Watersheds

This data shows the (sub)watersheds in our area. This is the basic unit of area for planning, quality assessment, and studies. As shown, most are based on named streams. It is odd that there is not one designated for Broad Creek through the south part of Kingsville.

While much of the concern for watersheds in Baltimore County is related to the protection of water flowing into the reservoirs, and eventually out of the faucets of nearly 2 million people, the concern in Kingsville, besides protecting our groundwater drinking supply, is for the health of the Bay. Excessive runoff carries both sediment and pollution into the Bay, thus degrading it. When the zones were first laid out, the protection of the reservoir was probably thought to be more critical, thus resulting in the Kingsville area being a lot of RC5, while most of the reservoir area was the more restrictive RC2. Now we know that protection of the Bay is just as important.

One measure of the quality of a stream (and the watershed it supports) is whether or not it supports Brown or Brook Trout. As canaries in a mine, trout provide an early warning that a stream is becoming degraded. Trout are mostly affected by warming waters, brought on by excessive impervious surfaces, especially blacktop, which is a wonderful heater of rain water. In the Kingsville area, only Long Green Creek is classified as able to support Brown Trout

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