Little Elk Creek Watershed: Habitat Characterization

Habitat Characterization

Aerial view of northern Chesapeake Bay to Elk River

Little Elk Creek is freshwater, with salinities in the range of 0.5 parts per thousand (ppt) or less. Salinities in the lower portion of the creek fluctuate throughout the year depending on rainfall (USGS 2005). Little Elk Creek ranges from 50 to 65 cm (20 to 25 in.) in depth and 15 to 90 m (50 to 300 ft) in width. Sediment in Little Elk Creek varies from mostly silty sand near the confluence with Elk River to gravel and cobble near the Triumph Industrial Park. In general, Little Elk Creek has shallow banks and is shaded by trees (Nichols 2005; Schaefer 2005). The lower one-quarter mile of Little Elk Creek is tidally influenced (Schaefer 2005).

Mill Creek is a small tributary to Little Elk Creek. The substrate in Mill Creek is composed mostly of fine-grained sediment. Surface water runoff drains through sandy soil with a very high natural iron content before entering Mill Creek, which causes high iron concentrations in the creek. The high iron content and the fine-grained sediment make Mill Creek a less desirable place for anadromous fish to spawn than Little Elk Creek (Schaefer 2005).