More SAV is Key to River Health

The recently released report on submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) from the Virginia Institute for Marine Science shows a 37% decline in Chesapeake Bay grasses from 2018-2019. However, ShoreRivers has measured a dramatic increase in grasses in our rivers over the past few years and has heard from many volunteers and members of significant growth so far in 2020. So what’s going on?

First, it is important to note the report reflects results from the entire Chesapeake Bay in 2019 and the decline is primarily attributable to a significant loss of widgeon grass in the mainstem of the Bay. Scientists theorize this could have been caused by higher rainfall that negatively affected overall water quality and clarity.

Additionally, the report acknowledges that many individual tributaries actually experienced an expansion of grass beds from 2018 to 2019. In particular, the Sassafras River experienced an increase of 243 acres of grasses, the Chester an increase of 535 acres, and Eastern Bay and the Miles and Wye Rivers saw an increase of 172 acres. Although the Choptank River saw a decrease of 28 acres, we have received reports of new thriving beds in this region in 2020.

This is good news because SAV is vital to the health of the Chesapeake. Not only does it provide ecosystem essentials such as oxygen, habitat, and food, it also improves water quality and clarity by absorbing excess nutrients, sequestering carbon, and trapping sediment.

According to the 2019 VIMS report, the Bay has reached just 36% of the Chesapeake Bay Program’s ultimate restoration goal of 185,000 restored acres. We as a community need to work together to increase SAV acreage and meet this goal. ShoreRivers works closely with partners in the agriculture sector to install large-scale projects, but everyone can do their part with the simple strategies outlined below.

Protect Grass Beds: This year the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) added 14,085 acres of underwater grasses to SAV Protection Zones, ensuring these new and established beds are protected from the devastating impacts of the hydraulic escalator dredge. Additionally, recreational boaters should always trim their motors if they must navigate through a grass bed. Remember: “For a Healthy Bay, Let Grasses Stay.”

Create a River-Friendly Yard: Cultivating a yard that mimics the natural landscape is the best way to protect underwater grasses and the long-term health of our rivers. SAV needs clear water for sunlight to reach grasses, which means that every homeowner should strive to reduce the amount of sediment and nutrients leaving their property. Buffers, rain gardens, and native plantings can reduce runoff into nearby waterways and result in clearer water.

Monitor Grass Beds: Join ShoreRivers’ SAV Watchers program to help record and maintain accurate data on the extent and diversity of grass beds in our rivers. The information collected informs harvesting and planting efforts with DNR, ground truths information gathered from aerial surveys, and helps us understand our progress toward meeting Chesapeake Bay Program goals for acres restored. This is a socially-distant volunteer opportunity that will enable you to directly provide scientists with vital information!

Harvest and Plant Seeds: ShoreRivers partners with DNR to sustainably harvest seeds from thriving grass beds in our rivers and replant them in areas that lack SAV. Data collected from SAV Watchers helps determine if these efforts are working and where we should concentrate next. Restoration plantings like these are an effective strategy to increase total SAV acreage.

While the latest report showing a 37% decline in Bay grasses from 2018-2019 is disappointing, the good news is that we know that with the help of our community, we can make a difference in our local water quality because we are already seeing positive results. Every citizen can help keep the momentum. Visit shorerivers.org to learn more about SAV and other ways to restore our rivers.

Elle Bassett
ShoreRivers
Miles-Wye Riverkeeper
ebassett@shorerivers.org

ShoreRivers Monitors Toxic Algae Bloom in the Sassafras River

For the past two weeks, ShoreRivers Sassafras Riverkeeper Zack Kelleher has been closely monitoring a widespread, toxic algae bloom on the Sassafras River with help from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Kent County Health Department.

The bloom is caused by Microsystis algae. Exposure to microcystin and other algal toxins can cause rashes, gastrointestinal illness, neurological damage, liver damage, and can be deadly to pets, children, and other at-risk individuals. Due to the abnormally high concentrations, a cautionary advisory has been issued for the entire river.

“And it’s not just on the main stem. It’s also coming up into the creeks off of the main stem of the river,” Kelleher said. “People should be avoiding or limiting water contact, especially young kids and pets.”

