Greenbelt Lake at Buddy Attick Park EarthCache
Greenbelt Lake at Buddy Attick Park
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The coordinates take you to an information sign, which will begin your journey to different parts of Greenbelt Lake.
Greenbelt Lake was the first stage of the Federal Government's Greenbelt Project. Formation of the lake began on October 12th 1935. The land in which Greenbelt Lake was created was originally a 23 acre wooded valley with a stream running through it. Through the Federal Government's Resettlement Administration, the trees and brush were cleared and a 22 foot dam was built to form the lake. The Federal Government originally had plans for a bathhouse and a boathouse built by the lake, but those plans fell through. Soon afterward, health officials discovered a high concentration of bacteria in the lake that made it unsafe for swimming. Greenbelt Lake is part of Buddy Attick Park in Greenbelt Maryland.
Greenbelt Lake is considered to be a wetland area. A particular ecosystem is determined to be a wetland when the land area is completely saturated with water for a time span, the minimum amount of time is usually a week. Not all wetlands have to be naturally made, with Greenbelt Lake being an example of an artificially created wetland.
To get credit for this earthcache, please read the above paragraphs, the two information signs, and use your observation skills at Greenbelt Lake to answer the following questions:
Sign 1 - What is a wetland?
1) What are the three elements that are used to determine if an area is considered to be a wetland.
2) How are hydric soils formed?
3) Why would plants in a wetland area have hollow stems?
4) For an area to be considered a wetland, what percentage of plants need to be considered hydrophytic plants?
Sign 2 - What is a watershed?
5) The are many ways to protect water quality. List three ways.
Take Away Question
6) How did factors in the creation of Greenbelt Lake possibly help in creating a wetland?
Please email me your answers to the questions within 24 hours of claiming a find. Do not put your answers in your logs.
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