Click image to enlarge map of Anacostia Watershed in the Chesepeake Bay Watershed.

Click image to enlarge map of Takoma Branch Subwatershed in the Anacostia Watershed

Get to Know Takoma Branch!

The Takoma Branch is a stream of tremendous potential. Located in a densely populated area, this tributary of Sligo Creek is an urban oasis. However, the vision of Takoma Branch as a vibrant community asset is marred by the reality of the problems that plague this small tributary. High levels of trash along with numerous other pollutants are washed into the stream during every rainstorm, making the stream unsightly and potentially dangerous. Rain that washes off of the roads, sidewalks and buildings in the urbanized watershed is rapidly conveyed into the stream as powerful currents that scour the stream, causing erosion and many related problems. Sewage overflows, fish blockages and channelized stream sections make the Takoma Branch an inhospitable place for fish and other wildlife. In order to restore Takoma Branch, residents must first learn more about all aspects of the stream. Browse the list of topics below to find out more!

Location
Dominant Land Uses
Physical Characteristics
Biological Characteristics
Condition Summary
The Watershed and You

Location

Takoma Branch is a free-flowing tributary of Sligo Creek, which flows to the Anacostia River. The stream joins Sligo Creek near the intersection of Chillum-Manor Road and East-West Highway. The Takoma Branch subwatershed is located in Prince George's County, Montgomery County and the District of Columbia. The subwatershed is generally bound by East-West Highway to the north and east, Riggs Road to the south, and Blair Road to the west.

Click on Takoma Branch Subwatershed below to zoom in!

Dominant Land Uses

The dominant land uses in the Takoma Branch subwatershed are residential and commercial development.

Physical Characteristics

The Takoma Branch subwatershedis 746.2 acres (1.2 mi2) in size and is approximately 43% impervious. The watershed is almost entirely located in the Coastal Plain. Elevations range from 90 feet at the subwatershed divide to 20 feet at the confluence with Sligo Creek. The un-piped portion of the Takoma Branch mainstem is about one mile long and is primarily located in the Prince George’s County section of the watershed.

Biological Characteristics

The state of Maryland has designated Takoma Branch as suitable for recreation and protection of wildlife. From the limited data available, it seems that Takoma Branch supports a very limited fish and benthic macroinvertebrate population. There are currently ten different species of fish were documented in the lower mainstem.

Condition Summary

Takoma Branch is a stream that has great potential, but it is plagued by very high levels of trash and scouring storm flows. Located in an urbanized area with high amounts of paved surfaces, Takoma Branch is affected by the runoff from these developed areas, which causes erosion in the stream and carries pollutants. Takoma Branch is one of the most trash-laden and stormwater runoff-impacted streams in the Anacostia watershed. Recent visual surveys by COG staff indicate that approximately 40% of the stream channel is experiencing accelerated erosion. Stream bed erosion can uncover buried sewer pipes, leading to leaks and/or breakage problems. In addition, these exposed utility lines often prevent the movement of both resident and migratory fishes. Preliminary surveys by COG revealed four fish blockages in the Takoma Branch mainstem.

The Watershed and You

The health of the streams within a watershed is affected both by the types of land uses present and by the actions of the people living, working and recreating in the watershed. During a rainstorm, water washes off of land that is paved for roads, parking lots and roof tops and rushes into streams, carrying with it trash or pollutants present and causing erosion in the streams. Pesticides or fertilizers applied to lawns could also end up in streams during a rainstorm, resulting in harmful chemicals in the water and excess nutrients that deplete the amount of oxygen in the stream. Everyone that spends time in a watershed can play a role in stopping actions that degrade streams and start taking actions to restore streams. Even actions that you take in your home, such as dumping grease down the drain, could negatively impact the stream, as evidenced by the grease blockage that caused an estimated 20,000 gallons of sewage to overflow into Takoma Branch during 2005. Join the effort to restore Takoma Branch and participate in activities that can make a real difference in improving the health of the Takoma Branch Watershed.