Stream Wildlife in the County

Montgomery County’s streams are home to a diverse community of plants and animals including hundreds of species of stream bugs, over 60 species of fish, almost 60 species of reptiles and amphibians, nine species of crayfish, and more than ten species of freshwater mussels. All of these unique animals live together forming the stream ecosystems throughout Montgomery County.

Biological Monitoring - Streams are often at the receiving end of rainfall (stormwater) runoff from land surfaces and local stormwater drain-pipe systems. Stormwater pollution, as well as sewage from leaky sewer lines and contamination from landfills, can shock a stream system for a brief period. But if these influences are persistent and repeated, they can degrade streams and the aquatic habitat for insects, fish, stream salamanders, and other biological communities. Our biological monitoring team studies these affects and collects data both long and short term to analyze and better understand the health of our streams.