The Patapsco River Watershed is located in the southwestern portion of Baltimore County. It is bounded by the Liberty Reservoir and Carroll County line to the north, the Patapsco River and Howard County line to the west, and the Anne Arundel and Baltimore City line to the south. The watershed includes the communities of Catonsville, Arbutus, and Halethorpe. It also includes UMBC, Catonsville Community College, and the Patapsco Valley State Park.
While the Patapsco River is a minor river for most of its length, its last 10 miles are a large tidal estuary inlet of Chesapeake Bay. The tidal area of the Patapsco, comprised of the Northwest Harbor and Middle Branch, is crossed by the Baltimore Harbor and Fort McHenry Tunnels as well as the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
The watershed is home to Patapsco Valley State Park which extends along 32 miles of the Patapsco River, encompassing 14,000 acres and five developed recreational areas. Recreational opportunities include hiking, fishing, camping, canoeing, horseback and mountain bike trails, as well as picnicking for individuals or large groups in the park's many popular pavilions. The watershed provides good habitat for many species of fish including smallmouth bass, rock bass, redbreast sunfish, hog suckers and white suckers.
General Overview
| Size | 53 | square miles |
| Population | 169,729 | 2000 censusus |
| Population density | 3,273 | people per sq. mile |
| Miles of stream | 203 | miles |
Land Cover Characteristics
| Urban | 49 % |
| Agricultural | 13 % |
| Forest | 38 % |
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| Impervious | 12 % |
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| The Patapsco watershed has a significant amount of forest cover mostly located within the Patapsco Valley State Park. |
Zoning Classifications
| Urban Residential | 37 % |
| Rural Residential | 22 % |
| Commercial | 5 % |
| Agricultural | 30 % |
| Industrial | 6 % |
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| Zoning categories in the Patapsco River watershed cover a wide range which include mostly residential and about one third agricultural. |
To participate in watershed activities contact your local watershed association. For the Patapsco River watershed contact the Friends of the Patapsco Valley and Heritage Greenway.
Revised January 30, 2007
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