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  As a result of acid deposition, the pH of the water in Little Stony Creek dropped enough to negatively affect the fish and insects that lived in the stream. A native brook trout stream, Little Stony Creek was first treated with limestone sand in 1989, and intensive monitoring was done to quantify the results of the treatment. The water chemistry improved, and the fish and insect life returned. The limestone treatment was scheduled to last 5-8 years, and after documenting the decline of the water chemistry and biota as the limestone was used up, the stream was re-limed. The limestone that is used is placed directly into the stream channel and is of an appropriate size so as to not wash away quickly, but is small enough to be moved by the stream and incorporated into the stream substrate. Many headwater streams in the Shenandoah watershed are being impacted by acid deposition (acid rain). Unless air quality improves, many of the streams will continue to acidify and native fish and insects will cease to exist in the stream system.
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