Dragon Run watershed
The Dragon Run watershed in the U.S. state of Virginia encompasses 140 square miles (360 km2) and is home to many flora and fauna species. The brackish water stream, labeled on topographic maps as Dragon Swamp, is fed by underground springs, surface runoff, and numerous feeding swamps. In a study of 232 rivers and streams in the Chesapeake Bay, the Nature Conservancy and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation found the Dragon Run to rank second in terms of ecological significance. Efforts are being made to preserve the Dragon Run, including Governor Tim Kaine’s large purchase of land in order to maintain and protect the watershed’s original state.
The earliest record of the Dragon Run is by Captain John Smith in 1607. While on his way to meet with the Powhatan and Pocahontas, he crossed the stream and marked it on a map. Later, many settlers came from England to settle in Virginia. Some settled in the Dragon Run watershed, and descendents of those original settlers still own land there today.
The first time the area was noted as “Dragon Swamp” was in 1673 by cartographer Augustine Herman. It is believed that the Pamunkeys used the swamp as a hiding spot during Bacon's Rebellion. John Clayton (botanist) studied the area in 1773 and found over 800 species of native plant species and discovered 2 new species: Claytonia virginica and Osmunda claytoniana. The John Clayton Herbarium can still be found in London’s Natural History Museum, including plants from the Dragon Run.
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