Watershed Park
Encyclopedia
The Watershed Park is a public park located in Olympia, Washington
. The site of the city's first water works, recently the park has been infested with gypsy moth
s.
s for the city of Olympia were first created in the area now comprising Watershed Park in the late 19th century. Influential Western Washington
businessman Henry Clay Heermans bought the entire waterworks in 1909, and sold it to the City of Olympia in 1917. After operating the wells into the 1950s, the city planned to log the area and sell the property, leading to a Washington Supreme Court
battle that led to the area's preservation, with a city ordinance protecting the area presently.
. Skunk cabbage
and salmon berries grow alongside Moxlie Creek, which weaves throughout the area. The creek is fed by ground water and surface water runoff. Chinook salmon
, coho and cutthroat trout
live in the creek. There are big leaf maple, douglas fir, red alder
and incense cedar throughout the park, along with huckleberry
, Oregon grape, licorice
and sword ferns, and devil's club
. The one and a half-mile long, G. Eldon Marshall trail encircles much of the park. Evidence of the former waterworks in the form of pipes is scattered throughout the park, as well.
Olympia, Washington
Olympia is the capital city of the U.S. state of Washington and the county seat of Thurston County. It was incorporated on January 28, 1859. The population was 46,478 at the 2010 census...
. The site of the city's first water works, recently the park has been infested with gypsy moth
Gypsy moth
The gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar, is a moth in the family Lymantriidae of Eurasian origin. Originally ranging from Europe to Asia, it was introduced to North America in the late 1860s and has been expanding its range ever since...
s.
History
Water wellWater well
A water well is an excavation or structure created in the ground by digging, driving, boring or drilling to access groundwater in underground aquifers. The well water is drawn by an electric submersible pump, a trash pump, a vertical turbine pump, a handpump or a mechanical pump...
s for the city of Olympia were first created in the area now comprising Watershed Park in the late 19th century. Influential Western Washington
Western Washington
Western Washington is a region of the United States defined as that part of Washington west of the Cascade Mountains.It is known as being far wetter in climate than the eastern portion of the state, which...
businessman Henry Clay Heermans bought the entire waterworks in 1909, and sold it to the City of Olympia in 1917. After operating the wells into the 1950s, the city planned to log the area and sell the property, leading to a Washington Supreme Court
Washington Supreme Court
The Washington Supreme Court is the highest court in the judiciary of the U.S. state of Washington. The Court is composed of a Chief Justice and eight Justices. of the Court are elected to six-year terms...
battle that led to the area's preservation, with a city ordinance protecting the area presently.
Features
The Moxlie Creek Springs Basin, one of the largest spring basins in the region, is situated in the center of the park, which is completely forested by a temperate rain forestTemperate rain forest
Temperate rainforests are coniferous or broadleaf forests that occur in the temperate zone and receive high rainfall.-Definition:For temperate rain forests of North America, Alaback's definition is widely recognized:-Global distribution:...
. Skunk cabbage
Skunk Cabbage
Skunk Cabbage may refer to:* the genus Lysichiton* Asian Skunk Cabbage, Lysichiton camtschatcense, grows in eastern Asia* Eastern Skunk Cabbage, Symplocarpus foetidus, grows in eastern North America...
and salmon berries grow alongside Moxlie Creek, which weaves throughout the area. The creek is fed by ground water and surface water runoff. Chinook salmon
Chinook salmon
The Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, is the largest species in the pacific salmon family. Other commonly used names for the species include King salmon, Quinnat salmon, Spring salmon and Tyee salmon...
, coho and cutthroat trout
Cutthroat trout
The cutthroat trout is a species of freshwater fish in the salmon family of order Salmoniformes. It is one of the many fish species colloquially known as trout...
live in the creek. There are big leaf maple, douglas fir, red alder
Red Alder
Alnus rubra, the Red alder, is a deciduous broadleaf tree native to western North America.-Description:It is the largest species of alder in North America and one of the largest in the world, reaching heights of 20–35 m. The official tallest red alder stands 32 meters tall in Clatsop County, Oregon...
and incense cedar throughout the park, along with huckleberry
Huckleberry
Huckleberry is a common name used in North America for several species of plants in two closely related genera in the family Ericaceae:* Vaccinium* GaylussaciaHuckleberry may also refer to:-Plants:...
, Oregon grape, licorice
Licorice fern
Polypodium glycyrrhiza, commonly known as licorice fern, many-footed fern, and sweet root, is an evergreen fern native to western North America, primarily in a narrow strip in southern Alaska, southwestern Yukon Territory, western British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and California, though two...
and sword ferns, and devil's club
Devil's Club
Devil's Club is a large shrub primarily native to the cool moist forests of western North America, but also disjunct on islands in Lake Superior. It is noted for its large palmate leaves and erect, woody stems covered in brittle spines...
. The one and a half-mile long, G. Eldon Marshall trail encircles much of the park. Evidence of the former waterworks in the form of pipes is scattered throughout the park, as well.