Chesapeake Bay News

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Waterway Improvement Fund has approved a project at Wicomico County’s Nanticoke Harbor totaling $1,605,000. The project includes maintenance dredging 13,600 yards of material and repairing two existing stone jetties totaling 1,373 feet in length.

“This project is beneficial to the commercial and recreational boating citizens of Wicomico County and visitors who use Nanticoke Harbor,” said Gary Mackes, Director of Wicomico Parks, Recreation & Tourism.

Dredging will make the harbor more accessible to recreational and commercial boats that use the facility. Currently, some boats must wait to come and go at high tide to avoid running aground in the shallow channel. Rebuilding the stone jetties will help to keep sediment from accumulating in the harbor. Over the years the jetties have settled, reducing their effectiveness. This also means they are covered by water in high tides, rendering them a hazard to anyone not familiar with their location.

The dredging will begin immediately, followed by the reconstruction of the stone jetties. The project could be completed by the end of March. The contract was awarded to Corman Marine Construction.

This project is funded entirely by the Waterway Improvement Fund, which is funded by the five percent excise fee boaters pay when they register a boat in Maryland.

Bob Gaudette, Director of DNR’s Boating Services, said jobs like the Nanticoke Harbor project support marine contractors.

“It really is a stimulus program for those in the marina industry. Contractors have indicated to me they would have laid off employees without the projects,” said Gaudette.

To learn more about DNR’s Waterway Improvement Fund, visit www.dnr.maryland.gov/boating.

source: MD DNR

Artists, crafters and online shops are offering some exceptional Chesapeake Bay gifts for 2010. This page showcases just a few of the many items that are available online for the 2010 holiday shopping season.

For skipjack enthusiasts, this historic working skipjack design is available on t-shirts, sweatshirts, coffee mugs, stickers and other collectibles.

This t-shirt features a classic Chesapeake Bay deadrise workboat, used for transportation, commercial fishing, crabbing, oystering and charter fishing and recreational fishing.

Duck enthusiasts will be interested in this line of redhead duck artwork. The collection includes t-shirts, sweatshirts and other apparel.

This Chesapeake Bay osprey logo is featured on men’s and women’s long sleeve t-shirts as well as a variety of other apparel.

This calendar features photographs of Chesapeake Bay blue crabs, fish, ducks, geese, lighthouses and more.

To see the entire line of  Chesapeake Bay Artwork, visit Outdoors USA online store.

Amazon also has an extensive collection of Chesapeake Bay books and other gifts.

The Chesapeake Bay Trust recently approved $1.3 million in grants to 64 organizations and schools throughout the area to fund Bay restoration activities and environmental education programs.  Recommendations for four of the Trust’s major grant programs and initiatives, including its Living Shorelines program, Green Streets-Green Jobs initiative, Watershed Assistance Grant Program and Mini Grants Program, were approved by the Trust’s Board of Trustees and will fund projects that protect eroding shorelines, promote green infrastructure, and engage Maryland’s students in meaningful environmental and outdoor educational experiences.

Specific grant programs that were awarded include:

Living Shorelines Grant Program: $728,629 in funding for seven grants

The Trust, in partnership with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Restoration Center and the Maryland Department of the Environment, awarded funding to seven organizations to create and promote living shorelines in the Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C portions of the Bay.  Recipients included the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Chesapeake Bay Foundation and Virginia Institute for Marine Science, among others.

Green Streets Green Jobs Initiative: $231,320 in funding for eight grants

The Trust, Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the Maryland Department of the Environment, partnered with the EPA on a special funding opportunity to develop green streets and other urban green infrastructure projects.  Eight municipalities received funding including the Town of Bladensburg, City of College Park, and Town of Cheverly, among others.

Watershed Assistance Grant Program: $216,867 in funding for eight grants

The Trust and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources funded eight organizations for restoration programs and projects that will lead to improved water quality in the Maryland portion of the Chesapeake Bay.  Recipients included the Potomac Conservancy, Nanticoke Watershed Alliance, the City of Rockville, and more.

Mini Grants Program: $107,484 in funding for 41 grants

The Trust’s Mini Grant Program awards up to $5,000 grants to support activities at schools and non-profit organizations that help promote awareness of and participation in the restoration and protection of the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers.  Dozens of schools throughout the area were awarded funding to get K-12 students involved in hands-on outdoor activities that promote environmental stewardship and restoration.

