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.

SHORERIVERS AND CBF SUE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION

(WASHINGTON, D.C.)—The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) and ShoreRivers plan to sue the Trump administration for repealing the Obama-era Clean Water Rule, which provided robust protections for wetlands and seasonal streams under the Clean Water Act, and replacing it with the dangerously weaker version published in the Federal Register today.   

The new definition of Waters of the United States (WOTUS) ignores the scientific underpinnings of the 2015 Clean Water Rule and jettisons vital protections for wetlands and streams across the Bay’s 64,000 square-mile watershed. It will do the most damage in Delaware, the District of Columbia, and West Virginia, which rely entirely on federal law to protect their local waters. In Delaware alone, it would allow the destruction of nearly 200,000 acres of wetlands.  

The new WOTUS rule will also be harmful in Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, and Virginia, despite those states’ additional state water protection programs, because their programs all have gaps the new rule will exacerbate. In Maryland, nontidal wetlands could lose protections, as could Pennsylvania streams that flow only in response to precipitation, known as seasonal streams. Thousands of Delmarva Bays, wetlands unique to the Delmarva Peninsula, are directly at risk as well.

As natural filters, wetlands play a crucial role helping the six watershed states and the District meet their targets for reducing nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment pollution entering the Bay and its tributaries by the 2025 deadline set by the Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint.   

Wetlands soak up excess water from the more frequent and intense storms and floods caused by climate change, which regularly batter the watershed’s farms, low-lying coastal communities, and rapidly disappearing Bay islands. Wetlands also protect and recharge drinking water supplies. By providing irreplaceable habitat for fish, native wildlife, and migratory birds, wetlands support the region’s $65 billion outdoor recreation industry and the more than half a million jobs it provides.  

In response to publication of the new WOTUS rule, Jon Mueller, CBF’s Vice President of Litigation, said:  

 “The Trump administration’s new WOTUS rule is an astounding attack on the Clean Water Act and another egregious example of its destructive disregard for science. By slashing the number of waterways in the watershed protected from pollution under the Clean Water Act, this damaging rule puts the entire cleanup effort in jeopardy.  

“Wetlands are vital to the health and resilience of the Chesapeake Bay and the 111,000 miles of local creeks, streams, and rivers from Cooperstown, NY, to Virginia Beach that feed into it. They are also critical to the region’s $65 billion outdoor recreation industry and the more than half a million jobs it supports.  

 “The stakes are too high to allow this dangerous rule to stand. CBF has worked tirelessly for years to protect the Clean Water Rule and prevent a weaker version from replacing it. We will be just as relentless as we take our fight to protect the Clean Water Act and the watershed’s wetlands to court.”   

  Jeff Horstman, Executive Director of ShoreRivers, said:

 “Vast areas of streams and wetlands on the Delmarva will lose vital protections if this irresponsible regulatory roll back is permitted. By repealing the Clean Water Rule, the current administration is allowing more pollution to enter our iconic rivers and Bay, which are beginning to show signs of improvement after decades of work.  We cannot allow this progress to be reversed, we must stand up for science and challenge this assault on our right to have clean water.

 “It is a fact that polluted rivers will cost us more in the end than any short-term economic gain garnered from allowing industries to pollute. We must stop the cycle of allowing short term economic interests and corporate greed to destroy our natural resources.” 

ShoreRivers Presents Lawn Fertilizer Awareness Campaign

Spring is the time for planting, weeding, and generally sprucing up our yards. Now, during the Governor’s stay-at-home order, is an especially good time to experience fresh air, sunlight, and physical activity to help rejuvenate our yards and ourselves during these strange and difficult times. While enjoying the healing power of the outdoors, ShoreRivers encourages people to consider how their yards can also promote healthy rivers.

Nitrogen and phosphorus, which make grass grow, are two key ingredients in lawn fertilizer. But when these chemicals enter our rivers—through rainwater runoff and soil leaching—they also cause algae to grow. Excess nutrients in our waterways cause harmful algae blooms that block sunlight from reaching underwater grasses, reduce dissolved oxygen levels in the water, and threaten the health of humans and animals.

The Lawn Fertilizer Awareness Campaign is a Chesapeake Bay-wide effort to spread awareness of how lawn fertilizer negatively impacts the health of our rivers and to encourage individuals and lawn care professionals to reduce fertilizer use and turn instead to organic products for a healthier lawn and Bay.

