Macroinvertebrate Monitoring
By Kevin Misener
When it comes to volunteering , donning waders and counting bugs may not be the first thing that springs to mind . But for a dedicated team of water quality monitors with Nature Forward and SCWP , it ’ s a regular activity . We monitor Seneca Creek four times a year , once each season . Most of the time is spent collecting and identifying our collection . We take 20 samples from the stream into special D-shaped nets . The samples are brought to to land and closely searched for benthic macroinvertebrates ( meaning bottom dwelling critters ). The critters are placed into a sorting tray , identified , and recorded . We identify
PHOTO : Matthias Graf critters until we hit 100 , with Kevin Misener sorts various organisms processes to establish randomness into the sampling . prior to identification and counting .
The macroinvertebrates found tell us of the health of the stream . Many of the macroinvertebrates found in Seneca could not survive in more polluted water , such as water pennies ( a beetle ) and spiny crawler mayflies . We quantify our results into what is known as a biotic index . Thankfully , Seneca Creek , near Riffle Ford Road , regularly scores excellent to good results .
In addition to the critters , we also test salt and nitrate levels in conjunction with the Izaak Walton League , PH levels , and conduct visual habitat assessments . These assessments use metrics set by the State and County to determine whether the stream ’ s physical characteristics are conducive to a healthy habitat for the macroinvertebrates . This covers factors like how close the nearest roads are , and what the stream bottom is made of ( for example , pebbles or sand ).
Kevin Misener has first learned about water quality monitoring in an introductory biology course in Wisconsin . After moving out East , he began monitoring with Arlington County , and later , Nature Forward and Little Falls Watershed Alliance . A few years ago , he took over as the Nature Forward team lead at Seneca Creek and joined Seneca Creek Watershed Partners . removal , or trash pickups throughout the watershed .
Seneca is the largest watershed located entirely in Montgomery County , covering 129 square miles , about one-third of the county . It includes Great Seneca , Little Seneca and Dry Seneca Creek along with their tributaries such as Hooker ’ s Branch and Magruder Branch . Tributaries Whetstone Run , Gunners Branch and Long Draught have each been dammed to form Whetstone Lake , Gunners Lake and Clopper Lake .
Seneca Creek Watershed Partners works to protect not just areas of the Seneca State Park but also areas outside the park boundaries , especially areas significant to our watershed ’ s health . Often harm to critical habitat occurs outside the park and has a direct impact on the quality of Seneca and its tributaries within the park . If you live in or near Darnestown , Poolesville , Clarksburg , Damascus , Germantown , Montgomery Village , Laytonsville , or Gaithersburg , please consider volunteering ! It ’ s free to join . You don ’ t have to live in our watershed to join — nearby neighbors are most welcome , too .
Merikay Smith , a Master Gardener for more than 15 years , has been a board member of Seneca Creek Watershed Partners ( www . senecacreekwp . org ) since 2015 and served as its president from 2021 to 2023 . She has also served on the Board of the Muddy Branch Alliance . In 2016 she founded Earth Stewardship East , a faith-based nonprofit ( www . eartheast . org ). She also serves on the board of Latter- Day Saint Earth Stewardship and has helped mentor local chapters in the US , Europe , Canada , and the Philippines .