Loudoun Water has over one mile of trails that are open to the public from dawn until dusk. As a part of our Aquiary exhibit, an extensive trail and boardwalk system leads visitors through the outdoor interpretive area. There are 8 interpretive stations, which were designed to educate visitors about specific area and their relation to water and the environment.
Stations include information about wetlands, bioretention basins, outfalls and overlooks. Trails begin at our entry fountain, which is one of two outfalls from the Broad Run Water Reclamation Facility. This outfall includes six runnels which see as much as 600 gallons of water per minute flow through before spilling into a series of man-made plunge pools that resemble natural stream channels.
Stormwater from almost a half-acre of impervious surface at the Water Reclamation Facility drains towards a bioretention basin. Headwaters from this stream are the second and major outfall from the Water Reclamation Facility. The constructed stream returns filtered water back into the environment via the Broad Run.
There are 20 different species of tree throughout the trails which include, Eastern Red Cedar, American Holly, Nelly Stevens Holly, Baldcypress, Willow Oak, Nutall Oak, Pin Oak, Water Tupelo, Yellow Buckeye, Sugar Maple, River Birch, Hackberry, Moraine Sweet Gum, Green Ash, London Planetree, Red Maple, Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry, Cherokee Princess Eastern Dogwood, Eastern Redbud and Sweet Magnolia. Aquatic plants include Rose Mallow, Blue Flag, Pickeral Weed and Soft Rush.