How did Lake Drummond get its name?
Some postulate that it was created by a large underground peat fire 3,500–6,000 years ago. Native American legends speak of "the fire bird" creating Lake Drummond. Other theories include a meteorite impact and a tectonic shift.
Where is Lake Drummond located in Virginia?
Lake Drummond. Lake Drummond is located in the middle of the Great Dismal Swamp. It is between Suffolk and Chesapeake , Virginia. The Suffolk side seems to have the best trails and the Chesapeake side has the water access. As with any swamp there are some critters... More.
What is the water like in Lake Drummond?
Historic and scenic Lake Drummond is bowl-shaped with acid-stained water, due to the organic acids leaching into the water from surrounding swamp and peat soils. The lake pH normally ranges from four to five.
How do I get to Lake Drummond by boat?
Boating access to Lake Drummond is either by a feeder ditch off the Dismal Swamp Canal (east side of lake) or a road through the refuge from the west. The closest state ramp to the feeder ditch is on the Dismal Swamp canal along Route 17, south of Deep Creek.
How did Lake Drummond form?
Some postulate that it was created by a large underground peat fire 3,500–6,000 years ago. Native American legends speak of "the fire bird" creating Lake Drummond. Other theories include a meteorite impact and a tectonic shift. Lake Drummond is one of only two natural freshwater lakes in Virginia.
What is different about the water in Lake Drummond?
Historic and scenic Lake Drummond is bowl-shaped with acid-stained water, due to the organic acids leaching into the water from surrounding swamp and peat soils. The lake pH normally ranges from four to five. This low pH severely limits the species of fish found there; the low nutrient levels limit the fish biomass.
Is Lake Drummond a man made lake?
Lake Drummond is one of only two natural freshwater lakes found across the entire state of Virginia.
Is Lake Drummond deep?
6′Lake Drummond / Max depth
Are there alligators in the Great Dismal Swamp?
Wildlife of the Great Dismal Swamp Other creatures found in the Great Dismal Swamp include black bears, river otters, white-tailed deer, hogs, red foxes, bobcats, bats, and squirrels; just make sure to watch out for the Great Dismal Swamp alligators!
Why is the lake water black?
Dense forests provide dark organic material that dissolves in lake water like a teabag. This dissolved organic material stains the water brown and shades the underwater world.
Are there natural lakes in Virginia?
Mountain Lake Along with Lake Drummond in the Great Dismal Swamp, it's one of only two natural lakes in Virginia.
Is a lake man-made or natural?
Lakes may be formed as a result of tectonic activity, glacial activity, volcanism, and by solution of the underlying rock. Man-made lakes or reservoirs may result from the building of a dam within a natural catchment area or as a complete artificial impoundment.
Can you boat in Lake Drummond?
Boats can access Lake Drummond from 2 entry points: No special permits are required for boating, however, this entrance requires a $5 entry fee for vehicles. The fee is waived with a Refuge pass or other Parks Pass (Senior, Military, Annual, Access, Ducks Stamp).
Can you visit Lake Drummond?
Lake Drummond Wildlife Drive (Auto tour) Visitors are welcome to drive, walk, or bicycle along this route. This is the main route in which visitors access the lake for boating, fishing, and wildlife observation.
What is Lake Drummond surrounded by?
The ground surrounding Lake Drummond includes dry land as well as what early colonists called "dismal" or swampland. People have hunted, fished, and gathered food within the swamp since the Paleo-Indians arrived around 18,000 years ago.
Who made the Great Dismal Swamp?
In 1763, however, twelve leading Virginians—including George Washington—formed the Dismal Swamp Company with the goal of "draining Improving and Saving the Land." Washington was appointed one of three managers responsible for securing title, surveying, assembling a labor force of sixty enslaved workers, and making the ...
Whats the difference between a lake and water?
A definition, a lake is a static or slow moving basin of water surrounded by land apart from the river or rivers that flow in and out of it. That's it really. You could call nearly all of them all lakes technically.
What is the difference between a lake and mere?
A mere refers to a lake that is shallow in relation to its size, and can be linked the the Saxon 'mere' that refers to a sea. A tarn is a small mountain lake, and its name is linked to the old Norse word tjörn meaning pond.
