Cacapon River

Coordinates: 39°37′13″N 78°16′58″W / 39.62028°N 78.28278°W / 39.62028; -78.28278
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Cacapon River
Lost River
 • locationWardensville, Hardy County
 • coordinates39°04′52″N 78°38′10″W / 39.08111°N 78.63611°W / 39.08111; -78.63611[1]
MouthPotomac River
 • location
Great Cacapon, Morgan County
 • coordinates
39°37′13″N 78°16′58″W / 39.62028°N 78.28278°W / 39.62028; -78.28278[1]
Length81.0 mi (130.4 km)[2]
Basin size680 sq mi (1,800 km2)
Discharge 
 • locationGreat Cacapon[3]
 • average592 cu ft/s (16.8 m3/s)[3]
 • minimum26 cu ft/s (0.74 m3/s)
(September 12, 1966)[3]
 • maximum87,600 cu ft/s (2,480 m3/s)
(March 18, 1936)[3]

The Cacapon River (locally

American Heritage River
.

The Cacapon River Watershed is made up of three major river segments and many smaller stream watersheds. The

North River, which drains 206 square miles (530 km2), an area comparable to that of the Lost River. Overall, the Cacapon River watershed includes the Lost and North River watersheds, and those of many smaller streams for a total of 680 square miles (1,800 km2). The Cacapon watershed is itself part of the Chesapeake Bay
watershed.

In recent years, the Cacapon River and its watershed have become threatened by development, and industrial and agricultural growth. Concern about these issues led to the establishment of the Cacapon Institute in 1985 (originally known as the Pine Cabin Run Ecological Laboratory).[citation needed]

Course

Emergence to Hampshire County line

The Capon Lake Whipple Truss Bridge at Capon Lake, West Virginia

The Cacapon River emerges from underground in a gap in Sandy Ridge (1683 feet/513 m) west of

Trout Run and then curves northeastward where it meanders through an expansive valley plain. Here, it is fed by Slate Rock Run and then Moores Run further north. Waites Run, a tributary draining some of the western slopes of Great North Mountain enters the Cacapon River near the bridge on Rt. 55, north of Wardensville. Shortly after its confluence with Sine Run, the Cacapon River continues north into Hampshire County
.

Hampshire County line to Yellow Spring

From the county line, the river is bounded to its east by the

George Washington National Forest and to its west by Baker Mountain (2024 feet/617 m). Throughout this stretch, the Cacapon River is also joined by sections of the old Winchester and Western Railroad grade. It continues its meandering course northeastward, flowing past the community of Intermont and Hebron Church. At Capon Lake, the river is joined by Capon Springs Run and is the site of the historic Capon Lake Whipple Truss Bridge. West Virginia Route 259 parallels the Cacapon River to its west along the eastern flank of Baker Mountain until the road turns east across the Kenneth Seldon Bridge at Yellow Spring
. From Yellow Spring Gap, the river is fed by a run whose source is the "Yellow Spring".

Yellow Spring to Kale Hollow

Kenneth Seldon Bridge on the Cacapon at Yellow Spring, West Virginia

The Cacapon River moves north along the eastern flank of Cacapon Mountain (1913 feet/583 m) with Cacapon River Road (West Virginia Secondary Route 14) paralleling it to its west. From Yellow Spring, the river flows by Camps Rim Rock and White Mountain. After another immense horseshoe bend, the Cacapon River moves past the communities of

plantation houses including the Captain David Pugh House (Riversdell) at Hooks Mills, listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.

Kale Hollow to Cold Stream

North of Kale Hollow, the Cacapon River is joined to its west by Dillons Mountain (1913 feet/583 m). To its east, the river is paralleled by Christian Church Road (West Virginia Secondary Route 13), on which is located the 18th century

Mill Branch, the Cacapon River bends through the small historic town of Capon Bridge. It is met by Dillons Run from its west and traversed by a bridge of the Northwestern Turnpike (U.S. Route 50), from which Capon Bridge takes its name. From Capon Bridge, the Cacapon River is bounded to its east by Bear Garden Mountain (1572 feet/479 m). It is then joined by Edwards Run and Cold Stream near the community of Cold Stream
.

Cold Stream to Largent

Caudy's Castle

The river meanders north around Darbys Nose (1287 feet/392 m), flanked to its east by Leith Mountain (1598 feet/487 m). The stretch of the Cacapon River between Cold Stream and

North Rivers converge. From Forks of Cacapon to Largent, the river creates a number of horseshoe bends between Sideling Hill (2021 feet/616 m) and Little Mountain (1429 feet/435 m). This stretch of the Cacapon River is also mostly undeveloped and forested with the exception of a gated community
, The Crossings, located between the WV 127 bridge and Largent.

