Satellite Map of the Area Threatened by the CCC-Ex
The Cross-County Connector Extension (CCC-Ex), a proposed four-lane highway, would cut through forest & over wetlands in a sparsely populated area. The induced growth would urbanize Bryans Road to Waldorf, just as grey urbanization is sprawling from recently expanded Rt. 228. A result would be extensive sacrifice of forest to hard (impervious) surfaces represented by roofs, roads, sidewalks, and parking lots. In addition to loss of terrestrial wildlife habitat, this replacement of forest strikes a double-edged sword against aquatic quality. The first edge increases runoff during rainstorms, leading to erosion and siltation. The second edge causes our streams to go dry between storms, because impervious surface prevents rainfall from soaking into soils to replenish surface groundwater. It is this surficial groundwater that supplies our streams with flow between storms. In addition, the runoff from sprawl development applies excessive nutrients to our waterways, which fertilizes algae. A result is cloudy water with depleted oxygen as the algae die and decompose. Irreparable harm would ensue for Mattawoman Creek’s living resources. Mattawoman is the Chesapeake Bay’s most productive nursery for migratory fish and a key to the Potomac’s largemouth bass fishery.