The city of Harrisonburg
is drained primarily by two streams, Blacks Run and the Sunset Heights
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| Madison St. Harrisonburg (alluvium) near Vine & Fig |
Branch
of Cooks Creek. About two thirds of the city sits within the Blacks Run
watershed, a tributary of the North Fork of the Shenandoah River that
flows north to south through Harrisonburg with its own three main tributaries draining east to west. The main arteries include Newman Lake (quarry), Spotswood
Country Club region (Siebert Creek), between Ramblewood Road east of Grassy
Creek Road and south through Pleasant Run, and Shavers Hill (between Dayton and
I-81).
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| Northern region (basin divide) |
The upper north
source is north of Acorn and Red Oak St. where the elevation is around 1480
ft. At an elevation of 1,176 just north of Mt Crawford, it meets Cooks Creek which flows into the North River just south of Mt. Crawford.
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| Southern mouth at Cooks Creek |
Blacks Run and Cooks
Creek, both part of a related watershed area within the Potomac River Basin,
were listed under Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act as impaired waters in
1996. The Basic impairments are E. coli, Fecal Coliform, and General
Benthics.
There are various
initiatives designed to decrease the contamination levels in the watershed such
as the City of Harrisonburg storm water management programs, as well as other
related local programs and events, various educational activities involving local
schools, administration of an
Annual Blacks Run/Downtown Clean Up Day, and
signage along the streams explaining the impairments and possible health risks.
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This year, April 8, 2017
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The various local stake holders include the City of
Harrisonburg,
National Resources Conservation Service, Citizens of Harrisonburg,
Rockingham County,
VA Dept of Conservation & Recreation (VADCR), JMU/EMU, Small
Family Owned Farming, Harrisonburg Public Works Dept/Other Utilities, Urban/Residential Owners, Rural Community/Citizens,
Mennonite Farmers and Local Corporations.
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