As part of this campaign, ShoreRivers participates with the University of Maryland and several other organizations in promoting river-friendly practices through social media and website resources. In 2019 this campaign engaged over 80,000 people in the Chesapeake Bay region; and, with many of us working from home at this time, aims to engage even more this year. Daily social media posts will identify ways to improve water quality and habitat benefits of properties, such as planting natives, installing rain gardens, and fertilizer alternatives.

Along with awareness, the campaign encourages action through ShoreRivers’ River-Friendly Yards program. With support from several funders, this program connects local partners with residents throughout the Eastern Shore to implement best practices and establish more river-friendly yards. A river-friendly yard mimics the natural environment to benefit water quality and increase habitat. ShoreRivers encourages residents to adopt river-friendly practices on properties of any size to help achieve healthy waterways across Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

To learn more about the River-Friendly Yards program and the Lawn Fertilizer Awareness Campaign, please visit shorerivers.org/river-friendly-yards or contact Ethan LaLumia at elalumia@shorerivers.org.

Dear ShoreRivers Members and Supporters,

In order to promote the health and safety of our staff and supporters, ShoreRivers is following Maryland’s and the CDC’s instructions. We have closed our offices and requested that staff work from home and postpone all meetings or shift to a virtual platform. Staff are available by email, as usual.

To our cherished volunteers: we are endlessly grateful for your time and support. Please look out for emails from our staff regarding volunteer programs in which you are involved.

In accordance with CDC guidelines, please see event schedule below:
Sassafras Sips (March 20 and April 17) CANCELED
Upper Shore Youth Environmental Action Summit (March 26) CANCELED
Project Clean Stream (April 4) POSTPONED
Creekwatchers and SAV trainings POSTPONED
State of the Rivers - moving to a virtual platform

STAY TUNED for updates on these and future events as the situation continues to evolve. We'll post more information on facebook, instagram, and our events page as it becomes available.

ShoreRivers is committed to working for clean water during these trying times. We will continue to plan restoration projects, develop classroom activities for students, and strategize how to advance clean water bills in the next General Assembly. We look forward to continuing our volunteer activities and events once it is safe to do so. When life returns to normal and we are moving freely, we will be thankful for the restorative power of clean rivers.

Stay healthy,

Jeffrey Horstman, Executive Director

Dear ShoreRivers Members and Supporters

This has certainly been a trying few weeks for everyone in our communities. We wish all the best to those affected by COVID-19 and send our heartfelt appreciation to those on the frontlines keeping us all safe. I truly hope that all of you are abiding by the guidelines from our state government and federal health agencies. It would make me feel better to know that all of you are safe and healthy while taking the appropriate precautions.

And yet, our ShoreRivers team perseveres in our mission to protect and restore Eastern Shore waterways through science-based advocacy, restoration, and education. I want to take a moment to let you know how our work is continuing and that your support is still positively impacting our local waterways. Please read about our current initiatives below and know we're taking this opportunity to do some strategic thinking and planning to improve our programs as a whole so we can have a greater impact on the water and in the communities we hold dear.

Due to conservative financial planning and thanks to your past generosity as well as the talents of my management team, ShoreRivers is in good standing. I am 100% committed to keeping together the staff family we have worked so hard to build so I've interspersed some photos of them here. Now more than ever, I know our strength lies in our people and I'm proud to lead this team.

Best wishes of good health to you and yours,

Jeffrey Horstman, Executive Director

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Riverkeeper Team

As you may know, we usually kick off our Water Quality Monitoring season in April. To do our part in helping to flatten the curve of this pandemic, we are postponing these efforts. This time at home allows us to take a broader look at our monitoring program, systematize the effort across watersheds, and assure our intrepid citizen scientists are deployed for their highest, best use. We look forward to rolling out a more standardized, efficient, and effective Water Quality Monitoring program when it is safe to do so.

On Friday, May 1 we will bring our annual State of the Rivers presentation straight from our home offices to yours! The 2019 Report Card is hitting the presses momentarily and we'd like to share the results with you on Friday, May 1 via a Facebook Watch Party. The presentation will then be available on our website.

Despite an unexpectedly curtailed legislative session, ShoreRivers provided written and verbal testimony on a number of environmental bills, including our priority legislation focusing on the protection of submerged aquatic vegetation, pollution from the Conowingo Dam, expired Clean Water Act permits, as well as climate change and sea level rise. Unfortunately, not all of these bills made it out of their committees in the truncated timeframe, so we are looking forward to continuing to work on these issues again next session.

