Seneca Creek (Potomac River)

Seneca Creek is located in Montgomery County, Maryland roughly sixteen miles to the northwest of Washington, D.C. The creek begins in multiple areas of Gaithersburg, Germantown, and Boyds, the two main tributaries converging roughly at Darnestown. From there Seneca Creek travels south and passes under an aqueduct of the Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) Canal before it flows into the Potomac River at Riley’s Lock (Lock 24 on the Canal). There is about a six hundred foot change in elevation from the stream's upper sources to where it enters the Potomac River. Seneca Creek where it enters the Potomac River has a watershed area of 121 square miles.

Depending on conditions, parts of the creek are navigable by light watercraft, such as kayaks or canoes. At Riley’s Lock there is a boat ramp into the creek which provides access to the Potomac River.

An area of about 6,300 acres along 14.75 miles of the creek has been set aside as Seneca Creek State Park. It has trails including the 16.5 mile Seneca Creek Greenway Trail, the 10 mile Schaeffer Farm Trail, and many shorter and easier trails. Parking and picnic areas are provided at various locations in the park. Long Draught Creek, a small tributary north of Gaithersburg has been dammed to form the 90 acre Clopper Lake which is the centerpiece of the park's day use area. This area includes multiple picnic areas, a disc golf course, boat rentals for the lake, and restroom facilities.

During the 1920's and 1930's Seneca was a popular vacation spot for people from lower Montgomery County and Washington, DC who came to Seneca for the cooler temperatures, boating, swimming, and fishing. There was a hotel near the canal and cottages lined the creek until they were washed away or destroyed by the several floods that have affected this area. Unfortunately Seneca has been the site of many drownings and boating accidents over the years. Today jet skis have taken over the creek and river at this once quiet location.

ee also

*Seneca Creek State Park
*List of Maryland rivers
*Locks on the C&O Canal

External links

* [http://waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/uv?site_no=01645000 USGS Water Data]
* [http://www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/central/seneca.html Seneca Creek State Park]
* [http://www.senecatrails.org Seneca Creek State Park Trails]
* [http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/deptmpl.asp?url=/content/dep/csps/watersheds/csps/html/gsc.asp Countywide Stream Protection Strategy: Great Seneca Creek Watershed.] Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection.