1. Score Four: Exploring with Maps
This presentation can be used to lead students through the use of interactive maps that are available on two Maryland State agency websites – the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Planning. This presentation just touches the tip of what can be explored with these maps.
Another excellent map resource is the MERLIN Interactive Mapper ( It provides easily understood directions.
Rebecca Wolf and Nguyen Le
Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin

2. Goal: Explore Links Between Land Uses & Water Quality in the Local Watershed
Maps Help Students:
Find local waterways
Formulate questions and answers about the relationships of land uses and water health.
Sources:
Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
Maryland Department of Planning

3. Maryland DNR Stream Health Map
Google MDNR Stream Health Map to find this Interactive StreamHealth Map.
Google:
MDNR Stream Health Map

4. Starts with a Base Map See side tabs for directions.
Click on Contents to see options.

5. Click on Stream Health

6. What Are Your First Impressions?
Zoom into your county with the + button.

7. Easy to Switch to A Land-Cover Base Map
Hover over green buttons to learn their uses.
Choose from various maps for the underlying map layer.

8. Search for Your Local School
Put in school address to search for it.

9. Zoom In To See Survey Results
Symbols represent stream surveys done by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
Click on them to learn the who, what, where’s, etc.

10. Details…
Biological surveys of fish and benthic macroinvertebrates rate streams from
1-5 (poor to good).

11. And More Details

12. Extending Results to Watersheds
You can find what watershed the school is in. The visibility of the map layers can be adjusted by using the slide bar under contents. This is 100% visibility.

13. For State Overview & Other Info

14. Maryland Department of Planning
Land Use and Land Cover Maps and data enable students to search for connections between watershed health and landuse.
Historical maps provide insights into land-use changes from 1970s.
Or google Maryland landuse maps

15. Maryland Department of Planning
Focus: Land Use and Land Cover
Scroll to bottom of the page.

16. Students Explore Land Use/Land Cover Changes
Ancient history to some of our students.
Click to access the map.

17. Look At Maryland or Look Locally
Use About to learn more about using this resources.
Click on Legend to see what understand map.

18. Prince George’s County 1973
What do you notice about the land use?

19. Prince George’s County 2010
What changes do you notice?
What questions does this map raise?

20. Prince George’s County Changes
What patterns do you notice?
How could these changes affect waterways?

21. Close-up Inspection: Gwynn Park HS

22. Bringing in Math & Science …

23. One last thing: Graphs and Charts