Tag Archive: streams

Stream Critters – Yellow Lance Mussel

Introduction Can animals that look like rocks and are capable of trickery and bloodsucking have a positive effect on water quality? What if those same animals had common names like

Stream Critters – Marbled Salamander

Introduction Marbled salamanders are marvelous critters. These thin-skinned, cold-blooded salamanders – and frogs and toads – survive winters without coats. That’s amazing. Salamanders can lose a leg or tail and

Stream Critters – Giant Stonefly

Introduction Picture this: an ancient adult stonefly lands on a stegosaurus. The stegosaurus doesn’t notice. The stonefly is looking for a mate, not a huge dinosaur, and it flies away.

Stream Critters – Acuminate Crayfish

Introduction “Look! Right there! Under that rock in the middle of the stream! Is that a lobster?” Nope. It’s a crayfish, the smaller freshwater cousin of the lobster. You can’t

Stream Critters

Introduction Eels have mystified people from Aristotle who thought they developed from earthworms to young Sigmund Freud who couldn’t find what makes a male eel a male and who switched

Kemp Mill Shallow Marsh Wetland

Wetlands Provide Ecosystem Services Wetlands are often described as the “kidneys of the landscape.” They help remove pollutants from runoff and moderate the flow of water to mitigate floods and

Booze Creek Gets a Face Lift

Nearly 1400 young trees find a new home along Booze Creek  As of April 2021, the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection has completed more than three quarters of the

Road Salt is a Problem

Salt is useful because it is inexpensive and somewhat effective in breaking down ice and snow on our roads.  Following a storm, major roads need to be safe and passable.

The Power of Scooping Poop

Have you ever heard of the Poop Fairy? No? Probably because there is no such thing. Pet owners across Montgomery County are responsible for picking up their pet’s waste when

Monitoring Montgomery County’s Streams

Did you know that September 18th is World Water Monitoring Day? Since 1995 Montgomery County has maintained a stream monitoring program. As a result, the program has tracked water quality

Stormwater Best Management Practices

August is water quality awareness month. At the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) the Watershed Restoration Division’ entire focus is water protection year-round! The Watershed Restoration Division is