Thanks to funding from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund, ShoreRivers will be able to add a stream restoration downstream from the pictured treatment wetlands to a Cecil County farm bordering Black Duck Creek on the headwaters of the Little Bohemia.
ShoreRivers is proud to announce that it has been awarded over $3 million in funding from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund (Trust Fund) to continue its work of bringing vital restoration practices, wetlands and trees, and nutrient reductions to achieve real, significant impacts to the local water quality in our communities.
Located in southern Cecil County on a farm bordering Black Duck Creek on the headwaters of the Little Bohemia, the ShoreRivers’ project awarded was one of only three selected for funding on Maryland’s Eastern Shore in this grant cycle. It will include the restoration of three entrenched stream reaches (totaling 3,770 feet), downstream from existing in-field treatment wetlands, a 2018 ShoreRivers project also funded by the Trust Fund. Placing projects within the landscape that are able to store, treat, and then discharge water safely while providing ecological uplift is a win-win.
Thanks to funding from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund, ShoreRivers will be able to add a stream restoration downstream from the pictured treatment wetlands to a Cecil County farm bordering Black Duck Creek on the headwaters of the Little Bohemia.
Expected outcomes include increased biodiversity, improved connectivity to allow fish passage and create spawning habitat, and a transition to wetland plant community within the floodplain. Annually, it is expected to reduce 4,138 lbs. of nitrogen, 2,357 lbs. of phosphorus, and 798 tons of sediment from reaching the surrounding waterways.
“Science has shown us that what we do on land has a huge impact on the quality of our rivers, creeks, and the communities that enjoy and depend on them,” said Tim Rosen, ShoreRivers’ Director of Agriculture & Restoration. “That’s why we work hand-in-hand with local farmers and landowners to find solutions and implement best practices that both help them achieve their goals and provide a benefit to our Eastern Shore waterways.”
The Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund is dedicated to creating “cleaner, safer water in the Bay watershed through restored streams and floodplains, enhanced riparian buffers and forests, improved wetland ecosystems, and comprehensive stormwater management.” ShoreRivers is grateful for the ongoing support of the Department of Natural Resources and State of Maryland as it works to realize its vision of thriving rivers cherished by all Eastern Shore communities. To learn more, visit shorerivers.org.