Pinehurst Branch

Pinehurst Branch. . , Pinehurst Branch, a tributary of Rock Creek, dividing the DC neighborhoods of Barnaby Woods and Hawthorne, originating in Chevy Chase, MD, flows into Rock Creek between Picnic areas #7 and #8 at Beach Dr. and onto the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay. The 1.3 mile stream flows from the intersection of Turner and Brennon Lanes in Maryland, passing underneath Western Ave. into the District., The Pinehurst watershed is 680 acres, 70% is in urban neighborhoods., The watershed is bounded on the north by Chestnut St., on the south by Rittenhouse St., on the west by Brookville Rd. and on the east by Rock Creek. Rainfall, snowmelt, groundwater and storm drains contribute to the stream that unfortunately has a health rating of 'Poor', but stable by standards established over 25 years of quarterly water quality monitoring of aquatic macroinvertebrate species which serve as indicators of stream health, exhibiting a range of sensitivities to pollution and are the foundation of the wildlife food cahin. Pollution from streets, lawn chemicals, pet excrement and other hazardous waste, reveal water quality tests of maximum E. coli detection! A hazard to wildlife, pets and humans!, Pinehurst Branch water joins the Atlantic Ocean and Sargasso Sea as evidenced by the presence of American Eels, North America's only catadromous species; hatching in saltwater, maturing in freshwater, and returning to saltwater to spawn, defines its mysterious life-cycle., Volunteer efforts since 2013 have cleaned up trash, removed invasive non-native plants, and protected and planted native trees., Community Tree Planting with Casey Trees in 2016 added 105 native trees and shrubs to the Pinehurst riparian inventory. Since then, subsequent planting events have more than doubled Casey's planting and an additional 450 existing and 'volunteer' saplings have been protected from deer browsing and buck-rub with guards or fencing. DDOT planting 36 native species trees on Aberfoyle Pl. and Oregon Ave., These efforts have been generously supported by the National Park Service and its official non-profit partner, Rock Creek Conservancy., Those interested in volunteering in Pinehurst or elsewhere in Rock Creek Park, contact rockcreekconservancy.org or [email protected], You Can Help the Watershed!. Reduce the flow of stormwater runoff from your property, with DC RiverSmart or Montgomery Co. Rainscapes 'green' infrastructure. Leash and pick-up after your dog, it's the law. Stay on trail. Social trails fragment the Park and promote erosion. Report illegal dumping in progress to US Park Police - 202-610-7500., - It's illegal for pets to be unleashed at Rock Creek Park. Dog waste transmits diseases, attracts rats, kills plants, and pollutes waterways.