Planaria and sowbugs ruled the creek this month at our October 17 fall macroinvertebrate monitoring session. While we found 11 different species living in the Little Falls Branch, this wasn’t enough to move the creek out of the poor rating.
The creeks in our watershed have a serious fecal bacteria pollution problem. Last week, 9 out of 9 sites failed to meet the Maryland State criteria for safe water play (410 MPN per 100 ml). The week before, 5 out of 9 failed and the first week, 6 sites failed.
Our stream team, lead by Frank Sanford, was in the Little Falls Branch below Mass. Avenue this past Saturday hunting for the macro-invertebrates who depend on the creek for shelter and food. They found 12 different species - including broadwinged Damselflies.
While, I suspect, most of us were still sleeping, Pete Givan and Adele O’Dowd were out in Norwood Park leading a bird walk to do a New Year’s Day count and introducing participants to the trees in the Park.
