at 703-435-6560 for more information.
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Lake Anne has been experiencing
problems with algae blooms for many years. This year,
starting May 4, 2007, RA is continuing with an algae
treatment program consisting of a series of copper
sulfate (algaecide) treatments at low concentrations
to control algae blooms. Copper sulfate is commonly
used in drinking reservoirs to control blue green algae
and does not pose a threat to public health. There
are no risk-restrictions associated with the use of
copper sulfate for this purpose, so lake use will not
be impacted. Aquatic Environment Consultants (AEC),
a licensed and certificated herbicide applicator, which
has been monitoring Reston’s lakes for the past
9 years, are conducting the treatments.
Please help maintain the quality of our lakes. Help reduce nutrient loading
into our lakes and streams, which contributes to the algae blooms. Some quick
tips include: fertilize in the fall, use less fertilizers or products that
do not contain phosphorus, do not feed waterfowl, and establish vegetated shoreline
buffers that filter out nutrients from runoff. Please contact Nicki Foremsky
at (703) 435-6560 if you have questions or would like more information.
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 Reston
Association, with the support of Reston’s homeowners,
is committed to conserving the widest diversity of
natural resources and promoting a peaceful coexistence
between all its inhabitants. Beavers are one of Reston’s
most conspicuous residents. While they create wetland
habitat for many other species of wildlife to enjoy,
at times their creative engineering may cause conflicts
with other land users.
More
Information
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RA Staff spotted
two Bald Eagles in Reston's trees, near Uplands
Pool across from Buttermilk Creek Nature Trail. |
This was the fourth
known sighting of Bald Eagles in Reston for 2004. |
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Helpful Hints
for Co-Existence With Wildlife
 Everyone
with a house and a yard, whether in the country or
the suburbs, has a little bit of nature around them.
Songbirds, squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits, opossums,
raccoons and deer provide opportunities to enjoy wildlife.
However, sometimes these same creatures in their search
for food and nesting sites can cause homeowners distress.
The following information presents some hints that
will help homeowners co-exist with suburban wildlife,
not surrender to them.
More
Information
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Landscape Plants
Rated by Deer Resistance
by Rutgers Cooperative Research & Extension
The following is a list of landscape
plants rated according to their resistance to deer
damage. The list was compiled with input from nursery
and landscape professionals, Cooperative Extension
personnel, and Master Gardeners in Northern N.J.
Plant
List
Realizing that no plant is deer
proof, plants in the Rarely Damaged, and Seldom Rarely
Damaged categories would be best for landscapes prone
to deer damage. Plants Occasionally Severely Damaged
and Frequently Severely Damaged are often preferred
by deer and should only be planted with additional
protection such as the use of fencing, repellents,
etc. Success of any of these plants in the landscape
will depend on local deer populations and weather conditions.
Rutgers
Master Gardener Program
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Gypsy Moths in Fairfax
County
by Fairfax County
New - 2007 Gypsy Moth
Aerial Treatment Areas
The gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar,
is currently the most serious insect threat to trees
and shrubs in the United States. It is originally from
the temperate regions of Europe, Asia, and North Africa.
In 1869, the gypsy moth became established in North
America after escaping from a Massachusetts lab.
The caterpillar feeds on leaves
of forest, shade, ornamental, fruit trees and shrubs.
Gypsy moth caterpillars can defoliate a tree by eating
60 to 100% of the leaves. Hardwood trees such as oak
and hickory can be killed by two or more defoliations,
but a single defoliation can kill some evergreens.
Fairfax
County Program
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Mosquitoes and West Nile
Virus
by Fairfax County
In the United States, West Nile
virus is transmitted through the bite of infected mosquitoes,
primarily members of the Culex genus. In Fairfax County,
the primary vector of WNV is Culex restuans. This mosquito
feeds primarily on birds and serves to disseminate
the virus in the bird population. The bridge vector
of WNV in Fairfax County is Culex pipiens. This mosquito
will feed upon both birds and humans and in so doing
may transmit the virus to the human population.
More
Information
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Animals
in Fairfax County
by Fairfax County
Fairfax County strives to ensure
safe and healthy living for | 
