News Release

Shenandoah National Park to conduct aerial limestone applications to improve stream health

News Release Date: January 30, 2026
Contact: Allysah Fox

LURAY, VA – Shenandoah National Park will conduct an aerial limestone application to reduce the acidity of Meadow Run, a stream near mile 90 on Skyline Drive, between February 2, 2026, and February 28, 2026. The contract will be awarded to Helicopter Applicators, Inc., of Gettysburg, Pa., with Summit Helicopters, Inc. of Salem, Va., as a subcontractor. The restoration project is funded through settlements for Clean Air Act violations.

To ensure safety for the public, the park will implement intermittent closures along Skyline Drive during this period. The Rip Rap-Wildcat backcountry area, including the Rip Rap and Wildcat Ridge Trails, will be closed to all use for the entire project period. The only exception is the section of the Appalachian Trail between its Skyline Drive crossings just north of Rip Rap Trailhead and south of Wildcat Ridge Trailhead, which will remain open for day use on days when Skyline Drive is open.

Park officials will notify the public through signage, the park website, the park alert system, and social media. Visitors planning a trip during the application window should check the website for information and a map depicting the closure area: Meadow Run Watershed Restoration - Shenandoah National Park (U.S. National Park Service).

Contractors will use helicopters to apply 1,150 tons of locally sourced limestone sand across approximately 450 acres, most of which Congress has designated as wilderness. This method avoids ground disturbance and protects sensitive habitats. 

Excessive acidity in both the water and soil harms healthy ecosystems. Declines in brook trout, songbirds, native plants, and overall forest resilience have reduced both resource condition and the visitor experience. Under the Clean Water Act, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality has listed the stream as impaired due to acidity.

After the application of limestone, soil and stream pH are expected to improve within a year. The ecological benefits will last for up to a century. Once stream pH reaches an acceptable level, the park will request that Meadow Run be removed from Virginia’s list of impaired waters under the Clean Water Act.

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