with the creek waters. Both sides lost about a fourth of their number but, despite General McClellan's refusal to press on his attacks, it served as a tactical Union victory, as Lee was forced to withdraw from Maryland. Development and water quality issues Most of the watershed area is relatively rural in nature, but the area surrounding Hagerstown is threatened by urban sprawl. The area is also heavily cultivated, and waste runoff from farms is a growing water quality concern. The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) has identified farm runoff as the largest source of sediment (loose soil) in Antietam Creek and its tributaries. The second largest source is urban runoff. MDE recommends that farmers implement best management practices on their lands to control runoff, such as installing riparian buffers. See also List of Maryland rivers List of Pennsylvania rivers References Bibliography External links Antietam Creek Watershed Alliance (Hagerstown area) Antietam Watershed Association (Waynesboro area) Battle of Antietam Rivers of Maryland Rivers of Pennsylvania Hagerstown, Maryland Rivers of Washington County, Maryland Rivers of Franklin County, Pennsylvania Tributaries of the Potomac River