ShoreRivers' Pumpout Boat Season Begins

The ShoreRivers pumpout boat is up and running for the 2020 season. ShoreRivers looks forward to another record-breaking year and hopes to break last year’s record of keeping 17,800 gallons of waste out of our rivers.

Boaters on the Miles and Wye Rivers are encouraged to take advantage of this free service (donations accepted) and do their part to keep our waterways clean and healthy. This program, funded by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and in partnership with the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, began in 2016 as a convenient way for boaters to properly dispose of waste. Since it began operations, the pumpout boat has prevented 53,300 gallons of waste from entering the Miles and Wye Rivers.

Pumpout boat Captain Jim Freeman states, “Both transient and local boaters rave about the convenience of using the pump out boat because they don’t have to deal with the hassle of a crowded marina in order to pump out their tanks. We can serve any boater on the Miles and Wye Rivers, and can carry up to 300 gallons of waste.”

This service is available Friday evenings and weekends during the summer. To arrange service, boaters can contact the pumpout boat by calling 410-829-4352 or on VHF channel 9. To contact Captain Jim with specific questions or to schedule a regular pump out, please email pobcaptjim@gmail.com. Please adhere to social distancing guidelines when interacting with the pumpout boat.

Stewards for Streams Seeks to Engage Queen Anne’s County Faith Community

ShoreRivers has received funding from the Chesapeake Bay Trust to expand the faith-based conservation program, Stewards for Streams, to Queen Anne’s County congregations. Stewards for Streams is a partnership between two nonprofit organizations: ShoreRivers, which protects and restores Eastern Shore waterways; and Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake, which has engaged over 300 congregations across Maryland in caring for local watersheds.

The Stewards for Streams program offers congregations of any denomination a variety of cost-free opportunities, including faith-based outdoor excursions on local rivers and natural lands, customizable environmental action plans, and up to $9,000 for stormwater restoration and conservation landscaping at eligible places of worship. Past participating congregations in Talbot and Dorchester Counties collectively planted 6 rain gardens, 50 trees, and installed 30 rain barrels.

Stewards for Streams is offering public events to Queen Anne’s County congregations in summer 2020. Plan ahead now to learn more by attending an Interfaith Nature Walk on Tuesday, July 14 or Tuesday, August 4 from 5-7 pm at Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center, 600 Discovery Lane, Grasonville, MD.

For congregations ready to respond to the call to action, an Action Planning Workshop will be held on Tuesday, August 25 from 5:30-8:30 pm at Old Wye Church, 14114 Old Wye Mills Road, Wye Mills, MD. During this workshop, participants will receive guidance on selecting environmental actions for their congregation, including film nights and book readings, community cleanups, and installing river-friendly landscaping. Events are facilitated by Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake, and ShoreRivers is offering free project planning support and technical assistance for congregations committed to installing best management practices on their grounds.

To learn more about Stewards for Streams, or to RSVP to an Interfaith Nature Walk or the Action Planning Workshop, contact Suzanne Sullivan at ssullivan@shorerivers.org or call 443-385-0511 ext. 214.  Visit ShoreRivers.org and InterfaithChesapeake.org to see more examples of faith-based collaborations to improve our local watersheds.

VIRTUAL STATE OF THE RIVERS

With data collected by four professional Riverkeepers and nearly 100 citizen scientist volunteers, ShoreRivers proudly presents its annual State of the Rivers presentation and Report Card.

Please take this survey after viewing the presentation. We are required to conduct this as part of our grant funding; your responses help us develop stronger grant applications to fund our programs.

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Maryland’s Eastern Shore waterways are impacted by nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment runoff from residential, commercial, and agricultural properties. Seasonal flares of bacterial contamination pose risks to human health. Water quality monitoring for these and other pollutants informs ShoreRivers’ restoration strategies and is the only comprehensive testing of our local rivers currently being conducted. The 2019 Report Card encompasses four watersheds that span more than 1,650 square miles of the middle and upper Eastern Shore.

 “Our goal for this presentation is to update you on your river’s water quality conditions,” says Executive Director Jeff Horstman. “The good news is that most of our rivers experienced a slight improvement from the heavy rain year of 2018. And for the first time, we will discuss another serious issue: climate resiliency. The climate crisis is real, it’s happening now, and it’s going to impact our rivers.”