We're very proud of these environmental wins that did pass in time: overriding the Governor’s veto of the Oyster Fishery Management Plan bill; establishing Resilience Authorities within our counties; and removing industrial chemicals (or PFAs) from firefighting foam, which have been linked to serious human illness and proven to severely impact marine life.

And if you didn't get the chance to see our feature film A Voice for the Rivers made by the inimitable Sandy Cannon-Brown and Dave Harp, tune in to MPT on Tuesday, April 21 at 8:00 pm. We're proud to be part of Chesapeake Bay Week 2020.

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Education & Outreach Team

April is Environmental Education Month! Although we're unable to be in the indoor or outdoor classroom with the students, our team is busily creating online resources for meaningful engagement with 3,000 public and private school students, grades 3-12. We have also opened the application process for teachers to apply to our Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience Academy which is scheduled to begin this summer and run through the 2021 school year. Encourage your teacher friends from all disciplines to apply by May 1.

Our quest to support schools to become Green School Certified continues! ShoreRivers and the Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education are your go-to guides to the comprehensive (but oh-so-worth-it!) application process. Visit our resource page for more information.

While you're staying at home, take a look around your outdoor landscape. Whether it's a postage stamp or a sweeping vista, you can have a positive effect on water quality in our area by incorporating river-friendly practices that mimic the natural environment like pollinator habitats and native plantings. There may even be rebates available to support your efforts!

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Agriculture & Restoration Team

The Choptank Riverkeeper and our agricultural team are working to launch an incentive program through the collaborative "Envision the Choptank." Starting this spring, the program will offer agricultural landowners subsidies to install wetlands, grass and forest buffers, and other best management practices on their properties with the goal of installing over 230 acres of new water quality projects in the Choptank River watershed.

Work is underway on a series of stepped treatment wetlands on a farm in Cecilton, Maryland. This project addresses four major drainages totaling 373 acres of irrigated corn, soybean, and small grain production in the headwaters of the impaired Little Bohemia Creek. This project continues following all relevant CDC and State of Maryland safety protocols, and the project is still estimated to be completed in June of this year.

Upon completion, this project will create 5.5 acres of treatment wetlands and 2.87 acres of stormwater pond area, and is estimated to remove about 4,300 lbs of excess nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) and 79 tons of total suspended solids annually.

The team is continuing to map and analyze our watersheds using the latest geospatial datasets. This information will help us identify, subsequently mitigate, and then measure results of our large-scale pollution-reducing projects throughout the Shore.

And on Tuesday, April 21, tune into MPT at 7:00 pm to see ShoreRivers staff discuss our agricultural work on Maryland Farm & Harvest: Water & Agriculture Special. This is also part of Chesapeake Bay Week 2020.

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Development, Communications, & Admin Team

ShoreRivers has officially moved and unofficially rebranded our annual Summer Solstice Celebration to become a Fall Equinox Extravaganza on Saturday, September 26 in Wilmer Park. Sponsorship opportunities and ticket sales are now available on our website. As of today, all events through May are either canceled or postponed, but we'll keep you up to date through email, Facebook, Instagram, and our website. Please stay safe at home and support our mission in other ways, if you are able.

The spring edition of our Advocate Newsletter, focused on climate resiliency in our watersheds, should be in your mailboxes. If you missed it, read it on our website.

And we couldn't be more grateful for the broad spread of grant-funded work we're able to achieve through the generosity of the Chesapeake Bay Trust. Take a look at their Annual Report to see our ten projects across six counties.

Presenting The Plasti-Cast

Our rivers are polluted with too much plastic. It is hazardous to wildlife, chokes plant growth, and just doesn’t look good. ShoreRivers works to reduce plastic waste in the environment through our environmental education programs, advocating for anti-trash laws like the balloon release bill, and committing to being a single-use plastic free organization.

Gifted and Talented middle school students from St. Michael’s Middle School and Easton Middle School have been conducting an in-depth investigation into the human relationship with plastic and its impact on our environment.

The human relationship with plastic is a complicated one. On the one hand, plastic is inexpensive in the short-term and has an incredible amount of utility in our everyday lives. On the other hand, the negative impacts that plastic has on our environment is undeniable. The students have done extensive research, and have created a student-driven outreach and education podcast series as a resource for our community to learn more about this complex topic. Take a listen and share the podcast!

ShoreRivers is so impressed by these young voices making an impact in our local community. It is never to early for people to speak up about issues they are passionate about.