Largent to Great Cacapon

Capapon River, at Timber Ridge Camp.

The Cacapon River meanders into Morgan County at Largent where Cacapon Road (West Virginia Route 9) passes over it and the river is met by Stony Creek. It continues its meandering course northeast between Sideling Hill and Little Mountain until Fisher's Bridge where it is joined to its east by the western flanks of Cacapon Mountain. Tonoloway Ridge (992 feet/302 m) then bounds the Cacapon River to its west until it reaches the railroad hamlet of Great Cacapon. After passing under the WV 9 and old Baltimore and Ohio Railroad bridges, the Cacapon River joins the Potomac.

Name and variants

Cacapon is a name derived from the Shawnee language, meaning "medicine water".[4]

The

Board on Geographic Names decided on "Cacapon River" in 1916 as the river's official name and spelling. Variants include:[1]

  • Big Capon River
  • Cacapehon Creek
  • Cacapehon River
  • Cacapon Creek
  • Cacapon River
  • Cackapehon River
  • Cackapohon River
  • Capcappin Creek
  • Cape Capon River
  • Capecapon River
  • Capon River
  • Great Cacapehon River
  • Great Cacapon River
  • Great Capon River

Bridges

Bridge Route Location
Wardensville Bridge State Route 259 (
WV 259
) 		Wardensville
New Capon Lake Bridge Capon Springs Road (CR 16) Capon Lake
Whipple Truss Bridge Pedestrian Walkway Capon Lake
Kenneth Seldon Bridge State Route 259 (
WV 259
) 		Yellow Spring
Army Corporal Rex Marcel Sherman Memorial Bridge Northwestern Turnpike (US 50) Capon Bridge
Cacapon River Bridge Bloomery Pike (
WV 127
) 		Forks of Cacapon
The Crosses Deer Meadow Rd (CR 29/4) Capon Crossing, WV
Largent Bridge Cacapon Road (
WV 9
) 		Largent
Fisher's Bridge Cacapon Road (
WV 9
) 		North of Largent
Rockford Bridge Rockford Road (CR 7) Great Cacapon
Powerhouse Bridge Powerhouse Road (CR 9/12) Great Cacapon
Great Cacapon Bridge Cacapon Road (
WV 9
) 		Great Cacapon
Great Cacapon Railroad Bridge Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Great Cacapon

Float trips

All locations listed below are designated public access sites by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources at their website. Access sites are listed from south to north.

Put In Take Out Distance
Wardensville Bridge Capon Lake Bridge 8.5 miles (13.7 km)
Capon Lake Bridge Cold Stream 19 miles (31 km)
Cold Stream WV Route 127 Bridge 7 miles (11 km)
WV Route 127 Bridge Cacapon Crossings 9 miles (14 km)
Cacapon Crossings Largent, South 6.7 miles (10.8 km)
Largent, South Power Plant 20 miles (32 km)
Power Plant Great Cacapon WV Route 9 Bridge 1.8 miles (2.9 km)

Tributaries

North River near North River Mills, West Virginia.

Tributary streams are listed from south to north. Major tributaries are listed in bold.

  • Lost River
  • Trout Run
  • Waites Run
  • Slate Rock Run
  • Moores Run
  • Sine Run
  • Harness Run
  • Hawk Run
  • Capon Springs Run
    • Himmelwright Run
    • Dry Run
  • Yellow Spring Run
  • Falling Run
  • Loman Branch
  • Crooked Run
  • Old Man Run
  • Kale Hollow Run
  • Mill Branch
  • Dillons Run
    • Gunbarrel Hollow Run
    • Parks Hollow Run
Edwards Run at Edwards Run Wildlife Management Area.

Cities and towns along the Cacapon River

See also

  • List of West Virginia rivers

References

  1. ^ a b c "Cacapon River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
  2. ^ a b c U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map Archived 2012-03-29 at the Wayback Machine, accessed August 15, 2011
  3. ^ a b c d "01611500 Cacapon River near Great Cacapon, WV, Water Data Report 2013" (PDF). National Water Information System. United States Geological Survey. 2013. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
  4. ^ Kenny, Hamill (1945). West Virginia Place Names: Their Origin and Meaning, Including the Nomenclature of the Streams and Mountains. Piedmont, WV: The Place Name Press. p. 146.
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