SP Cowley Run Dams EarthCache
rainbowtree: DO NOT post a log to this cache, even backdated. Your log will be immediately deleted.
A special thank you to those who completed all the requirements as requested -and- added A B C to your log.
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EARTHCACHE REQUIREMENTS
Each cacher must send his/her own answers BEFORE logging a find. Enjoy the journey (learning adventure) as well as the destination (smiley earned). Remember to take only pictures and leave only footprints. To get credit for this Earthcache, complete the following tasks:
1. MESSAGE :-) or EMAIL …. a. The Jack Dam is constructed from what two different materials? ... b. What is the span of this dam (distance across the stream)?
2. MESSAGE :-) or EMAIL …. What year was the stone bridge that spans Cowley Run constructed?
OPTIONAL - Please respect the time and effort involved in finding and creating this earthcache by adding ABC to your log.
A. Post a picture at or near the posted coords. This picture is your log signature verifying that you were at the earthcache.
B. JOURNEY OF THE MIND ... Science explains what we observe. Relate (in your own words) something you found interesting in the reading. This adds to your learning adventure and your log.
C. JOURNEY OF THE HEART ... Art shares our personal experience of what we see. Share something special you found on site, and why it is special to you ... prose / story / poem / picture. This is a memorable addition to your log and will make other hearts smile.
OPTIONAL - HALL OF FAME
1. Locate the remnants of the Beaver Dam. Begin at the bridge coordinates and walk upstream until you locate the dam. ... a. What are the coordinates of the Beaver Dam? ... b. The Beaver Dam is constructed from what materials? ... c. What is the span of this dam (distance across the stream)?
2. Locate the remains of the CCC Dam. These remains are clearly visible from the Warming Pond coordinates. ... a. What are the coordinates of the CCC Dam? ... b. The CCC Dam was constructed from what materials? ... c. What was the span of this dam (distance across the stream).
Special thanks to Tom (Park Naturalist) and Josh (Park Manager) for their help developing this earthcache.
SIZERVILLE STATE PARK
The 386-acre Sizerville State Park is nearly surrounded by Elk State Forest, and is near the largest blocks of state forest in the state. The topography of the entire park is a severely dissected plateau with narrow stream valleys.
Sizerville State Park opened for public use in 1924 with the first facilities built in 1927. The name "Sizerville" comes from a logging boomtown of the same name that flourished around the turn of the century. Sizerville itself was named for the Sizer family who were, according to local legend, the first settlers in the area.
Beautiful white pines and hemlocks grace Sizerville and bring to the visitor's eye and mind a quiet, relaxed atmosphere. The pines were planted in the 1930s as a conservation effort by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). Several thousand acres in and around the park were planted to replace the massive tracts of old growth timber logged at the turn of the century.
Anglers will find that the east and west branches of Cowley Run, which flow through the park, contain brook and brown trout. Cowley Run is a high quality stream offering mountain freestone fishing at its best. It is not unusual to catch native brook trout in these waters.
COWLEY RUN DAMS
There are three small dams located on Cowley Run within Sizerville State Park, each serving a different purpose. The Jack Dam was constructed to prevent stream erosion. The Beaver Dam was constructed as a habitat. The CCC Dam was constructed to retain waters within the Warming Pond.
JACK DAM - Posted coordinates
N 41°35.806 W 078°11.003
This dam was designed to reduce flow velocity, control stream erosion, and prevent sediment from entering the stream. Without this dam to reinforce the bank and prevent it from being washed out, the sides would continually erode. Another benefit is providing a steady water source for wildlife and stream invertebrates.
BEAVER DAM - Bridge coordinates
N 41°36.128 W 078°09.858
The East Branch of Cowley Run, located in the park, has historical significance in game management in Pennsylvania. In 1917, a pair of beavers was presented to the Pennsylvania Game Commission by the State of Wisconsin because beavers had become extirpated in Pennsylvania. This first pair was released on East Branch Cowley Run, and beavers are still found in the area.
Beavers create dams primarily out of mud and sticks to flood a particular habitable area. By flooding a parcel of land, beavers can navigate below or near the surface and remain relatively well hidden or protected from predators. The flooded region also allows beavers access to food, especially during the winter.
CCC DAM - Warming Pond Coordinates
N 41°35.830 W 078°10.690
This pool was used to collect and warm creek water. The dam was constructed to retain water within this pool. The remains of this dam can be seen on both sides of the stream bed.
RESOURCES
http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateParks/parks/sizerville/sizerville_text_rtf.rtf
http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateParks/parks/sizerville.aspx
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dam
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