Who’s At Four Mile Run Park this Summer?

While collecting water samples, Four-Mile-Run intern Guy saw a female
snapping turtle selecting her nesting site. Photo Credit: Guy Cardwell

If you walk along the stream this month, you may come across a prickly prehistoric animal doing some important business. Snapping turtles are in their egg-laying season, which in Northern Virginia tends to span the month of June. Female North American snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina) have been tracked returning to their same general nesting area year after year. Indeed, generations of snapping turtles have been nesting on land for about 90 million years, far longer than humans have been around. So, a female snapper knows exactly where she’s going, although she might be stymied by changes to the landscape from human development, storms, or other factors.

Once the female finds what she deems a suitable spot, the hard work begins. Like all turtles (with just a couple of odd exceptions), a female snapper must excavate a nest hole using her hind legs. It’s an arduous task, likely made more so by the nonnative turf grass that compacts the soil along parts of Four-Mile-Run Park. But, loaded up with seven or more eggs, she’s compelled to complete the task of dropping the eggs, one by one, into the hole. In Virginia, the record clutch size for a snapper is 55 eggs, a startling statistic that only makes sense when you consider that North American snapping turtles can grow to almost 20 inches long (two basketballs side by side). 

Female snapping turtle ejects an egg through her cloaca (reproductive opening) into her nest. Photo Credit: Todd Kiraly

This female snapper (nicknamed “Snappy”) was seen in action earlier this week, dropping what looked like ping-pong balls into her flask-shaped nesting chamber. Typically, turtles urinate while they dig to soften up the soil, but the recent rains likely served that purpose, encouraging females to nest. Like many turtle species, a North American snapper female can store sperm for weeks or months after mating, then choose to fertilize her eggs when she anticipates favorable conditions.

Once a female ejects all her eggs into the nest, she kicks soil over the hole, then smooths it over with sweeping motions of her rear end. It’s arguably the most important part of the job, since it camouflages the nest from egg-loving predators like raccoons and foxes. The incubation period for snapping turtle eggs depends on temperature; for Virginia, it’s typically 75–95-days. So, Snappy’s eggs are likely to hatch toward the end of August. A snapping turtle hatchling is about the size of a quarter with a soft, bumpy shell that hardens gradually. Watch out for the babies later this summer as they make their way from nests to Four Mile Run stream!

Hatchling North American snapping turtle. Photo Credit: D. Diaz, National Park Service.

A snapping turtle hatchling is about the size of a quarter with a soft, bumpy shell that hardens gradually. Watch out for the babies later this summer as they make their way from nests to Four Mile Run stream!

Summer Kayak Clean-ups

Spend a few hours on the water and help keep Four Mile Run litter-free this summer at one of our regular kayak clean-up events. Reserve a kayak from our fleet or bring your own. Registration for each date opens 2-3 weeks in advance. RSVP HERE

  Sunday, June 8 @ 9am
  Tuesday, June 17 @ 5:30pm
  Wednesday, June 25 @ 5:30pm
  Tuesday, July 1 @ 5:30pm
  Sunday, July 20 @ 9am
  Saturday, July 26 @ 9am
  Wednesday, July 30 @ 5pm
  Saturday, August 9 @ 9am
  Sunday, August 24 @9am

See you on the water!

Kayak launch construction starts!

We were pleased to officially break ground on the kayak launch project yesterday afternoon at Four Mile Run with representatives from the Department of Recreation, Parks, and Cultural Activities and general contractor Landivar and Associates. And we had a good omen and sure sign of spring earlier in the week with the return of an osprey!

See the full press release, or drop by the park to see the progress!

Photo credit: Judy Lo

Kayak Launch to Break Ground this Spring!

We are pleased to announce that we have awarded the kayak launch construction contract to Landivar and Associates, and the project will break ground early in the coming year. The construction timeline is detailed below.

We still need support to get to the finish line -- a total construction cost of $542,486. You can help us close a $40K gap with a year-end contribution!

Here's what to expect as we build and open the DC metro area's first free public ADA-accessible Potomac River paddling access:

• March 2025: groundbreaking and site preparation
• April 2025: installation of helical piles and concrete abutments
• May 2025: installation of boardwalk decking/railings
• May-June 2025: attachment of gangway and floating launch
• June 2025: OPENING
  

Kayak Launch Construction - Invitation to Bid

28 August 2024 -- The Four Mile Run Conservatory Foundation has today issued the invitation to bid (ITB) to obtain bids from qualified bidders and enter a contract for construction of the kayak launch project on Four Mile Run in Alexandria, Virginia. Details and full ITB here.

The launch will be an accessible and ADA-compliant floating launch with transfer platform and roller entry/exit. It will be the first such access point to Four Mile Run and the Potomac River for the Washington, DC metro area. See kayak launch project page for details.