State of the River community meetings are traditionally held throughout the region, but offering a virtual presentation allows everyone to stay safe at home.

ShoreRivers gratefully acknowledges its State of the Rivers and Report Card sponsors, The Easton Group at Morgan Stanley, LaMotte Company, and Chesapeake Bay Trust.

Pumpout Boat Has Best Season Yet

ShoreRivers’ pumpout boat works on the Miles and Wye rivers to reduce nutrient pollution and harmful bacteria that can be introduced from recreational boaters’ waste. In an effort to assist local boaters committed to more river-friendly boating practices, the pumpout boat is a convenient way to properly dispose of waste rather than discharging it into our waterways. The 2019 season saw a record amount of waste pumped – 17,800 gallons. Since its first year of operation in 2016, the boat has pumped 53,300 gallons total, preventing that pollution from entering our rivers.

“Our rivers are impaired from excess nutrients,” said ShoreRivers’ Miles-Wye Riverkeeper Elle Bassett. “We all want swimmable and fishable rivers. This pumpout boat offers a simple and easy way for recreational boaters to join in the effort to improve local water quality.”

The boat pumped over 8,500 gallons in 2016, over 12,000 gallons in 2017, and over 15,000 gallons in 2018. It operates in partnership with Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum (CBMM) in St. Michaels. CBMM donates free dockage, storage, and use of their land-based pump-out station to offload the waste from the boat. The sewage then goes directly to the St. Michael’s wastewater treatment plant.

“We're thrilled that the amount of waste kept out of the Bay by this vessel continues to grow each year," said CBMM President Kristen Greenaway. "The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum is fully invested in environmental stewardship, and this partnership with ShoreRivers is a wonderful extension of those efforts. We can't wait to see how much of an impact we can make together next season."

The pumpout boat operates from May through October on the Miles and Wye rivers, offering free service to boaters. The vessel was acquired in 2016 and continues to operate with funding from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in conjunction with the Clean Vessel Act administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service.

ShoreRivers Begins Pumpout Boat Season and Bacteria Sampling

ShoreRivers is pleased to announce an expanded bacteria testing program for the 2019 swimming season. The strain of bacteria sampled, Enterococci, indicates pathogens that may cause human illness. This bacteria can originate from a variety of sources, including failing septic systems, sewer overflows or leaks, poultry and livestock operations, improper disposal from marine tanks, and pet waste. During significant rainfalls, the possibility always exists for elevated and unsafe bacteria levels. As a general precaution, it is recommended to avoid water contact for 48 hours after profuse rain events or any time if you have an open cut or wound. Always shower after swimming.

ShoreRivers will test popular swim sites weekly or bi-weekly until Labor Day: five sites on the Choptank River, two sites in Eastern Bay, one site on the Wye River, two sites on the Miles River, twelve sites on the Chester River, and three sites on the Sassafras River. Sites include: Bill Burton Fishing Pier State Park Beach, Oxford Strand, Bellevue Beach, Sailwinds Park Beach, Great Marsh Park, Claiborne Beach, Broad Cove, Drum Point Beach on Wye Island, Miles River Yacht Club, Tunis Mills Landing, Duck Neck, Morgan Creek, Rosin Creek, Chestertown Marina, Chester River Yacht and Country Club, Rolphs Wharf , Camp Pecometh, Langford Bay, Grays Inn Creek, Conquest Beach, Corsica River Yacht Club, Centreville Wharf, Georgetown Bridge, Dyer Creek, and Indian Acres.

Results will be posted on SwimGuide, a website and smart phone app that allows users across the Chesapeake Bay region to check the health of local swimming beaches. Additionally, ShoreRivers’ Riverkeepers will post bacteria results on their social media pages. Follow the Chester Riverkeeper, Choptank Riverkeeper, Miles-Wye Riverkeeper, and Sassafras Riverkeeper on Facebook and Instagram for updates, or follow #SwimmableShoreRivers. Thank you to the following funders for supporting the continuation and expansion of this program: Royal Bank of Canada, Dorchester Citizens for Planned Growth, TriCycle and Run, Dorchester County, Washington College, and community donations.

