Little Seneca Creek facts for kids
Little Seneca Creek is a stream about 14 miles (22.5 km) long. It flows through Montgomery County, Maryland. This area is about 18 miles (29 km) northwest of Washington, D.C..
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Where Little Seneca Creek Flows
The creek collects water from parts of towns like Clarksburg, Germantown, and Boyds. It begins south of Damascus. From there, it flows south for about 4.8 miles (7.7 km).
Little Seneca Lake: A Special Reservoir
The creek then flows into Little Seneca Lake. This lake is a special kind of lake called a reservoir. A reservoir is like a big storage tank for water. It was made by building a dam across the creek.
After the lake, the creek continues to flow south for about 6.6 miles (10.6 km). It eventually joins a larger stream called Seneca Creek. Seneca Creek then flows into the Potomac River, which finally empties into the Chesapeake Bay.
Home to Fish
Some parts of the creek below the lake are very cold. This cold water is perfect for certain types of fish. You can find wild rainbow trout and brown trout living there.
Drinking Water for Many People
Little Seneca Creek and Little Seneca Lake are very important. They are a source of drinking water for the Washington, D.C. area. They act as an emergency water supply for the big city.
Keeping the Water Clean
People in Montgomery County work to keep the water in Little Seneca Creek clean. This is important because many people rely on it for drinking water.
Protecting the Creek from Growth
In 1994, leaders in Montgomery County knew that more people would move into the area around the creek. They wanted to protect the water quality. So, they set some rules for new housing development and building projects.
They created a "Special Protection Area." In this area, new buildings have extra rules to control stormwater runoff. Runoff is rainwater that flows over land and can pick up pollution. These extra rules help keep the creek clean.
Challenges and Solutions
Even with the rules, the county found some problems in 2010. New construction projects in Clarksburg and other areas had caused some water quality issues. The county checked the stream's health using biological monitoring. They saw that the water quality was getting worse.
To fix this, they suggested better ways to design new projects. These designs, like low impact development, help to reduce stormwater runoff. This means less pollution gets into the creek.
In 2014, the County Council added even more rules for building projects. These rules help protect a smaller stream called Tenmile Creek. Tenmile Creek is a branch of Little Seneca Creek. Protecting it helps keep the whole area healthy.
Smaller Streams that Feed the Creek
Many smaller streams flow into Little Seneca Creek. These are called tributaries.
- Boyds Tributary
- Brodsky Tributary
- Bucklodge Branch
- Cabin Branch
- Churchill Tributary
- Germantown Estates Tributary
- Milestone Tributary
- Tenmile Creek
- Town Center Tributary
Images for kids
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Little Seneca Creek, north of Schaeffer Road
