The Deer Creek Watershed in northern Harford County was recently ranked third out of 134 watersheds in the state for stream biodiversity by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. To the watershed?s stakeholders, the recognition is nice, but the studies behind the ranking are what really matters.
Many of the watersheds in the state are undertaking massive reclamation projects in attempts to fix serious problems affecting water quality and stream life. But Deer Creek is ahead of the game, and aims to stay that way. “At this point, we should know to maintain, instead of reclaim ? not to wait until things fall apart,” said Frank Marsden, of the volunteer-based Eden Mill Nature Center. Marsden has been involved with the recent Watershed Restoration Action Strategy meetings.
The WRAS meetings, taking place in most of the 134 watersheds, bring together local government, environmental agencies, businesses, farmers, developers and residents to address concerns within the watershed and determine the next steps.
A watershed is defined as an area of land that drains water to a shared destination, usually downslope to the lowest point. The Chesapeake Bay Watershed covers any source of water that eventually makes its way into the Bay. Maryland has 10 tributary basins that contribute to the Chesapeake Bay, according to the Natural Resources Web site.
Those 10 basins are then divided into 134 regional watersheds, and the subdividing continues down the line. The Deer Creek Watershed contains 12 state-defined sub-watersheds, said Patricia Pudelkewicz, of Harford County Planning and Zoning.
A large concern for all of the watersheds in the Chesapeake Bay is an overload of nutrients such as nitrate and phosphorous. More attention is paid to the dead zones these nutrients create in the bay, but they also affect the life in the smaller streams, said Jay Killian, a natural research biologist for MdDNR?s Maryland Biological Stream Survey, who grew up and still lives along Deer Creek.
Although 36 percent of Harford County land lies within the Deer Creek watershed, less than 11 percent of its population resides there. Development is a concern for many, illustrated by frequent signs reading “keep us rural,” along the roadways. Marsden described the community as very passionate, emotional and involved in the rural quality of the watershed area.
Deer Creek is in the homestretch, Pudelkewicz said. The county will be working with consultants to define 20 target sub-watersheds and prioritize them for future efforts.
