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The Little Paint Branchis a free-flowing tributary of Paint Branch, which subsequently joins Indian Creek in forming the Northeast Branch of the Anacostia. The Little Paint Branch subwatershed is roughly outlined by Sandy Spring Road to the north, Cherry Hill Road to the west, Old Gunpowder Road and Baltimore Avenue to the east, and the Paint Branch Golf Course to the south. Fifty-two percent of the subwatershed is in Montgomery County, with the remaining 48% in Prince George's County.

Dominant Land Uses: Residential land use and forest cover comprise a majority of the Little Paint Branch subwatershed, at 37% and 31% by area, respectively; an additional 11% of the subwatershed is in agriculture (primarily the BARC property).

Physical Characteristics:The Little Paint Branch subwatershed is 6,687.4 acres (10.5 mi2) in size and approximately 19% impervious. Elevations range from 320 feet at the subwatershed divide to 80 feet at the confluence with Paint Branch. The headwaters of Little Paint Branch are in the Piedmont physiographic province. The stream, which flows into the Coastal Plain before joining Paint Branch, has an average gradient of 0.66% over 6.9 miles of mainstem.

Biological Characteristics: MDE has designated Little Paint Branch as Use I waters. The lower mainstem portion of Little Paint Branch (at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center) contains both high quality aquatic habitat and a healthy and diverse macroinvertebrate population comparable to (87% of) reference conditions (Cummins et al. 1991). However, ranking at approximately 50% of the reference condition, the fish population in this reach of Little Paint Branch is considered moderately impaired. Cummins et al. (1991) note fish blockages as a possible cause for this condition.

Condition Summary: Development covers approximately half of the Little Paint Branch subwatershed. Another 31% of the subwatershed is forested, with 48% of the stream miles retaining an adequate forest buffer ( 300-foot total width). The forest tracts are located predominantly in the upper half of the subwatershed. While stream water quality is relatively good, notable problems of elevated temperature and high total suspended solids (TSS) have been identified (Herson-Jones et al. 1994). High stream temperatures are likely a result of: 1) the large area of moderately dense residential development in the upper third of the subwatershed; 2) channelization through the I-95 corridor; and, 3) the lack of an adequate riparian forest cover on more than 50% of the stream miles. Regarding the TSS problems, several abandoned sand and gravel surface mines in the mid and upper portions of the subwatershed are believed to contribute to sedimentation of the creek. This problem is exacerbated by the use of all-terrain vehicles and motorcycles in these areas. This upland erosion, coupled with localized streambank erosion that results from uncontrolled runoff from impervious surfaces, may be responsible for the previously-noted impacts to downstream aquatic habitat and its dependant aquatic biota.

To get involved in protecting your Anacostia subwatershed contact the Friends of Little Paint Branch.