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What Can I Do?
Prevent invasive species. Never dump bait or aquarium species into a storm drain or body of water. Introduced species can become invasive.
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Bay Fact
Collectively, the Chesapeake's three largest rivers --- the Susquehanna, Potomac and James
-- provide more than 80 percent of freshwater to the Bay. The Susquehanna is the Bay's largest river. It provides nearly 50 percent of the freshwater coming into the Bay --- an average of 19 million gallons per minute. |
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From the desk of...
Martin O'Malley, Governor of Maryland
Dear Friend,
Last week, I had the chance to work on an active stream restoration project along the Upper Little Patuxent in Ellicott City with students from Howard County's Hollifield Station Elementary School, one of our Explore & Restore your SchoolShed participants.
At the event, we announced a funding package of $600 million as part of Maryland's commitment to restore the health of the Chesapeake Bay. This investment will fund Maryland State Highway Administration projects that will reduce the amount of pollutants entering our waterways by 6.5 million pounds of sediment, 113,000 pounds of nitrogen and 13,000 pounds of phosphorus by 2020.
Over the past several years, through our concerted efforts to expand cover crop plantings, upgrade wastewater treatment plants, mitigate stormwater, repair streams and more, we are creating a cleaner Bay. We cannot just hope for improvement --- we must act and follow through on our commitments. We stand on the threshold of a tipping point in which the Bay can once again flourish as a healthy and valuable resource for Maryland for generations to come.
This is why in Maryland, we're investing in restoring our State's greatest natural resource for all of those who depend on it today, and for a smarter, greener more sustainable future.
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Eyes on the Bay
As the growth of underwater grasses ceases for the year, and dissolved oxygen levels stabilize with cooler waters, mid-autumn also marks the end of DNR's continuous monitoring season. We will, therefore, be removing most of the monitoring equipment at these sites for the winter during the first two weeks of November and preparing instruments for redeployment in the spring. Select sites in the Corsica, Patapsco and Patuxent rivers; an oyster restoration area in Harris Creek; a dam removal site near Maryland's Coastal Bays; and the Gooses Reef in the mainstem Bay are scheduled to remain deployed through the winter. To view data from continuous monitoring sites throughout Maryland, please visit Eyes on the Bay.
BayStat Update
The most recent BayStat meeting included discussions on the Lawn to Woodland program for Maryland landowners, the Climate Resiliency Index, available State Highway Administration acreage for tree planting, the Explore and Restore your Schoolshed program expansion in 2015, and the BayStat Program Scientific Advisory Panel. |
Explore and Restore Program in Action
Do your students love insects of all shapes and sizes? Grow their knowledge of the living animals in local streams: Investigate aquatic life in detail with a "bug's eye" view of the world and incredible photos and videos here. When you are comfortable with the cast of characters, head outside to meet them in person! Collect a few samples and make some classroom specimens using STEM principles and everyday materials. The Explore and Restore your Schoolshed website has more great resources for students and teachers excited about exploring their local stream. |
Your Government at Work  Governor O'Malley Honored with Truitt Environmental Award
The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science presented Governor Martin O'Malley with the Reginald V. Truitt Environmental Award for his environmental leadership in Maryland. His numerous contributions to Maryland's environment include: record cover crop acres planted; innovative oyster restoration projects; the preservation of hundreds of thousands of critical acres. |
 Bay Foundation Estimates Economic Benefits of a Restored Chesapeake
A new Chesapeake Bay Foundation report indicates the economic benefits of a restored Chesapeake Bay could total $130 billion each year, as the watershed's "pollution diet" creates clean air and water, protects properties from floods, and fuels local restaurant and recreation industries.
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 MDA Obtains Grant to Study Phosphorous Removal from Dairy Manure
The Department of Agriculture, working with several partners, has received a $75,000 USDA Conservation Innovation Grant to continue studying an agricultural management practice that removes phosphorous from agricultural systems. If successful, the process would allow dairy producers to spread manure on their fields after the phosphorous has been removed. The grant is being supported by the Midshore Riverkeeper Conservancy, a major partner in the project.
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 Funding Approved for Clean Water and the Chesapeake Bay
Earlier this month, the Board of Public Works approved more than $10 million in funding for projects to upgrade wastewater treatment plants and drinking water systems in Calvert, Cecil, Washington and Wicomico Counties.
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 West Ocean City Harbor Receives National Recognition for Boating Access
After undergoing major renovations in 2011, the West Ocean City Harbor, which provides top notch boating access to the Atlantic Ocean and Maryland's Coastal Bays, recently earned the national Outstanding Large Project Award. The States Organization for Boating Access presented the award to project partners --- the US Fish and Wildlife Service, DNR and Worcester County --- at its annual conference in Little Rock, Arkansas.
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 EPA Gives $75,000 Grant to Living Classrooms Foundation
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a $75,000 environmental education grant for the Living Classrooms Foundation this month. The funding will help the Masonville Cove Environmental Education Campus provide community outreach and watershed educational experiences to about 600 elementary students from Baltimore City Public Schools.
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 Champions Honored for Efforts to Conserve Trees
Conserving forests is critical to clean water, and honoring the champions of these vital habitats is central to the work of the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay. At its ninth annual Chesapeake Watershed Forum, the non-profit organization, with support from the U.S. Forest Service, recognized four Chesapeake Forest Champions who ranged from public charities to private forest owners.
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