With the recent vilification of plastic in the media, Talbot County Public Schools Gifted & Talented 7th Grade students share their thoughts on the big plastic controversy. PLASTIC: should we love it or hate it? With the help of a local environmental outreach program called ShoreRivers, an exhibit designer by the name of Patrick Rogan, and the book "Plastic: A toxic Love Story” by Susan Freinkel, students look to educate the community, maybe more, with what they have learned about a hydrocarbon based synthetic world.

ShoreRivers Implements Critical Conservation Work

Beginning in January 2020, ShoreRivers will begin implementing a suite of conservation projects on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. These projects will include multiple installations on farmland to improve soil health, stormwater action plans to modernize outdated municipal systems, partnerships with congregations on four faith properties, and pollution reduction from a golf course community. This work is made possible through eight grants from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and Chesapeake Bay Trust. Projects will begin in 2020 and culminate in 2022.

Farmland: Agriculture is the primary land use and a large economic driver of the Eastern Shore. In collaboration with the Maryland Department of Agriculture, ShoreRivers will work with local farmers to improve soil health through cover crops and conservation tillage practices. A series of innovative conservation drainage practices will also be implemented to increase crop productivity while reducing sediment loss and nutrient pollution. Two agricultural projects located in the Chester River watershed will be designed to filter runoff from over 500 acres of cropland and to restore wetland habitat for native species.

Stormwater: Wye Mills, located in a sub-watershed of the Wye River, has poor water quality and experiences frequent flooding. ShoreRivers will complete a thorough assessment to identify pollution sources, flood reduction opportunities, and potential restoration project sites. Similarly, Chestertown has an outdated stormwater system; ShoreRivers will develop a comprehensive stormwater action plan with stakeholder input to improve water quality. The ultimate goal is to create an innovative, modern stormwater system for this historic town.

Community: Environmental conservation efforts thrive thanks to partnerships with strong community organizations such as Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake (IPC). To reduce harmful runoff on church properties, ShoreRivers will host two workshops to engage and inform congregations on restoration strategies and develop a plan to implement at least four restoration projects on faith properties.

Homeowners: To improve the health of the Wye River, ShoreRivers’ River-Friendly Yards program staff will work with homeowners in Queenstown near Greenwood Creek to install rain gardens and plant trees. Additionally, ShoreRivers will partner with Prospect Bay Country Club on multiple efforts to reduce fertilizer and herbicide use on its golf course in order to minimize harmful runoff.

ShoreRivers is thrilled to bring significant state and national resources into the region to support integral work for healthy rivers on behalf of our communities. Follow the progress of these projects: @shorerivers on Facebook; @shoreriversorg on Instagram; or subscribe to the e-newsletter at shorerivers.org/subscribe.

Workshop on Building Resilient Farms, Feb. 5

Construction of new drainage water management system to better manage water levels in-field.

On February 5, ShoreRivers will host a workshop in Princess Anne on building farm resiliency through improved water management and soil health. The workshop is free and open to the public and will focus on innovative practices that benefit both farm productivity and conservation efforts. Farmers, landowners, and agricultural professionals are encouraged to attend.

This workshop is being held in partnership with University of Maryland Extension and will be at their Somerset Office at 30730 Park Drive in Princess Anne, MD. The workshop will run from 9 am - 2 pm with lunch provided. To RSVP, please contact Laura Wood at lwood@shorerivers.org or 410-810-7556 ext. 276.

Water availability and soil health have a big impact on farm productivity and resiliency. The workshop will feature presentations from ShoreRivers and University of Maryland Extension staff on innovative conservation drainage practices, the agronomic benefits of building healthy soils, and an overview of Chesapeake Bay water quality goals and how agricultural conservation practices can help meet them.

Farmers located on the upper eastern shore can expect a similar event hosted more locally in late Spring of 2020 as a part of this series of workshops funded by Northeast Extension Risk Management Education.

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Agenda

9:00 am - Arrive

9:15 am – Welcome and Introductions

9:30 am – Conservation Drainage Practices
Tim Rosen, ShoreRivers Director of Agriculture and Restoration, will describe innovative drainage water management and conservation drainage practices that can be utilized to maximize agronomic benefit in both wet and dry spells.

10:15am – Benefits of Building Healthy Soils
Sarah Hirsh, University of Maryland Extension Agriculuture Agent, will discuss the importance of soil health and the agronomic and conservation benefits it provides, as well as the practices that promote it.

11:00am – Water Quality Regulations in the Chesapeake Bay
Matt Pluta, ShoreRivers Choptank Riverkeeper, will provide an overview of current water quality regulations in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. He will discuss the Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) that define nutrient and sediment goals and Watershed Implementation Plans (WIPs) aimed at reaching them, and how implementing conservation practices proactively can reduce regulatory pressure down the line.