The ShoreRivers Pumpout Boat is a free service to the boating community that helps combat this harmful pollution. Local and visiting boaters are encouraged to take advantage of this service and do their part to keep our waterways clean. The boat services the busy St. Michaels Harbor and marinas and private docks on the Miles and Wye Rivers.

ShoreRivers launched this program in 2016 as a convenient way for boaters to properly dispose of concentrated marine waste without polluting our rivers. The Pumpout Boat is funded by the Department of Natural Resources, and operates in partnership with the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, which provides dockage for the vessel free dockage, storage, and use of their land-based pumpout station to off-load waste that is transferred to the updated St. Michaels Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Pumpout Boat Captain Jim Freeman states, “Both transients and locals rave about the convenience of using the pumpout boat because they don’t have to deal with the hassle of a crowded marina in order to pump-out their tanks. We can serve any boater on the Miles and Wye Rivers and can remove up to 300 gallons of waste from their vessel.”

More than 1,000 boats have receive pump-outs since the vessel began operating. This service is available Friday evenings and weekends (including holiday Mondays) through October. Boaters can contact the Pumpout Boat at 410.829.4352 or VHF channel 9 to arrange service. Captain Jim is also available at pobcaptjim@gmail.com to answer questions or setup a regular schedule. ShoreRivers is looking forward to another productive year and hopes to break last year’s record of keeping 15,000 gallons of waste out of our rivers.

ShoreRivers Presents State of the Rivers Benchmark

With data collected by four professional Riverkeepers and nearly 100 citizen scientist volunteers, ShoreRivers is proud to present its annual State of Rivers Series and Report Card Release. A series of five presentations will feature water quality grades, regional trends and data points, and strategies and solutions to clean our rivers. Maryland’s Eastern Shore waterways are being choked with nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment runoff from both residential and commercial properties. Seasonal flares of bacterial contamination pose risks to human health. Water quality monitoring for these and other pollutants is a signature component of ShoreRivers’ operations and the only comprehensive testing of our local rivers currently being conducted. Learn about your river at the event near you in Cambridge, Chestertown, St. Michaels, Grasonville, or Betterton; details at ShoreRivers.org/events. 

ShoreRivers Director of Riverkeeper Programs and Choptank Riverkeeper Matt Pluta remarks, “Water quality monitoring programs are the foundation on which ShoreRivers bases our advocacy, restoration, and education work. These programs allow us to keep a vigilant pulse on our local waterways. We invite all of our volunteers, landowners, elected officials, and everyone who cares about our rivers to join us as we discuss the ways we can work together to achieve clean and healthy waterways in our region.” The 2018 Report Card encompasses four watersheds that span more than 1,650 square miles of the middle and upper Eastern Shore.

All events are free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be provided. ShoreRivers appreciates its 2019 Marquee Sponsor, Dock Street Foundation, and 2019 State of the Rivers Sponsor, The Easton Group and the Easton Branch at Morgan Stanley. Thanks also to the individual event sponsors: Dukes-Moore Insurance Agency, Tow Jamm Marine Towing & Salvage, and Bayheads Brewing Company.

State of the Rivers presentations will be as follows: 

Thursday, April 25, 5:30pm – State of the Choptank
Robbins Heritage Center, Cambridge

Thursday, May 2, 5:30pm – State of the Chester
Washington College Hynson Lounge

Friday, May 3, 5:30pm – State of the Miles and Choptank Rivers
Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, St. Michaels

Thursday, May 16, 5:30pm – State of the Chester and Wye Rivers, and Eastern Bay
Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center, Grasonville

Friday, May 17, 5:30pm – State of the Sassafras
Betterton Volunteer Fire Hall 

For more information, contact Julia Erbe at jerbe@shorerivers.org or 443.385.0511 ext. 210.

Boy Scout Takes on Oyster Restoration for Cleaner Choptank River

ShoreRivers is pleased to announce another successful community outreach partnership. ShoreRivers teamed up with Josh Newmier, a high school student and member of Boy Scout Troop 190, to recruit oyster gardeners on the Choptank River and encourage more restaurants to recycle oyster shells. In the fall, Newmier approached ShoreRivers about an Eagle Scout project that would be meaningful and improve our local environment. After discussing the important role that oysters play by filtering water in rivers, and learning about the major challenges that the current oyster population faces, Josh decided to be a part of restoring the Choptank’s oyster population.

