A decade ago, Maryland Agriculture restored 2 farms to improve Little Antietam Creek habitat. Today, 10 years of monitoring show mayflies, caddisflies and trout thriving

Little Antietam Creek restoration: A stream restoration project on two agricultural properties along Little Antietam Creek is showing positive changes years after the work was completed.

Little Antietam Creek is a federally protected trout stream and a tributary of Antietam Creek. It was listed as impaired for elevated nutrients, sediment and temperature. The Maryland Department of Agriculture and its project partners worked to address those issues while improving habitat for aquatic life.

The project focused on two adjacent private agricultural properties at the confluence of Little Antietam Creek and Little Grove Creek, where severe stream bank erosion had been identified as a priority for correction.


The work restored 2,500 linear feet of natural channel in Little Antietam Creek and another 600 linear feet in Little Grove Creek. The restored sections were designed around a natural riffle and pool sequence to create new habitat.

Two properties were selected for stream restoration

The Antietam Creek Watershed Restoration Plan, created in 2012, identified severe stream bank erosion priorities at the two properties.

Little Antietam Creek is listed as impaired for sediment, nutrients, dissolved oxygen and bacteria. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approved total maximum daily loads for these pollutants, including BOD in 2002, sediment in 2008, fecal bacteria in 2009 and nutrients, specifically phosphorus, in 2013.

The watershed is roughly 57.5% agricultural, including 6.1% pasture, while 39.2% is forested and 3% is urban.

Both Little Antietam Creek and Little Grove Creek are designated Use III-P for natural trout and public drinking water.

The restoration targeted erosion and stream habitat

The Maryland Department of Agriculture implemented the watershed restoration plan using native tree plantings and stream stabilization practices.

The project was estimated to reduce sediment loads to the creek by 795 tons of soil per year. Bank Erosion Hazard Index scores at monitoring sites along Little Antietam Creek were rated High, Very High and Extreme, indicating the potential for high sediment loads from the stream banks.

The plans also called for improved aquatic habitat, reduced nutrient delivery and additional stream shading to reduce water temperatures.

The restoration used toe wood, live boulder bank revetment, soil lifts, rock cross vanes, J-hooks and constructed riffles. The stream bottom was graded to create the proper riffle and pool spacing, while the banks were shaped to create flood-prone benches.

Two vernal pools were also planned and constructed to further enhance the project.

Volunteers helped establish a forested buffer

The final establishment of plant materials was completed in November 2016.

Live stakes, trees and shrubs were planted to provide the deep-rooted woody vegetation needed for the project. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation provided 400 trees and shrubs for the forested riparian buffer and coordinated 84 volunteers for the planting.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation and Washington County Soil Conservation District also held an educational session at the site. The session explained stream restoration techniques and highlighted the partnership involved in the watershed restoration plan.

Ten years of monitoring show changes in aquatic life

The clearest results have come from 10 years of Maryland Biological Stream Surveys conducted by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

The surveys involve collecting aquatic insect juveniles and other similar aquatic life and analyzing the samples for the abundance of major groups.

Over the decade of monitoring, the number of sensitive aquatic species increased significantly in Antietam Creek.

Caddisflies and mayflies showed particularly high increases. Scrapers, insects that cling to and feed on rocks, also increased. Their presence indicates fast-flowing, oxygen-rich water.

Non-biting midge numbers increased before returning to baseline. They remain present in low numbers, which also indicates healthy waters.

Trout have also been found along the restored site.

The project details note that stream restoration work can take a decade to show progress, which is why long-term monitoring is needed to track changes in stream health.