On March 7, 2009, MDTU volunteers walked over ten miles of the upper Jones Falls and its tributaries. While enjoying the early pre-spring day along this stream, the volunteers collected observations as tong the overall health of the stream. This stream is of particular interest to MDTU because while being only minutes from downtown Baltimore, it is the home to one of the best wild brown trout populations in Maryland.

The Jones Falls is a wild trout stream just north of Baltimore City. The stream flows through Green Spring Valley before entering Lake Roland. Upon leaving Lake Roland it then flows south into Baltimore City to the Inner Harbor. The area above Lake Roland in the Green Spring Valley contains a healthy population of wild brown trout. The cold fertile springs of the Green Spring Valley provide enough cold water to keep the conditions ideal for trout for miles above Lake Roland. The Jones Falls is a productive but challenging fishery. There is good fishing even where it flows under the Baltimore Beltway. However its brown trout are wary and at times reclusive.

In an on-going effort to monitor and protect the Jones Falls, MDTU maintains a focus on the watershed. In cooperation with local landowners, MDTU conducts an annual watershed walk. This year on the first Saturday in March, an enthusiastic group of MDTU volunteers gathered at a pavilion in Baltimore County’s Meadowwood Park. The group, consisting of over twenty volunteers, was organized in teams of two. Each group was assigned a section of the Jones Falls watershed or one of its tributaries. Each team was instructed to walk and collect observations relating to the stream’s condition, appearance, and overall health. Upon returning the group enjoyed a cookout and a few did get to do some fishing.

While the Jones Falls is in good health, the evidence being its thriving wild brown trout population, its location causes it to be subject to ongoing threats inherent to a stream so close to a large metropolitan area. The Jones Falls being only minutes from over a million residents in the Baltimore area is continually threatened by pollution, development, poor farming practices, invasive species and list of other potential problems. This year’s stream walk yielded evidence of a healthy stream, however a few areas particular concern were identified.

1. On Deep Run (a tributary to Jones Falls), an area upstream of Seminary Avenue: A stretch for about 250 yards contained an excessive amount of trash and debris. The trash was ending up in the stream.
2. On the mainstem of Jones Falls below Interstate 83 adjacent to an area where there is a trail: This is a section that sees a lot of foot traffic. This is also a popular area for people to walk their dogs. This area exhibited a lot of bank erosion off the trail. A presence of a foul odor was noted likely from dog waste. Several drainpipes leading to the stream were identified. A lot of red/orange algae was noticed along with litter in a large logjam.
3. On the mainstem of Jones Falls upstream of Park Heights Avenue: This area has an irrigation pump station slowing the flow and a pipe draining from the field into the stream. This stretch contained an excessive amount of sediment, stream bank erosion, and algae. In addition, the farmer has built a stone tractor crossing through the stream.

MDTU’s efforts to monitor and protect the Jones Falls will continue. A wild trout resource so close to a major east coast city is certainly unique and worth preserving. To ensure this stream and its wild trout are around for future generations will be a challenge. Unless an awareness and appreciation of the Jones Falls continues, the stream and its trout will be neglected. The factors that threaten its health will go unchecked. The stream’s fragile ecosystem will rapidly degrade and the trout will eventually perish. Without a persistent and focused effort such as MDTU’s, this sober truth could be realized in just a few years.