Town Run Watershed

05/30/2026

Congratulations to Jim Sigel - he is a friend of Town Run

Congratulations to Jim Siegel who is retiring today from NCTC! His long career with USFWS has resulted in numerous programs like DFP, NYCALC, and SC3. Jim, we wish you the best!

05/25/2026

Thanks to Hanna for sharing her passion for Town Run.

05/25/2026

Bugs Below The Surface 🫧🦟🌿🪳:

Have you ever heard of Alderflies, Dobsonflies, and Fishflies?

They are all insects that are a part of the same order known as megalopteras. They live underwater and are sometimes referred to as hellgrammites. They have been around for about 250 million years, making them one of the oldest insect groups still present. Additionally, they are important predators for our streams! They feed on other aquatic insects, which keeps populations in control and the ecosystem balanced.

Throughout all stages of life, megalopteras have an elongated body with prognathous heads. They are famous for their mandibles and their biting jaws that allow them to feed on other insects. Along their abdomen, they have lateral filament structures that act as their gills while they reside in water during their larval stage.

Megaloptera do go through complete metamorphosis. They can reside underwater for 1 to 5 years before becoming adults. They live for about a week once they leave the water, mainly focusing on reproducing.

Due to the conditions they need to live in, such as clean, well-oxygenated water, megalopteras are considered bioindicators! This means that they are used to assess the overall quality of a stream. These species of aquatic bugs are very important for our streams, for many reasons!

05/25/2026

So much fun for kids - get them outside this summer

05/18/2026

How we garden affects streams and pollinators. Learn more -

$25/person (PVAS members receive a 10% discount). All ages are welcome, though youth must be accompanied by an adult. Pre-registration is required.

05/15/2026

Take the kids outside

Looking for fun outdoor activities to enjoy with your kids or grandkids this summer? Nature in the Neighborhood brings hands-on nature activities and engaging storytimes right to you at your local parks. Mark your calendars and join us for these free nature programs!

Visit our website below for dates and times:
https://www.potomacaudubon.org/calendar/category/youth/nature-in-the-neighborhood/

05/15/2026

05/07/2026

We love northern red salamanders - they make their homes in Town Run.

Happy Naturalist Trivia Tuesday!

During one of our recent 4th grade Watershed Program field trips, a student caught this gorgeous larval salamander in a net! One of the instructors for the day called up a herpetologist friend to ID it, and then after showing all of the students, we released it back into the stream.

Hints: The salamander was at least 5 inches long (a couple of smaller larval salamanders can be seen in the photo for size reference). The salamander also appeared more red colored in the natural light than it does in the photo.

Is it...
A. A Common Mudpuppy (Necturus m. maculosus)
B. A Small-mouthed Salamander (Ambystoma texanum)
C. A Seal Salamander (Desmognathus monticola)
D. A Northern Red Salamander (Pseudotriton r. ruber)

Photo by PVAS Staff Member Laurel Schwartz.

05/05/2026

Watershed Virtual Social Hour Tonight - John King from the WV DEP, who will be speaking about the DEP's Dilapidated Properties Program. Dilapidated properties can pose significant long-term environmental and economic challenges. This presentation is designed to help local groups identify candidate buildings within their communities, and provide tools for change.

Meeting Invite
WVWN Virtual Social Hour: WV DEP DLAP Program

Tuesday, May 5 · 6:00 – 7:00pm
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/etk-omue-wce