Elks Run Watershed volunteers care for Elks Run and Elk Branch through hands-on projects, science, and public awareness.
7.9
Miles of Elks Run
Miles of Elks Run
18.1
Square Miles
Square Miles
11,598
Acres of Watershed
Acres of Watershed
Elks Run Watershed
Elks Run totals 7.9 miles in length and includes a northern tributary called Elk Branch.
Both creeks are located entirely in Jefferson County. Elks Run drains approximately
18.1 square miles, or 11,598 acres, and averages about 12 feet in width from top of bank
to top of bank.
How Elks Run Is Used
The principal use of the Elks Run watershed has long been farming, but this is changing.
Increasingly, houses, growing towns and suburbs, and roads make up a larger share of the
watershed. Rapid growth presents challenges for Elks Run, along with the diminishing
quantity of water on average.
Who Else Lives in the Watershed?
The most common wildlife species in the Elks Run watershed include squirrels, bobwhite
quail, mourning doves, raccoons, rabbits, skunks, opossums, and groundhogs.