Piscataway Creek (Virginia) facts for kids
Piscataway Creek is a cool waterway in eastern Virginia, United States. It's like a smaller river that flows into the bigger Rappahannock River. This creek is about 17 miles (27 kilometers) long.
Piscataway Creek starts in low, wet areas called Sturgeon Swamp and Mussel Swamp. These swamps are near US Route 360 on a piece of land called the Middle Peninsula. The creek then flows into the Rappahannock River, about three miles (5 kilometers) past the town of Tappahannock.
Because it's close to the ocean, the creek is "tidal" for most of its path. This means its water level goes up and down with the ocean's tides.
The area of land that drains into Piscataway Creek is called its watershed. This watershed covers about 57.4 square miles (148.7 square kilometers). Most of this land, about 63%, is covered by forests. Farms make up about 26.5% of the watershed, with fields for crops and areas for animals to graze. The rest of the land is made up of swamps and places where people live.
Exploring Piscataway Creek
Piscataway Creek winds its way through the middle of Essex County. You can travel by boat on about four miles (6 kilometers) of the creek, starting from where it meets the Rappahannock River. This part goes just past the US Route 17 bridge. There aren't any special signs or lights to help guide boats, so it's important to be careful.
Past Plans for the Creek
A long time ago, in 1883, the United States government thought about making the creek easier for big boats to use. This would have helped farmers and loggers in the area move their goods. They found that the creek was narrow but deep enough for commercial ships.
However, there was a sandy area, like a natural underwater wall, at the mouth of the creek. This "bar" made it hard for larger boats to enter. In the end, the government decided it would cost too much money to dig out the sand and make the creek better for boats. So, people continued to take their goods by wagon to a place called Ware's Wharf.
Nearby Airport
The Tappahannock-Essex County Airport is located in the southern part of the land that drains into Piscataway Creek. This airport opened in 2007.
