Forked Creek is officially back in bounds. Anne Arundel health officials lifted a no-contact order Wednesday after repairs and water testing showed the creek had recovered from a large sewage spill in late February. The emergency closure had shut down swimming, waterskiing, and other direct-contact recreation, and residents were urged to wash up thoroughly if they had come into contact with the water.
According to the Anne Arundel County Department of Health, the emergency closing was issued on Feb. 27 after a major spill from a privately maintained sewage system. The creek was posted with warnings, and the order was set to stay in place “until repairs are made and water conditions are acceptable.” Health officials also told anyone who got into the affected water to wash with soap and warm water and launder any contaminated clothing, and directed neighbors with questions to the department’s Recreational Water Quality program and phone line.
Why Forked Creek Is Sensitive To Spills
Forked Creek feeds into the Magothy River and has a reputation as a problem spot for bacteria. The Maryland Department of the Environment’s Magothy River TMDL report flags Forked Creek as one of several restricted areas where fecal coliform levels have exceeded state standards. With that history, even a single sewage overflow is enough to trigger swift public-health closures while officials sample the water and let tides and natural dilution bring bacteria down to safer levels before reopening.
County Crews, Reporting And Repairs
Anne Arundel County’s Department of Public Works runs 24/7 response crews for sanitary sewer overflows, maintains a public SSO map, and fields a 24-hour emergency line at (410) 222-8400 for residents to report spills, according to the Anne Arundel County Department of Public Works. The county’s Watershed Protection & Restoration Bureau has taken on projects such as the Forked Creek Outfall Retrofit to stabilize channels and protect sewer mains, and DPW says it classifies and shares spill data so residents can track incidents over time.
Regional Infrastructure Troubles Put Spills In Context
The Forked Creek closure landed in the middle of a rough winter for wastewater systems across Maryland and the D.C. region, including a major January rupture of the Potomac Interceptor that sent raw sewage into the Potomac River, highlighting the strain on aging pipes and the need for repairs, according to AP. State regulators also stress that sewage overflows must be reported and can lead to enforcement actions and penalties, per the Maryland Department of the Environment.
What Residents Should Do Now
Health officials say anyone who thinks they were exposed to Forked Creek water during the spill should wash with soap and warm water, toss contaminated clothes into the laundry, and call the Department of Health’s Recreational Water Quality program at 410-222-7999 for guidance. For ongoing updates on waterway closings and advisories, the county’s Recreational Water Quality page and email alerts are the official channels, according to the Anne Arundel County Department of Health.