11:45pm – Lunch and Evaluations

12:30pm – Field Visit
We will visit a nearby farm that has used cover crops and no-till and has a conservation drainage project that includes drainage water management and a structure for water control at the outlet. Tim Rosen will discuss the practices, installation process, and effectiveness – at 10010 Arden Station Rd., Princess Anne, MD.

Photo Contest Winners Announced

Thank you so much to all of our supporters who submitted their photos, we were blown away by the quality and quantity of the submissions. Below are the four contest winners for each watershed. You may also visit the ShoreRivers’ Facebook Page to view the four watershed photo albums containing all submitted photos.

Miles/Wye/Eastern Bay Photo Contest Winner - Crystal Dorothy

Chester Photo Contest Winner - Jamie Kirkpatrick

Sassafras Photo Contest Winner - Sam Shoge

Choptank Photo Contest Winner - Sharon Lee

End of Year Appeal

Generational power is activated when values are shared across generations with family and friends, uniting voices and sustaining a movement into the future. Our movement – for healthy rivers – is stronger when whole families are invested and when we inspire and empower the next generations of stewards.

Invest today with a year-end gift and support the full breadth of ShoreRivers’ advocacy, restoration, and education efforts.

You are receiving this letter because you believe in ShoreRivers’ science-based, action-oriented approach to clean water. Thank you for being a part of our community and for your support, time, and donations. Now let’s make sure our investment lives on. Our work must span generations if we hope to achieve our goal of clean rivers that support abundant wildlife, safe recreation, and bountiful harvests.

CLICK HERE TO SEE HOW YOUR GIFTS SUPPORT OUR WORK FOR HEALTHY RIVERS

Amazing Photos Submitted to ShoreRivers Photo Contest

We had so many amazing photos submitted to the ShoreRivers photo contest - THANK YOU to everyone who participated! Winners are being selected by a panel of volunteers and staff and will be announced on December 1 on our website and social media pages.

In the meantime, visit ShoreRivers’ Facebook page to view the photos - they are organized in four albums: Chester, Sassafras, Choptank, and Miles/Wye/Eastern Bay.

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 Hosts State Environmental Committees

Delegates from the House Environment and Transportation Committee, including Eastern Shore representative Jay Jacobs, tour a farm restoration site with Ag Director Tim Rosen.

In September, ShoreRivers hosted elected officials from the Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee and the House Environment and Transportation Committee to learn about threats to Eastern Shore waterways and policy priorities for the 2020 Maryland legislative session. Senators and delegates also toured the Eastern Shore Conservation Center, visited a ShoreRivers agricultural restoration project, and toured the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science Horn Point Oyster Hatchery.

ShoreRivers’ 2020 legislative priorities include initiatives on agriculture, development, enforcement, energy and infrastructure, and fisheries management. This was a prime opportunity for committee members to learn more about environmental threats to water quality specific to the Eastern Shore.

Director of Riverkeeper Programs and Choptank Riverkeeper Matt Pluta says, “By hosting our environmental committee representatives, we hoped to forge new partnerships that will help us address threats to our rivers at the state level, where real systemic change can be made.”

During their visit, state lawmakers showed specific interest in seeing the Phosphorus Management Tool fully implemented, which would reduce the application of chicken litter on phosphorous-saturated soils on the lower Eastern Shore by coordinating transport of the fertilizer to other farms. They also expressed interest in working with ShoreRivers to strengthen regulations that protect rivers from construction runoff in order to better protect against more frequent storms and heavier rain.

The group also discussed eliminating the backlog of outdated pollution permits, strategies to protect the oyster population, and increasing the inclusiveness of diverse communities in efforts to achieve healthy waterways across Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

 “We received a great amount of feedback and discussion from the committee members about our policy priorities, and we look forward to working with these lawmakers on the issues that affect our rivers the most, including agricultural nutrient pollution, increased development pressure, and fisheries management,” says ShoreRivers Executive Director Jeff Horstman.

Additionally, ShoreRivers presented to the Chesapeake Bay Commission on impediments to achieving EPA-mandated pollution reductions by 2025. The Phase III Watershed Implementation Plan defines the amount of pollution that needs to be eliminated and allocates it by geography and by source sector. One third of Maryland’s nitrogen reductions will come from the agricultural sector on the Eastern Shore. In order to reach these reductions, Maryland needs to hire more personnel for Soil Conservation District offices, identify more funding for project design, and streamline the project implementation process. ShoreRivers will play a significant role in putting projects in the ground to meet these pollution reduction goals and achieve healthier rivers.

