Goose Creek Association Timeline
1970 – GCA founded to promote orderly growth and to oppose successfully the discharge of
sewage effluent into Goose Creek along upper Crenshaw Road
1971 – GCA conducts first water sampling of the Goose Creek
1973 – GCA supports Loudoun County in adopting the Land Use Assessment Program that
provides for deferral of real estate taxes on property that meets certain agricultural,
horticultural, forestry or open space use criteria
1974 – GCA and partners work successfully to prevent Fairfax County Water Authority and the
Army Corps of Engineers from daming Catoctin Creek to supply water to the DC metro
area in case of drought; dam would have flooded 3000 acres in Loudoun County; GCA’s
strategy included getting Goose Creek and Catoctin Creek named as state scenic rivers
1975 – GCA works with partners to successfully oppose the development of Rt. 50 into a 4-lane
road between Gilbert’s Corner and Paris
1976 – Goose Creek officially becomes a Virginia State Scenic River.
Benefits of Scenic River Designation:
● Encourages closer review of projects and proposals by state agencies and localities
● Requires General Assembly authorization for dams
● Provides for continued existing appropriate riparian land uses
● Allows for project review and monitoring of designated river segments by
Governor-appointed Virginia Scenic Rivers Board.
1979 – GCA organizes first community Goose Creek Cleanup
1988 – GCA identifies three major threats: intense housing development, infrastructure
expansion (building & expanding roadways), and water supply (transfer of water from
one watershed to another). GCA developed a strategy to make it difficult and
expensive to develop water & highway infrastructure through establishment of
conservation easements and historic districts
1988 – GCA funds expert studies related to town planning for the development of Marshall
Service District
1989 – GCA works on Round Hill Area Management Plan in Western Loudoun County
1987 – GCA establishes office at the Brown House on Atoka Road and Rectors Lane
1991 – GCA participates in protest against the expansion of Route 17 to 4 lanes through Paris
Valley
1992 – GCA begins successful traffic calming project from Gilbert’s Corner to Paris
1993 – GCA starts to sponsor public forums on conservation topics, including BMPs, native
trees, riparian buffers, conservation easements, sustainable farming and the Clean Water
Coalition
1994 – GCA and partners successfully oppose Disney’s America in Haymarket, Prince William
County with GCA organizing the first mass meeting
1996 – GCA and partners successfully oppose expansion of Route 50 to 6-lanes from east
Gilbert’s Corner and 4-lanes from Gilbert’s Corner to Paris and opposes Outer Beltway
2000 – GCA activates community protests to proposed development along GC near Notre
Dame Academy after Michael Laris’s “Life and Growth in Loudoun County” reports
more than 30 new species of aquatic life in the GC
2000 – GCA begins stream monitoring program with VA DEQ
2002 – GCA participates in VA DEQ watershed study
2002 – GCA establishes Beaverdam Creek Historic Roadways District with Loudoun County
2004 – GCA sponsors the Crooked Run Valley Rural Historic District
2006 – GCA becomes a 501c3 nonprofit
2006 – GCA works with coalition partners to limit size of Salamander Resort, and to encourage
conservation easement and riparian buffer on its grounds
2006 – 2007 – GCA conducts “Life in the Country” Festivals
2007 – GCA and partners successfully oppose railway siding in Delaplane
2008– GCA sponsors Cromwell’s Run Rural Historic District
2010 – GCA publishes M. Janes’ “Life in the Country” booklet
2012 – GCA begins Goose Creek Challenge – riparian buffer program
2012 – GCA presents ”Keep the Uranium Ban” Forum
2013 – GCA sponsors the Little River Rural Historic District
2014 – GCA produces Stream Monitoring Report Card
2015 – GCA begins presenting documentaries at the Hill School with “Switch”
2015 – GCA and partners meet at Mr. Weather FEMA site to discuss new waste water treatment
system impact on GC tributaries
2016 – GCA and partners successfully waylay VDOT development plan for a truck stop in
Markham, Fauquier
2016 – GCA shows “Plastic Paradise” documentary
2016 – GCA moves to Middleburg Professional Center
2017 – GCA challenges the development of the True North Data Center along the Goose Creek
in Loudoun County
2017 – GCA successfully opposes special exceptions for the B Chord Brewery and
unsuccessfully opposes the Catesby Event Center in Loudoun County
2018 – GCA and LTVA present Dr. Ellen Stofan: “What We Can learn About Earth From
Space” at Hill School
2019 – GCA and LTVA show “Rancher, Farmer, Fisherman” documentary
2019 – GCA supports public and private transfer of development rights in Loudoun’s
Comprehensive Plan
2019-2020 GCA successfully opposes Barrel Oak hotel development in Fauquier
2020 – 50th anniversary – GCA premiers “Goose Creek” video; GCA and LTVA show “Biggest
Little Farm” documentary
2021 – GCA video wins Grand Prize at Virginia Environmental Film Festival
2021 – GCA successfully opposes Goose Creek Overlook Development in Ashburn with
unprecedented reversal by Loudoun BOS
2021 – GCA and LTVA produce a virtual Environment Film Festival during COVID shutdown
2021 – GCA and its partners successfully waylay Blackthorne Inn Events Center
2021 – GCA and FOR produce Stream Monitoring Report Card
2021 – GCA and FOSR start Level III professional stream monitoring
2021 – GCA Celebrates 50+ years of work to protect and preserve the Goose Creek watershed
with a Family Festival at Aldie Mill