For more information on these grant programs and what the Trust funds, visit www.cbtrust.org.

source: Chesapeake Bay Trust press release

In November, the Maryland Artificial Reef Initiative (MARI) added additional concrete material to Dominion Reef at the Gooses, its second major construction operation at this site this year. In cooperation with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Maryland Charterboat Association, Weeks Marine used crane barges to deploy the concrete, supplied from a local reconstruction project, on November 5.

“The Dominion Reef at the Gooses represents a valuable opportunity to enhance the habitat of a site in the Chesapeake that has the potential to be a field of dreams for myriad species — including mussels, oysters, crabs, striped bass and other types of finfish,” said DNR Fisheries Service Director Tom O’Connell. “These ecological benefits will translate into economic benefits for many bay fishing communities, including Chesapeake Beach, Deale, Solomons, Tilghman and Kent Island.”

MARI was established in 2007 to raise funds for marine habitat enhancement projects across Maryland. With over 50 partners, MARI has built four artificial reefs using more than 80,000 tons of recycled concrete from the demolition of the old Woodrow Wilson Bridge in Washington, D.C.

Dominion Reef at the Gooses was christened in 2007 as part of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge project. It is MARI’s largest project to date. The project was named after the Dominion Foundation, the largest corporate sponsor, which provided a total of $275,000 toward the mission. In July of this year, a water quality monitoring data buoy funded by Dominion was placed on the reef along with the initial batch of new reef material from the reconstruction of the Dominion LNG gas dock near Calvert Cliffs.

The entire site, approximately 360 acres, includes 50 acres of recycled concrete. The project has the overwhelming support of the public, local businesses, conservation groups, state agencies and recreational anglers.

source: DNR

On October 18, 2010, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced that the 2010 Young of the Year Striped Bass Survey is 5.6, below the long-term average of 11.6. This is the third consecutive year of below average striped bass production in Maryland’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay.

The population remains above the management action trigger set by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC). According to the commission, the number of adults in the Atlantic coast population and levels of fishing are well within limits as set by the ASMFC management framework.

DNR biologists point out that variation in annual spawning success is normal because striped bass reproduction is influenced by many factors including water temperature, winter snowfall, spring flow rates, and prevailing weather conditions.

DNR biologists have used the same techniques to monitor the reproductive success of striped bass and other species in Maryland’s portion of Chesapeake Bay annually since 1954. Twenty-two survey sites are located in the four major spawning systems: Choptank, Potomac, and Nanticoke rivers, and the Upper Bay. Biologists visit each site monthly from July through September, collecting fish samples with two sweeps of a 100-foot beach seine.

During this year’s survey, biologists identified more than 37,000 fish of 50 different species, including 737 young-of-year striped bass. Other findings of note were an increase in the number of juvenile spot. This important forage species and popular target for recreational anglers is at the highest level since 2005. White perch reproduction was also above average in the upper regions of the Bay. The juvenile indices are calculated as the average catch of young of the year fish per sample. For more information, go to www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/juvindex/index.html

source: MD DNR

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has announced the launch of its updated Online Boating Access Guide. The web-based guide provides the location of public boating access sites across the state, as well as site-specific details on amenities, parking, directions, and fees. The new site is located at www.dnr.state.md.us/boating/boatramps.asp

“The previously offered data were out of date, and boaters told us they needed more information,” said Lisa Gutierrez, DNR’s Division Director of Boating Services who oversaw the project. “In addition, we wanted to reflect the growing number of non-motorized recreational boaters who wanted information on soft launch sites.”

DNR’s Boating Services Unit worked for almost two years to produce new maps and collect data from local, state and federal partners for the updated site. Boaters planning to use launch sites are encouraged to check the website before planning a trip.

While DNR provides the maps, most boat ramps are operated by county departments of parks and recreation. Contact information for these offices is provided on the new website and boaters should contact the counties for information on parking, fees, and permits, which vary.

“This new guide will help supply boaters all over Maryland, and beyond, with the information they need to access and experience Maryland’s waterways and the Chesapeake Bay,” said Bob Gaudette, DNR’s Director of Boating Services.

