Friends of Hunting Creek

Who We Are

The Friends of Hunting Creek is a group of concerned citizens in the Hunting Creek Watershed partnering with the American Chestnut Land Trust to advocate for the health of Hunting Creek and host events that give community members an opportunity to explore the natural resources around them!

Our Mission

The mission of the Friends of Hunting Creek is to promote the ecological health and resiliency of the watershed’s 50 miles of streams and landscape so that landowners, citizens, government agencies, and elected officials together take an active role in protecting and sustaining the natural and cultural resources.

Our Vision

The Friends of Hunting Creek envision a future where current residents and future generations act as stewards of a balanced ecosystem functioning sustainably within a healthy, resilient Hunting Creek watershed.

Facts About Hunting Creek

The Hunting Creek watershed covers 19,126 acres of central Calvert County, Maryland.
It is the largest of the County’s 22 watersheds and a major tributary to the lower Patuxent River.
The mainstem Hunting Creek and its many tributaries comprise about 50 miles of tidal and non-tidal streams.
The eastern, western, and southern portions of the Prince Frederick Town Center drain into Hunting Creek.
The watershed is currently 56% forested, 29% farmland, 8% impervious land cover, and is criss-crossed by 120 miles of roads.
The Friends of Hunting Creek are committed to ensuring that the 9,500 people who live in the watershed will continue to thrive among Nature’s abundance. 19,126 acres

Citizen Science

The Friends of Hunting Creek have been collecting scientific data to give insights into the health of the watershed. Here are some of the citizen science initiatives the FOHC have been involved in:

Water Quality Blitz: Begun in 2017 by ACLT, the Water Quality Blitz is an annual, regional event focused on engaging citizen scientists in monitoring the health of their watershed. Each year, in early spring, volunteers trek through local streams, collecting water samples, which are later analyzed for nitrogen concentrations (NO23). The FOHC have been participating in the Blitz since 2021, revealing relatively good NO23 concentrations in their watershed. Scroll through the maps below to see their results across the years:

Quarterly Monitoring: In October 2023, the Friends of Hunting Creek began a quarterly water testing program to supplement the annual Blitz testing. The FOHC selected six sites of highest priority to sample 4 times a year for various parameters. The Chesapeake Biological Laboratory analyzes the samples for for nitrate + nitrite (NO23), phosphate (PO4), ammonium (NH4), and Total Suspended Solids. The FOHC analyze the samples for turbidity using an Apera TN400 Turbidity Meter.

Reports and Articles

The FOHC have produced several reports and articles that detail their citizen science and advocacy work in the watreshed. Click on the circles below to read more.