Tuscarora Creek (Monocacy River)
Encyclopedia
Tuscarora Creek is a 7.7 miles (12.4 km) tributary
of the Monocacy River
in Frederick County
, Maryland
, in the United States
.
The creek rises at the eastern base of Catoctin Mountain
, about 6.5 miles (10.5 km) north-northwest of the city of Frederick
, and flows southeast about to its mouth at the Monocacy. The creek's watershed
area is 15.28 square miles (39.6 km²).
violations for Tuscarora Creek, specifically for bacteria
, based on testing of water samples. MDE estimates that the principal sources of bacteria are farm animals (livestock
), failing septic tank
s from residences and/or businesses, pet waste and wildlife. The White Rock sewage treatment
plant also discharges to the creek, but the MDE report does not cite the plant for excessive discharges. About one-third of the creek's bacteria wasteload is of unknown origin.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources
, in a separate report, identified highly eroded
stream banks, barriers to fish passage, trash dumping sites and other problems in portions of Tuscarora Creek and its tributaries. These problems are associated with land development
(urbanization
) in the region.
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the Monocacy River
Monocacy River
The Monocacy River is a free-flowing tributary of the Potomac River, which empties into the Atlantic Ocean via the Chesapeake Bay. The river is long, with a drainage area of about...
in Frederick County
Frederick County, Maryland
Frederick County is a county located in the western part of the U.S. state of Maryland, bordering the southern border of Pennsylvania and the northeastern border of Virginia. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 233,385....
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The creek rises at the eastern base of Catoctin Mountain
Catoctin Mountain
Catoctin Mountain, along with the geologically associated Bull Run Mountains, comprises the easternmost mountain ridge of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are in turn a part of the Appalachian Mountains range...
, about 6.5 miles (10.5 km) north-northwest of the city of Frederick
Frederick, Maryland
Frederick is a city in north-central Maryland. It is the county seat of Frederick County, the largest county by area in the state of Maryland. Frederick is an outlying community of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of a greater...
, and flows southeast about to its mouth at the Monocacy. The creek's watershed
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
area is 15.28 square miles (39.6 km²).
Environmental impacts on the creek
The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) has identified water qualityWater quality
Water quality is the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of water. It is a measure of the condition of water relative to the requirements of one or more biotic species and or to any human need or purpose. It is most frequently used by reference to a set of standards against which...
violations for Tuscarora Creek, specifically for bacteria
Bacteria
Bacteria are a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals...
, based on testing of water samples. MDE estimates that the principal sources of bacteria are farm animals (livestock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
), failing septic tank
Septic tank
A septic tank is a key component of the septic system, a small-scale sewage treatment system common in areas with no connection to main sewage pipes provided by local governments or private corporations...
s from residences and/or businesses, pet waste and wildlife. The White Rock sewage treatment
Sewage treatment
Sewage treatment, or domestic wastewater treatment, is the process of removing contaminants from wastewater and household sewage, both runoff and domestic. It includes physical, chemical, and biological processes to remove physical, chemical and biological contaminants...
plant also discharges to the creek, but the MDE report does not cite the plant for excessive discharges. About one-third of the creek's bacteria wasteload is of unknown origin.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Maryland Department of Natural Resources
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is a government agency in the state of Maryland charged with maintaining natural resources such as the 66 state parks, public lands, state forests, state waterways, wildlife and recreation areas....
, in a separate report, identified highly eroded
Erosion
Erosion is when materials are removed from the surface and changed into something else. It only works by hydraulic actions and transport of solids in the natural environment, and leads to the deposition of these materials elsewhere...
stream banks, barriers to fish passage, trash dumping sites and other problems in portions of Tuscarora Creek and its tributaries. These problems are associated with land development
Land development
Land development refers to altering the landscape in any number of ways such as:* changing landforms from a natural or semi-natural state for a purpose such as agriculture or housing...
(urbanization
Urbanization
Urbanization, urbanisation or urban drift is the physical growth of urban areas as a result of global change. The United Nations projected that half of the world's population would live in urban areas at the end of 2008....
) in the region.