Finding a Lost River, reviving a forgotten river, and more, in this week’s Potomac News Reservoir > > >
Are you seeing green?
Does the warm weather, birds singing, and flowers blooming have you seeing green all around? What about in the water?
On the evening of April 30th, ICPRB staff, in coordination with our West Virginia partners, deployed a bright green dye into the lower Lost River. Although we’re a little late for St. Patrick’s Day, the dye will help scientists understand how water travels underground in a complex geological environment.
During dry weather, the Lost River disappears underground and reappears as the Cacapon River. The geological connection between the two rivers is not fully understood.
As the food grade dye sinks into the cracks and fissures in the Lost River, ICPRB scientists will monitor and map the color as it reemerges at springs throughout the Cacapon watershed. To help us track the dye, staff installed passive carbon pack collectors (essentially fish tank carbon filters) throughout the watershed.
The safe dye will degrade and wash away in only a few days, leaving the Cacapon as it was before (if a bit less festive).
If you are familiar with the geology in the region, you can help our scientists by identifying springs and ground water sinks in the Lost River Valley, Rio Valley, or Upper Cacapon.
Watershed moments — What to celebrate this week: Drinking Water Week
What do your coffee maker, a brewery, and you have in common? They all need clean drinking water to function properly. Drinking Water Week is a time to celebrate our most vital resource and those who work to protect it.
Ways to celebrate Drinking Water Week (May 5-11):
- Learn where your drinking water comes from
- Discover new ways to be more water efficient
- Participate in a local river clean up
Thank you to all the water resource professionals who work hard to make sure our taps work when we need them (and our coffee maker, too!). Join the conversation using #drinkingwaterweek on your favorite social media platforms.