“Growing up on the Eastern Shore and hearing about the abundance of oysters 50 to 100 years ago as compared to now, motivated me to choose a project related to oyster restoration,” Newmier recounts.

Wasting no time, he began identifying and educating property owners and boat slip renters about the benefits of oyster gardening. As a result, 23 new oyster gardeners, including the J.M. Clayton Company, joined the Marylanders Grow Oysters (MGO) program. These new growers are currently growing over 12,000 baby oysters (spat) that will be transplanted to sanctuaries in spring 2019.

But the Boy Scout didn’t stop there! Knowing how important oyster shells are to restoration, while so many of them are discarded, Newmier recruited local restaurants to recycle their oyster shells. Every week, Newmier and his fellow scouts collect residual shells from participating restaurants—including Talbot Country Club, Snappers, Portside, Canvasback, and Jimmy & Sooks—and take them to shell recycling stations at Easton Point and Horn Point in Cambridge. From there, the shells go to the hatchery where they become substrate for spat used by the next season’s oyster gardeners. In a win-win scenario, Newmier has received a State of Maryland DNR Shell Recycling Collector certificate, which allows him to submit reports that qualify businesses to claim tax credits for recycling oyster shell.

“I think the first step in the oyster restoration process is awareness,” Newmier says. “Hopefully by engaging the community, we will help advance the process to recovery.”

Choptank Riverkeeper Matt Pluta oversaw the project. “It’s great to see young people taking initiative like this. According to a recently released oyster stock assessment, there has been a 50% reduction in the Chesapeake oyster population since 1999. If we’re serious about cleaning up the Choptank, it’s going to take concerted efforts from every level.”

For more information about ShoreRivers’ Marylander’s Grow Oysters program, contact Rebecca Murphy at rmurphy@shorerivers.org or 443.385.0511. 

Summer is here, are our waters safe for swimming?

After regretfully canceling the inaugural Maryland Freedom Swim on the Choptank River in May, ShoreRivers is continuing to work toward swimmable rivers that are regularly monitored for harmful bacteria. In addition to the 15 existing sites being monitored on the Chester and Sassafras Rivers, ShoreRivers has added four new monitoring sites on the Choptank, Miles, and Wye Rivers.

The strain of bacteria sampled, Enterococci, indicates pathogens that may cause human illness. This bacteria can originate from a variety of sources, including failing septic systems, sewer overflows or leaks, poultry, livestock, and pet waste. During significant rainfalls, the possibility always exists for elevated and unsafe bacteria levels. As a general precaution, be sure to avoid water contact for 48 hours after profuse rain events or any time if you have an open cut or wound. Always shower after swimming.

ShoreRivers monitored sites include:

Choptank River

         Bill Burton Fishing Pier

·         Oxford Strand on the Tred Avon River

Wye River

·         Drum Point Beach on Wye Island

Miles River

·         Miles River Yacht Club

Chester River

·         Duck Neck

·         Morgan Creek

·         Rosin Creek

·         Chestertown at High Street

·         Chester River Yacht and Country Club

·         Rolphs Wharf

·         Camp Pecometh

·         Langford Bay

·         Grays Inn Creek

·         Conquest Beach

·         Corsica River Yacht Club

·         Centreville Wharf

Sassafras River

·         Georgetown Bridge

·         Dyer Creek

·         Indian Acres

ShoreRivers will test these sites weekly throughout the swimming season until Labor Day. Results will be posted on SwimGuide, a website (theswimguide.org) and smart phone app that allows users across the Chesapeake Bay region to check the health of local swimming beaches. Additionally, Shorerivers’ Riverkeepers will post the bacteria results on their social media pages for local beaches. Follow the Chester Riverkeeper, Choptank Riverkeeper, Miles-Wye Riverkeeper, and Sassafras Riverkeeper on Facebook for updates. You can also follow the hashtag SwimmableShoreRivers.

For more information, please visit shorerivers.org or call 443-385-0511. Here’s to a great, safe summer enjoying our rivers!

ShoreRivers works toward swimmable rivers by regularly monitoring for harmful bacteria.

Photo credit: Sam Morse