Herbert Run is the watershed that runs through the campus of UMBC. The stream originates just north of the campus, bisects the campus in several places before converging at the base of the Athletic Field before it continues to the Patapsco River, and ultimately into the Chesapeake Bay. It is this section of the stream at the base of the Athletics field that is the primary source of our investigation.
The stream is clear has an unblocked water flow, but this does not mean that the water is unspoiled. The abiotic material looks clean and undisturbed. The biotic surroundings look healthy and flourishing. The stream area is manicured slightly, letting the underbrush of poison ivy and evasive honeysuckles to grow wild. Along the sides of the bank of the stream we found tracks of an unidentified animal in the sandy rocky soil, so we know the area supports more than the vegetation.