3 Steffen Point • Annapolis, MD 21401 • 410-263-2102

Weems Creek & Rowe Boulevard Environmental Impact Study

by Gretchen A. Clift
B.A. Geography,
University of New Zealand
at Canterbury

"New research indicates that land with higher species diversity absorbs more carbon dioxide and nitrogen than land that is species-poor."
Washington Post April 16, 2001

The following is the result of a series of field studies undertaken by Gretchen Ciift, Cindy Faith, Pat Empey, Jean Waterman, Mark Waterman, and Harrison Sayre from January 25, 2001 through July 5, 2001. The field study committee thanks John Woodall, S.H.A. Environmental Design, for severing and removing invasive, exotic English ivy from trees bordering Rowe Boulevard from Weems Creek to Farragut Road in January 2001. The Committee also thanks Harvey Muller, S.H.A.

The Weems Creek bridge lies SE/NW. Reference for simplification is:

East - City
West - Route 50
North - Severn River
South - Stadium
Weems Creek's depth at the bridge is 10-12 feet for a distance 20 feet upstream & downstream. The left bank, Route 50, is terraced, dense, hardwood, locust cover; wetlands for 40 feet N & S. The right bank, city side, 30-foot steep bank, thick cover mature oaks: chestnut, red, willow; American beech, adjacent to and 100 feet upstream. Mariner's Cove living space begins 12 feet downstream from bridge on right bank.

Vegetation cover from Weeks Creek to Farragut Road, south side:
Within nine feet of paved road shoulder - seven trees circumference 7 feet to 12 feet, height to 60 feet. Species: American beech; oak - variety willow, red, chestnut; black

Fifty feet from shoulder: white oak 14-1/2 feet in circumference, 60-70 feet in height

Six feet from bridge structure: Two American beeches

Fifteen feet from shoulder: Mulberry 6' feet in circumference.

Established grid 40 feet N/S; 80 feetW/E stadium side from bridge to Farragut:

30 mature hardwoods. Immature trees to 20 feet. Canopy dense. Understory oak seedlings one foot to three feet massed. Estimate 40 trees per 1600 square feet. Native ivy to five feet in open canopy. Tree cover narrows at 80 feet from Farragut Road to single willow oak 11'6" in circumference.

North side - Mariner's Cove
Two feet - 10 feet from shoulder: 15 hardwoods, range 3'4" to 7' circumference, oak - white, willow; ash, black cherry, locust, American beech, American holly. Preponderance of locust. Three osage-orange of historical significance. Area surveyed 40 feet by 500 feet.

Observations: resilient, dark earth, vine-free under dense canopy. Exotic/invasive ivy under open canopy. Leaf build-up in drainage areas. Relatively clean concrete run to creek.