TREAT: These non-venomous snakes are not a threat at all to humans. It runs 380 miles beginning in the Allegheny Mountains and emptying in the Chesapeake Bay at Havre de Grace, Maryland. The river's two branches converge just east of Green Spring in Hampshire County, West Virginia, to form the Potomac. Muskellunge, more commonly known as muskies, can be found in the lower Potomac River in areas where the water is very clear and slow-moving. Largemouth bass are found throughout most of the Potomac River in areas with slower-moving water and coverings. In the Gorge, there is a high volume of water with a fast, powerful flow. Why in the name of arachnophobia do these guys have to jump? TRICK: Yes, their are sharks in the Potomac River! [42][43], A variety of fish inhabit the Potomac, including bass, muskellunge, pike, walleye. Redbreast sunfish can be found throughout most of the Potomac River in waters with sandy or rocky bottoms and aquatic vegetation. As their name suggests, bull sharks are big and quite aggressive. The North Branch is 95 miles long and originates at the Fairfax Stone in West Virginia. Entrance fees may apply, see Fees & Passes information. North of the confluence of the South Branch with Smith Creek, the river flows along Town Mountain (2,848ft) around Franklin at the junction of U.S. Route 220 and U.S. Route 33. [12] The river's name was officially decided upon as "Potomac" by the Board on Geographic Names in 1931. Claims by Maryland to West Virginia land north of the South Branch (all of Mineral and Grant Counties and parts of Hampshire, Hardy, Tucker and Pendleton Counties) and by West Virginia to the Potomac's high-water mark were rejected by the Supreme Court in two separate decisions in 1910. Yellow perch generally grow to about 7 10 inches long and weigh around a pound, although this species is prone to having stunted growth in areas where food is limited. It would actually be quite a treat to spot one! This detail from that map shows his rendition of the river that the local tribes had told him was called the "Patawomeck". The source of the North Branch Potomac River is at the Fairfax Stone located at the junction of Grant, Tucker and Preston counties in West Virginia. Despite looking like a frail skeleton with whiskers, these fish have staying power. [36] In March 2019, the Potomac Riverkeeper Network launched a laboratory boat dubbed the "Sea Dog", which will be monitoring water quality in the Potomac and providing reports to the public on a weekly basis;[37] in that same month, the catching near Fletcher's Boat House of a Striped Bass estimated to weigh 35lbs was seen as a further indicator of the continuing improvement in the health of the river. The Upper Potomac River Commission treatment plant in Westernport, MD, begins operation; it is designed to clean up pollution in the North Branch Potomac. There is still some walleye to be caught over the Michigan and Ohio dumping grounds. Potomac Vegetable Farms has been a long-time innovator and partner in soil and water conservation in Fairfax County. They also have excellent vision both during the day and at night. As it flows from its headwaters down to the Chesapeake Bay, the Potomac traverses five geological provinces: the Appalachian Plateau, the Ridge and Valley, the Blue Ridge, the Piedmont Plateau, and the Atlantic coastal plain. Bull sharks are unique in that, though they live mostly in saltwater, they can tolerate freshwater. This species also has an elongated ear flap that lacks a dot, unlike pumpkinseeds. Controls on phosphorus, one of the principal contributors to eutrophication, were implemented in the 1980s, through sewage plant upgrades and restrictions on phosphorus in detergents. The creature makes its home in a splinter of land extending from Northern Georgia to Long Island that falls neatly between the distributions of other known medicinal (human-feeding) leech species. 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Muskies are the largest of the pike family, and they can reach about 30 40 inches long and 10 20 pounds on average, although they can reach up to 70 pounds in certain waters. Unlike many other sunfishes, longear sunfish like to feed near the surface of the water on aquatic insects, microcrustaceans, fish eggs, and juvenile fishes. [This is tough, because theyre already brown.] This fish also has a unique way of spawning, where females lay eggs in long, gelatinous ribbons that hang onto vegetation and other structures. General Robert E. Lee crossed the river, thereby invading the North and threatening Washington, D.C., twice in campaigns climaxing in the battles of Antietam (September 17, 1862) and Gettysburg (July 13, 1863). Longear sunfish inhabit the lower Potomac River where waters are very clear and there is plenty of vegetation. This species has an average length of 13 inches and will generally weigh less than 5 pounds, although the largest largemouth ever recorded was 22 pounds and 4 ounces. TREAT: How teeny-tiny are Indiana Bats? This included the area at Great Falls, which eroded into its present form during recent glaciation periods.[9]. TRICK: There are not too many creatures that can say they outlived the DINOSAURS, but sturgeons are one of them. That evidence, says Phillips, stood out like a (blood-)red flag. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. TREAT: Once you realize that the bold jumper is non-aggressive and not a threat, youll realize that its pretty cool to look at (as well as being free pest-control). [32], By the end of the 20th century, notable success had been achieved, as massive algal blooms vanished and recreational fishing and boating rebounded. Its orange and iridescent teal markings make it an excellent photography subject! Add more butter and olive oil. 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