Blue Hole on a hot day
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The Moormans River, that trickle at center, feeds Blue Hole, and-- downstream-- the Sugar Hollow Reservoir at 2:12pm on July 23.photo by Hawes Spencer
On a Saturday that hit 96 in town, temperatures– particularly the water temperatures– were significantly cooler in Blue Hole, a swimming hole just outside the Shenandoah National Park in Sugar Hollow.
7 comments
"The Moormans River, that trickle at center," so if the normal flow of the Moorman's is at times a trickle, what's all this fuss about saving the Moorman's that we hear from the Nature Conservancy ? Looks like it's the dam and impoundment of water at the Sugar Hollow Reservoir that is saving the Moorman's, and that without it, the river bed would be virtually dry during parts of the summer . Am I wrong about this ?
Actually that is only the south fork of the Moorman's, a spring-fed brook which at Blue Hole is about a mile downhill from the little spring that is its first source. The somewhat larger north fork joins it at the Sugar Hollow reservoir. While the springs do keep at least a trickle coming down the mountain most of the time, they are rainwater fed and in a severe drought little more than damp spots. Though I have never seen Blue Hole empty of water.
Too bad the Hook published this: if you find a good swimming hole the right thing to do is NOT tell anybody. And remember folks this is our drinking water.
The Blue Hole is a great place. Its full of natural beauty. We saw a bear on our walk up Friday. I just want to suggest that next time you go please take a trash bag with you fill it with the ample amount of trash that is around (mainly Bud Light cans). Be the better person and take out more than you brought in.
Not to mention that if you are caught up there, it's trespassing on Charlottesville City's property. Swimming there is illegal.
NancyDrew, your theory is wrong because the trickle is upstream from the reservoir, not downstream.
And the trickle isn't at center it's off to the left. And the rope swing is rotten you couldn't pay me to swing on that disaster waiting to happen.
Off to the right.