Little Bennett Creek Watershed

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The Little Bennett Creek Watershed

Located in western Montgomery County, Bennett Creek and Little Bennett Creek flow southwesterly into Frederick County where they converge and flow into the Monocacy River. These watersheds contain predominately agricultural land uses with large areas remaining in forest cover. Most of the Little Bennett Creek watershed is protected by parkland, and above Route 355, it supports cold-water wild trout streams. Bennett Creek, with less forest cover and a larger actively farmed area, supports a cool-water fish community that includes Potomac sculpin, central stoneroller, and common shiners. Rock bass are found in many of the pools in these streams.

Stream conditions in both Bennett Creek and Little Bennett Creek have been impacted by past agricultural land uses and these impacts are still evidenced by areas of bank instability and some sedimentation. Generally, conditions are better where good forested stream buffers were left in place. Stream conditions are improving where the land has been farmed with modern best management practices, or left idle with forest cover coming back over time.

Stream conditions in Little Bennett vary considerably throughout the watershed. Some of the factors influencing specific areas in the Little Bennett watershed include the channelization of much of the lower tributary within the I-270 median, and the road crossings on Soper's Branch and Dark Branch. These crossings, which have created fish barriers, are being corrected through better designed stream crossings.

The hydrology of Little Bennett Creek is influenced by the fracture formation in the watershed's underlying geology. Rock outcroppings are common along the hillsides of the park, and the underlying fault pattern makes the streams naturally "flashy", with the streams having naturally low baseflow at times, which rises and peaks rapidly following a runoff producing rain.

Little Bennett is a high quality cold-water stream. However, habitat and flow problems currently are limiting the ability of Little Bennett to improve as a cold water fishery. Restoration to improve the temperature regime of the Ballfield Tributary would measurably improve the quality of this resource.

Bennett Creek is predominately zoned as an agricultural preserve, with agriculture the preferred land use, and some residential development occurring on large lots (generally over 25 acres). This watershed has somewhat less overall forest cover than Little Bennett, although most of the streams have some level of forested buffer protection. The headwater areas of Bennett Creek are influenced by imperviousness and related runoff impacts from the town center of Damascus located in the top of the drainage. More large lot residential development is expected in Bennett and Little Bennett Creeks as Clarksburg and surrounding areas develop.

Bennett and Little Bennett Creek Stream Condition, Habitat Condition, and Management Category Designation

Subwatershed/

Stream Condition
Habitat Condition
Primary Factors Affecting Stream Condition
Unique Characteristics and Management Designation

DEP baseline watershed monitoring to occur in 1999.

Little Bennett Headwaters- GOOD

(preliminary)
GOOD - (preliminary)
Areas of channel widening and sedimentation due to impacts of past land use practices were observed.
Channel is in a fracture/fault valley.

Watershed Preservation Area

Upper Little Bennett - GOOD
EXCELLENT Overall
Excellent riparian buffer and fish habitat.

Some active bank erosion and sediment deposition observed. Evidence of "flashy" storm flows.
Site of first successful stream restoration effort in the County, dating from the 1970's.

Watershed Preservation Area

Kingsley Trib. GOOD (preliminary)
GOOD - (preliminary)
Reconnaissance revealed channel widening and bank erosion in some areas.

Watershed Preservation Area

Middle Little Bennett - EXCELLENT
EXCELLENT
This is a stable high quality channel section.
Beaver have created large beaver wetland downstream of Clarksburg Rd.

Watershed Preservation Area

Ballfield Trib. - GOOD (preliminary)
GOOD - (preliminary)
This drainage contains large forested areas and high quality seeps and springs throughout. Headwater areas shown signs of impact from past land uses but appear to be recovering through reforestation efforts.
Actions to improve the temperature regime in this tributary would measurably improve the overall cold-water fishery.

Watershed Preservation Area

Soper's Branch - EXCELLENT
EXCELLENT
This tributary contains excellent in-stream habitat conditions and is a largely forested watershed. Road culvert has created a fish barrier.

Watershed Preservation Area

Lower Mainstem between Route 355 and Dark Branch - EXCELLENT
EXCELLENT
Forested stream buffer provides stream cover. Southern valley wall is steep and also provides shade. Possible water quality problems.
Wetlands of "special state concern".

Watershed Preservation Area

Lower Mainstem between Dark Branch and Ballfield Trib. - GOOD
GOOD
Above Dark Branch, the mainstem condition declines somewhat, potentially due to flow alteration from road crossings. Large mid-channel sediment bars and severe bank erosion are present.
This is the first area in the watershed where young of year from a naturally reproducing brown trout population were found in the 1970's.

Watershed Preservation Area

Dark Branch - GOOD
GOOD to FAIR
An incised channel and unstable substrate influence this tributary. A perched culvert in the lower section blocks fish passage from the mainstem.
This was formerly the main spawning/nursery tributary for Little Bennett.

Watershed Preservation Area

Unnamed Trib. - GOOD
GOOD
Channel is incised with fair bank stability and sedimentation.

Watershed Preservation Area

I-270 Trib.

(preliminary) -FAIR
FAIR

(preliminary)
Much of this tributary has been channelized and flows in the median of I-270. Possible water quality problems.

Watershed Restoration Area

Bennett Creek

(preliminary) - GOOD
GOOD

(preliminary)
Reconnaissance of the upper watershed revealed areas of deeply entrenched channels in the headwaters.

Agricultural Watershed Management Area

Bennett and Little Bennett Creek Watershed Management Categories

Management of the resources in these watersheds occurs primarily through voluntary actions among agricultural and large lot land owners, particularly in Bennett Creek, and through management of the Little Bennett Regional Park by the M-NCPPC. A new State Highway Administration initiative will occur during the winter of 1998 to test the use of new more environmentally sensitive and effective road salts along the portion of I-270 adjacent to Frederick County.

Watershed Preservation Areas

This category covers all of the subwatersheds in Little Bennett Creek with the exception of the I-270 tributary and Little Bennett South. Subwatersheds are placed in this category due to the high stream quality in this area, and the existence of extensive parkland which functions to preserve watershed conditions. In addition to the large area already preserved in parkland, efforts are underway and planned to improve the preservation of these resources.

Watershed Management Strategy

Protect key stream reaches through parkland dedication and acquisition.

Implement M-NCPPC Trout Management Plan
Target in-stream and riparian habitat improvement projects to address existing problem areas in the Ballfield tributary, Sopers Branch and Dark Branch.
Provide educational efforts to improve best management practices and stewardship among private landowners.

Agricultural Watershed Management Areas

This management category includes all of Bennett Creek within Montgomery County and the Little Bennett South subwatershed. The primary land uses in this area are agriculture and fallow land with occasional large lot residential uses. Imperviousness is not anticipated to increase significantly, and with the use of appropriate best management practices on actively farmed areas, streams should remain in good condition. Standard environmental guidelines and regulations are expected to adequately protect stream resources from limited areas of residential development.

Watershed Management Strategy

Continue current practices.

Increase forested buffer area through educational initiatives and voluntary implementation.

Watershed Restoration Areas

The I-270 tributary is placed within this category due to the fair resource condition and impacts to the natural channel condition.

Watershed Management Strategy

Cooperate with SHA to monitor effectiveness of alternative de-icing agent.

Maps

Land Cover
Impervious Area
Stream Condition
Management Categories

Land Cover Graph

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