Formed By Nature And Man

Formed By Nature And Man. Cape Henlopen State Park. , Long ago, this area was a freshwater marsh. It lay protected from ocean storms by the Great Dune and barrier beaches. As sea levels rose, saltwater marshes replaced freshwater marshes., Starting in the 1800s, locals extracted salt from depressions in the marsh, called pannes, or pools. In 1966, the Division of Fish and Wildlife impounded the largest pool. This controlled mosquitoes, created wildlife habitat, and formed the pond you see today., An Inherited Name , This is not the original Gordons Pond. The first was farther south, near present-day Henlopen Acres boat basin. In 1913, construction of the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal eliminated that pond, but the name was transferred to this new salt pool., Mosquito Control , Today, Delaware's Mosquito Control Section manages water levels in Gordons Pond. Water control structures on opposite ends of the pond connect it to the canal., In spring, workers lower water levels to reduce breeding habitat for mosquitos. In fall, they raise water levels to increase habitat for ducks and geese that spend the winter here., [Captions:] , Above: Elements of nature and man adorn scenic views along Gordons Pond., Left: Digging deep, a storm shovel works to build the Lewes-Rehoboth canal., Right: This 1716 deed of sale transfers land to Thomas Gordon - the namesake of the pond. He and his family owned property in the area until the 1800s., Left: This device regulates the pond's water levels - helping control mosquito populations.