The waters of time twist, turn, and run through the soul of the land. From the hoofs of horses crossing a tributary during the Civil War to the pitter-patter of kids splashing on a hot summer day to the wading of the angler looking for a smallmouth bass --- Goose Creek is a watershed that defines our heritage and shapes our land ethic.

The origin of Goose Creek is on top of the Blue Ridge at Manassas Gap. From there the river falls some 600 feet during its first 10 miles before leveling out at Delaplane and heading northeast for 10 more miles where it crosses route 50 and continues to the western foot of the Catoctin Mountains. From there it heads north to meet up with The North Fork of Goose Creek and then turns east and joins Little River for 15 miles where it reaches its final destination --- the Potomac River.

Goose Creek meanders for 55 miles through Fauquier and Loudoun counties, from the Blue Ridge to the Potomac River. The tributaries connect to Goose Creek one by one in the following order:

Mitchell’s Branch
Bolling Branch
Gap Run
Panther Skin Creek
Cromwell’s Run
Wancopin Creek
North Fork Goose Creek
    • Jack’s Run
    • Crooked Run
    • Beaverdam Creek
Big Branch
Little River
Tan Branch
Black Branch
Beaver Dam Creek
Sycolin Creek
Tuscarora Creek
Cattail Branch

All told, Goose Creek and the tributaries total 417.5 miles in length. Since each mile has two banks, there is 835 miles of land touching Goose Creek watershed, creating a sense of place while providing a source to the web of life we call home.

The Loudoun County Sanitation Authority (LCSA) provides water and sewer to 175,000 residents of Eastern Loudoun.  Each day, LCSA distributes 19.9 million gallons of water to its customers. Two-thirds of the water supply comes from the Potomac, and one-third from Goose Creek. From the gurgle on top of the Blue Ridge to the faucet of the cities to the East, Goose Creek supplies residents in Eastern Loudoun 6.5 million gallons of water daily.  As the great conservationist John Muir once wrote, “When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe.”

The hitching point is not just east and west, but past and present. Acts of great stewardship today ripple downstream tomorrow. We should never forget Stonewall Jackson’s final words ----- and remember to take time to “cross over the river, and rest under the shade of the trees.”

Chandler Van Voorhis is a board member of Goose Creek Association (www.goosecreekassn.org) and a member of the Outdoor Writers Association of America.

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