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Lower Beaverdam Creek is a direct, principally free-flowing, tributary of the tidal Anacostia River. It joins the tidal river immediately downstream from the District of Columbia- Maryland border, adjacent to Kenilworth Marsh. The Lower Beaverdam Creek subwatershed is roughly outlined by Annapolis Road to the north and northeast, Mill Road to the southeast and east, I-95 to the east, and Rollins Avenue and the District line to the west. Ninety-nine percent of the subwatershed is in Prince George's County, with the remaining one percent in the District of Columbia.

Dominant Land Uses: Dominant land uses in the subwatershed include residential (44%), forest cover (25%), and industrial (17%).

Physical Characteristics: The Lower Beaverdam Creek subwatershed is 10,064.0 acres (15.7 mi2) in size and approximately 39% impervious. Elevations range from 180 feet at the subwatershed divide to five feet where it joins the tidal river. Lower Beaverdam Creek, which is completely in the Coastal Plain physiographic province, has an average gradient of 0.28% over 5.1 miles of mainstem. The creek is free-flowing for most of its length but is tidally influenced from approximately Kenilworth Avenue to its confluence with the tidal Anacostia mainstem.

Biological Characteristics: MDE has designated Lower Beaverdam Creek as Use I water. Fish and macroinvertebrate populations in Lower Beaverdam Creek are among the most impaired of all the Anacostia tributaries, ranking 43% and 47% of reference conditions, respectively (Cummins et al., 1991). Although the stream has broad water quality problems, Cummins et al. (1991) classify aquatic habitat as nonsupporting of biological communities and note that "...habitat degradation would itself prevent development of a healthy benthic community in the absence of poor water quality."

Condition Summary: Lower Beaverdam Creek, which is one of the most intensely developed subwatersheds of the Anacostia, contains the largest acreage and second largest percent acreage in industrial land use (approximately 1,750 acres and 17% of the total area). In addition to industry, the headwater portions of the subwatershed are in residential and commercial development. The majority of this development preceded the enactment of stormwater management regulations. Twenty-five percent of the subwatershed remains in forest cover, and only 20% of the stream miles retain an adequate riparian forest buffer ( 300-foot total width). A myriad of water quality problems exist in Lower Beaverdam Creek, including elevated levels of nutrients, total suspended solids and metals, consistent exceedance of primary and secondary health standards for fecal coliform (periodic sewage overflows impact the tidal portion), and periodically elevated levels of TSS (Herson-Jones et al., 1994). Recorded high stream temperatures also are a concern, reflecting: 1) thermal loadings associated with stormwater runoff from paved areas; 2) extensive containment in concrete-lined channels; and, 3) sparse riparian cover. Poor water quality coupled with the degraded aquatic habitat of Lower Beaverdam Creek has severely impaired the aquatic community.