Why is the lake water yellow?
Dissolved organic matter, such as humus, peat or decaying plant matter, can produce a yellow or brown color. Some algae or dinoflagellates produce reddish or deep yellow waters. Water rich in phytoplankton and other algae usually appears green.
Why is Lake George water so clean?
Watersheds and Water Quality The mountains surrounding Lake George create a small watershed with steep slopes. This small, forested watershed doesn't produce much pollution; it keeps Lake George's water clean and clear.
Why is Lake Drummond acidic?
Historic and scenic Lake Drummond is bowl-shaped with acid-stained water, due to the organic acids leaching into the water from surrounding swamp and peat soils. The lake pH normally ranges from four to five. This low pH severely limits the species of fish found there; the low nutrient levels limit the fish biomass.
What fish are in the lake in the spring?
The lake has crappie, yellow perch, chain pickerel, flier, and bullhead catfish. Its best sport fishing is for crappie during the spring. Bowfin and longnose gar are the most abundant predator species in the lake.
How to get to the campsite in the woods?
The way to the campsite is by water via the feeder ditch. Once there, the campsite will greet you with firepits, grills, tables, and screened-in sheds. Be sure to bring your drinking water and firewood, however. Amenities are limited.
How many acres are there in Lake Drummond?
The lake may be shallow (about six feet), but it spans over 3,000 acres, making it the perfect destination for aquatic fun, with outdoor activities like kayaking, fishing, and more!
Where is Lake Drummond?
Lake Drummond is one of only two natural freshwater lakes found across the entire state of Virginia. It’s also the main water supply for the Dismal Swamp Canal, a historic waterway that connects southeastern Virginia to northeastern North Carolina.
Can you kayak on Lake Drummond?
Canoeing or kayaking are just a couple of ways to enjoy all that Lake Drummond has to offer year-round. You can also take your family out on a boat and cruise around the picturesque lake. However, boat access is limited. The best way to access the lake is through the Dismal Swamp Canal or the feeder ditch.
Is Lake Drummond fresh water?
It’s that same spongy material that contributes to the lake’s dark brown hue today. Although dark in color, the lake is as fresh as it comes. Lake Drummond is one of only two natural freshwater lakes found across the entire state of Virginia. It’s also the main water supply for the Dismal Swamp Canal, a historic waterway that connects southeastern Virginia to northeastern North Carolina.
How did the Dismal Swamp Canal earn money?
Some earned money by working for free black shingle makers, who hired maroons to cut logs. The Dismal Swamp Canal, hand dug by hired enslaved labor, opened to navigation in 1805 after twelve years of backbreaking work under highly unfavorable conditions.
What is the Great Dismal Swamp?
The Great Dismal Swamp is a geological wonder. For millions of years before the Swamp was formed, it was under the sea. It is viewed by naturalists and other scientists as one of the best outdoor laboratories in the world! This natural treasure emerged as a landform when the Continental Shelf made its last significant shift.
What is the book A Desolate Place for a Defiant People?
Sayers book, A Desolate Place for a Defiant People: The Archaeology of Maroons, Indigenous Americans, and Enslaved Laborers in the Great Dismal Swamp, examines the complex social and economic systems developed by these communities inhabiting the swamp. The Battle of South Mills.
What is the swamp used for?
Many authors and historians have written about the swamp’s role as a hiding place for freedom seekers and fugitives. It has been used as a backdrop in Harriet Beecher Stowe’s novel, Dred: A Tale of the Great Dismal Swamp, and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem, “The Slave in the Dismal Swamp” .
How many acres of swamp land did Washington Ditch purchase?
The company purchased 40,000 acres of Swamp land for $20,000 in 1763. Washington directed the surveying and digging of the 5-mile long ditch from the western edge of the Swamp to Lake Drummond, known today as Washington Ditch. In the late 1700’s, Riddick Ditch was completed.
How deep is the lake in the swamp?
Even though the average depth of the lake is only six feet, its unusually pure water is essential to the swamp’s survival. The amber-colored water is preserved by tannic acids from the bark of the juniper, gum and cypress trees, prohibiting growth of bacteria.
When was Dred published?
1856 Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Dred: A Tale of the Great Dismal Swamp is published.