Senators from the Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee

Photo Contest Through October 31!

Entries welcome from Aug. 1 – Oct. 31, 2019
Winners announced: Dec. 1, 2019

ShoreRivers wants to share your photos! If you have captured images of science or stewardship in action, restoration, local wildlife, or your family and friends (human or animal) enjoying the waterways we protect, we want to see them!

Images selected need to represent your visual interpretation of ShoreRivers’ mission to preserve and protect Eastern Shore waterways through science-based advocacy, outreach and education, restoration, and stewardship.

Use of photos

• Contest winners will be featured at our State of the Rivers events.

• Selected images will be shared through our social media pages, annual newsletters, River Report Cards, and other periodic publications.

• All images selected for publications will include photographer credit.

 How to Participate

• Images must be taken in the Chester, Choptank, Miles, Sassafras, or Wye rivers or Eastern Bay.

• Photographers can submit a maximum of 3 photos.

• Email one photo at a time to photo@shorerivers.org.
  

• The email subject line must include the name of the watershed captured: Sassafras, Chester, Miles, Wye, Choptank, or Eastern Bay. For example: Photo contest-Sassafras.

• Images should be attached the email, not pasted into emails.

• Images must be at least 72 dpi. This is standard to iPhones and Androids. Maximum file size 3 MB.

• Image file names must be in this format: PersonName-River-img title.jpg. For Example, JohnSmith-Miles-Boating.jpg

• Please provide any additional information in the email message.

 Important Information

• The photographer retains all rights to the submitted image.

• The photographer certifies that all necessary releases have been obtained.

• Photographers grants to ShoreRivers a three year non-exclusive right-to-use for the submitted image.

• ShoreRivers shall deliver to the photographer an in-kind donation receipt for images used.

• ShoreRivers shall not transfer images to any other organization or person.

• Should ShoreRivers receive a request for use of an image it will refer the request to the photographer.

• ShoreRivers is not responsible for any tampering with this contest (e.g., hackers, viruses, automated entry devices, and other). ShoreRivers reserves the right to terminate or modify the contest at any time in case of technical failures or other issues outside of its control. ShoreRivers also reserves the right to disqualify anyone who violates these Official Rules.

Run for Clean Rivers November 2: 5k/10 Miles

Spend your Saturday morning of Sultana Downrigging running along our rural roads overlooking the Chester River. After your morning run, enjoy beer, food, and entertainment under the tent while the tall ships take sail.

NEW THIS YEAR: Runners get a $5 discount off Sultana Downrigging Saturday Single Day Festival Village Pass with race bib!

Advocate Newsletter - Fall 2019

Art for a Cause

EXTENDED until November 1st! Purchase a print from local artist Kevin Kelmartin and 50% of the proceeds go to support our work for clean water!

Purchase your print online or from the Finishing Touch in Chestertown.

Druid of the Chesapeake

Hope springs eternal in the persistence of Nick Carter

Chesapeake Bay Magazine
by Tim Junkin

Walking with Nick Carter through his thirty-three acres of greenwood boughs and shimmering leaves, a bog fed by a vernal spring, all set on the upper reaches of the Choptank River, is to experience a burgeoning forest through the eyes of its steward. One who also happens to be a legendary naturalist, a champion for the Bay, salty to the bone, irreverent, funny, and always unflinchingly honest.

Continue reading….(link takes you to Chesapeake Bay Magazine’s website)

Bayside Creeks Town Hall with Sassafras Riverkeeper

ShoreRivers has expanded its jurisdiction to include Tolchester and the four creeks in Kent County that drain directly into the Bay: Still Pond, Churn, Worton, and Fairlee. The Sassafras Riverkeeper, Zack Kelleher, will oversee the organization of water quality monitoring, outreach, and restoration programs for this combined area.

“This area has never before been represented by a watershed group and I am excited to be the voice of this area and these creeks. I look forward to working with the local communities to determine and address any water quality issues,” said Kelleher.

Riverkeeper Kelleher is inviting all community members who live, work, or play in this area to a public Town Hall Meeting on August 14 at the Chestertown Library from 6:00 to 7:00 pm. The meeting will be held in the yellow building in the library parking lot at 207 Calvert Street in Chestertown.

The meeting is free and open to the public. Please RSVP to krighi@shorerivers.org.