Ten Mile Creek in Clarksburg is Montgomery County's last, best stream and part of the drinking water supply for 3 million people in the Washington, D.C. region. When the Clarksburg Town was planned in 1994, it placed the western side of the creek in the county’s Agricultural Reserve, safeguarding the farms and forests that had occupied it for generations. However, they decided to postpone designation of the eastern side until "more studies" have been done. The studies were done, they recommended that the eastern side be protected too and now it is time to ask the county to act on this recommendation.
Two development proposals for land in the headwaters are being considered. They would bring more than a thousand housing units and a half-million square feet of commercial space into the headwaters of Ten Mile Creek. The scale and footprint of these projects, along with the sewer lines to serve them, will destroy this sensitive watershed.
Sign a Petition
Please take a minute to ask the County Council to put a stop to this urban sprawl development and protect the stream. You can email them directly, or sign a petition by going to the Montgomery Countryside Alliance website.
Learn about the Issue
To learn more about the efforts to save Ten Mile Creek, visit the Audubon Naturalist Society website. They have been working on this for years and ask for our help.
Read about the problem in an oped piece by Royce Hanson, former Montgomery County Planning Board Chair.
This is not just a Clarksburg problem, but an issue for all of us who drink water and love the environment!
Sarah Morse