Natural Resources of the Occoquan River

Natural Resources of the Occoquan River. Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail. , The Occoquan River, a tributary of the Potomac river watershed (pictured right), is located on the Fall Line in Virginia. The Fall Line zone separates the Appalachian Piedmont (characterized by a geology of hard bedrock) and the Coastl Plain (characterized by a geology of softer sedminents)., Teh zone is marked by the presence of rapids and waterfalls where rivers drop 50-100 feet in elevation. This means the Occoquan River has a consistent source of fast-moving, relatively cool water which is important for fish and other species found within the river., For thousands of years, people have relied on the Occoquan for a food source and subsisted in part by fishing and hunting migratory birds (e.g., geese, swans, and ducks) along its shores. Fish species of the tidal Occoquan include white perch, striped bass, largemouth bass, crappie, yellow perch, flathead catfish, and channel catfish. The river remains a popular place for fishing today., As you walk along the river, be on the look out for bald eagles, osprey, cormorants, and blue herons. These species, like the residents of Northern Virginia who drink its clean water daily, rely on the resources offered by the Occoquan and the broader Potomac River watershed.