Background

The waters of Indian Creek, a northern tributary of the Anacostia River, have had a reputation for being murky and unpleasant for many years. That murkiness (or turbidity) is known to be heavier and to last longer than it does on any other Anacostia tributary, especially following moderate or heavy rainfall. AWS recently confirmed this reputation following a storm on February 1, 2008 that dumped 2.05 of water on the D.C. metropolitan area. While Indian Creek remained cloudy for at least 5 days following that storm (the water took on a milky, coffee color), turbidity in the waters of Little Paint Branch, a neighboring tributary stream, only took 2 days to clear. What is the explanation for all this? Sediment-laden stormwater is being discharged into Indian Creek from a development site, known as Konterra Subdivision or Konterra Sand Mining, located at the stream's headwaters in Laurel, MD.

Download AWS's Complete Konterra Subdivision Case Study [PDF format]

The rainfall that occurred on February 1 was much smaller than an average one-year-storm event for the area. (In Prince George's County, MD, where Konterra is located, a one-year rainfall event measures 2.7 inches.) Statistically, this means that storms delivering 2.05 inches of rain could occur over the site more than once per year. Given the likelihood of storms of this magnitude, Konterra's stormwater control devices ought to be capable of handlin the resulting runoff without risk of serious failure. Unfortunately, this does not appear to be the case.

The Anacostia Watershed Society (AWS) is documenting each time pollution spills—in the form of turbid stormwater discharges—occur at Konterra. We hope the data we collect during these events will help Konterra, Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), Prince George's County Department of Natural Resources (PGDER), and the local community find a resolution to this ongoing problem.

Write a Letter

We also hope that concerned citizens like you will take the time to write to MDE Secretary Shari T. Wilson, or your Maryland State Senator or Delegate, to express your misgivings about Maryland's current stormwater management regulations and their enforcement. All of the stormwater control devices that failed at the Konterra site had been approved by MDE and appeared in their official schedule of soil and erosion plans. This fact cannot pass unnoticed: Current, State-approved stormwater policies are not serving the goals they were created acheive—namely, cleaner water for all Marylanders.

Download a Sample Letter & a List of MD State Representatives [MS Word format]

In 2007, Governor Martin O'Malley signed into law one of the most aggressive stormwater ordinances in the nation. Known as the Maryland Stormwater Management Act (SMA 2007), the statute contains language with the potential for creating real change in the State's approach to protecting the environment from the harmful effects of polluted runoff. The time has come for State agencies like MDE to do more to allign their stormwater regulations and enforncement policies to the letter and spirit of SMA 2007. This is the only way environmental disasters like the one at Konterra Subdivision will be prevented in the future.

Lend your voice to this effort and help Maryland become a cleaner, healthier place to live. Write a letter today!

Location of Indian Creek and Konterra Subdivision

Konterra Subdivision is part of a 2,200 acre site plan for developing a large, mixed-use community near the City of Laurel, Maryland. The site lies at the headwaters of Indian Creek just east of Interstate 95 and just south of Van Dusen Road in Laurel. The subdivision has served for many years as a surface mine for the extraction of construction sand. The maps below provide some detail about the site's location relative to the Anacostia Watershed and the City of Laurel.

Why Does Sediment Matter?

When excess sediment, especially fine sediment, is washed into a stream or river by stormwater, the polluted discharge can have several negative effects on the environment. Those effects are magnified if the sediment remains suspended in the water over an extended period of time.

What Excess Turbidity Does to Wildlife—

• It suffocates fish by clogging their gills.
• It smothers fish eggs by covering them over with silt.
• It chokes off wildlife food supplies, especially for plant eaters (see below).
• It stifles the growth of aquatic wildlife habitats by impairing aquatic plant growth (see below).
• It kills oysters, clams, mussels, and other 'filter feeding' organisms by preventing them from feeding properly.
• It interrupts the reproductive cycles of certain insects by filling in their breeding areas.

What Excess Turbidity Does to Plant Life—

• It cuts off the sunlight aquatic plants need in order to survive and grow.
• It keeps aquatic plants from absorbing nutrients from the surounding environment.
• It prevents aquatic plants from adding dissolved oxygen back into the water. (The lower the level of dissolved oxygen in a body of water, the less capable it is of sustaining most forms of life.)

What Excess Turbidity Does to Human Life—

• It makes water dirty and unpleasant for canoeist, kayakers, rowers, and other paddle sport enthusiasts.
• It destroys wildlife populations that fishermen, bird watchers, and other naturalists depend on for sport and recreation.
• It repels visits to the waterfront by picnicers, hikers, bikers, walkers, and others who enjoy being outdoors.
• It impedes boat traffic by filling in river channels.

Compelling Sediment Pollution Footage

 

This film shows excessively turbid water from Indian Creek mixing with cleaner water from Little Paint Branch. Sediment-polluted stormwater from Konterra Subdivision (see above) is being discharged into Indian Creek near its headwaters in Laurel, MD. (Video: February 15, 2008)

Jump to Documentation of Konterra Pollution Events