For more information visit www.dnr.state.md.us/boating

The Wye Landing public boat ramp in Talbot County was reopened on August 26th with a ribbon cutting ceremony following major reconstruction and expansion to improve public access to the waterway and incorporate sustainable solar and wind power devices. Funding for the $428,000 project was provided by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Waterway Improvement Fund, Talbot County, and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

The project included replacing a two-lane boat ramp with a new four-lane, concrete ramp, adding two fixed piers and a floating, ADA-accessible dock, and creating four slips along the existing loading/unloading dock. Solar down-lighting was installed on the pilings at the end of the docks and a hybrid solar/wind powered light pole was installed to light the wharf and ramp area.

Wye Landing is one of the Eastern Shore’s most heavily-used boat ramps. The additional lane and boarding piers will allow for more efficient launching and reduce wait times and congestion. In addition to the new ADA-accessible floating dock, ADA parking spaces were also designated.

Of the $428,000 total project cost, DNR’s Waterway Improvement Fund provided $96,649. The Waterway Improvement Fund is funded by the 5 percent excise tax that boaters pay when they register a boat in Maryland. Remaining costs were funded by Talbot County and a $288,317 Sportfish Restoration Program grant from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

source: DNR

On Sunday afternoon, 7/25/ 2010, the Coast Guard responded to 37 distress calls resulting in more than 77 people assisted or rescued after a severe thunderstorm developed in the Chesapeake Bay.

At 3:05 p.m., the National Weather Service Radar indicated a line of severe thunderstorms capable of producing destructive winds in excess of 70 mph. A marine broadcast was issued to notify mariners to seek shelter immediately.

At approximately 3:25 p.m., Sector Baltimore watchstanders received the first call notifying them that vessels were being affected by the storm. Within minutes, multiple calls came in to the command center.

Damaging wind gusts, frequent cloud to ground lightning strikes and unstable sea conditions began to create a dangerous situation for mariners.

Within a two hour period, eight Coast Guard response boatcrews from six different small boat stations, including Stations Stillpond, Station Oxford, Station St. Inigoes, Station Curtis Bay, Station Annapolis and Station Washington, D.C., began responding to the distress calls. Distress cases spanned from the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal to as far south as Colonial Beach, Md., to include the Potomac River.

Some of the rescue efforts included:

Coast Guard Station Oxford boatcrews rescued two people from a capsized kayak near Cambridge Creek, Md.

Station Annapolis boatcrews rescued three personal water craft operators who were located clinging to a buoy near Herring Bay, Md.

Station St. Inigoes rescued five people located in the water after their raft capsized near St. George’s Island. With the use of a translator, St. Inigoes crewmembers were also able to rescue a Spanish speaking family aboard a 30-foot pleasure craft that was disabled near Colonial Beach.

“I have been working this job for more than five years, and I have never seen this happen before,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Jason Stanley, a search and rescue coordinator at Sector Baltimore.

“Storms can turn a normal day out on the boat to a battle of life and death, in one case we literally had victims clinging to a buoy for life,” said Chief Petty Officer Keith Moore an operations specialist at Sector Baltimore. “This is what we train for; this is why we are here. However, in an emergency as large as this was, a number of unprepared mariners can take a toll and create a very difficult situation for all responders. We could not have done this alone; we are incredibly thankful to our state and local agencies for helping us carry the burden of such a difficult mission.”

The Coast Guard urges mariners to pay close attention to the weather reports and weather advisories prior to and while boating. Mariners should take appropriate action when a storm is nearing by leaving affected areas, returning to marinas and safe haven as soon as possible.

source: USCG press release

A special guest has been invited to the annual Potomac River Ramble, July 8-11. On the second night of this year’s canoe and kayak camping trip, the 18th century Cherokee Indian “Mankiller” Ostenaco (played by actor  Doug Wood) will appear in the firelight, his head painted warrior red, to tell the story of how he led 130 men into war to protect British settlers against the fury of the French.

The Potomac River Ramble, sponsored by the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin and led by River & Trail Outfitters, is an annual, multi-day canoe and kayak trip featuring riverside camping, catered meals, restoration projects, history talks, nature walks and environmental education.

Biologists, historians, geologists and other experts will meet the group of paddlers along the way for hands-on instruction and discussion. Organizers hope participants will become intimately connected with the “nation’s river” by camping alongside it as they paddle the three-day course.

This year’s event begins Thursday evening, July 8 and ends Sunday afternoon, July 11. Experienced guides and other experts will lead paddlers from Town Creek Park, W.Va. through the gorges and rolling hills of the Potomac River’s Paw Paw Bends, ending at Little Orleans.

No paddling experience is necessary, and you do not have to register for the entire trip. The cost is $55 per day and includes meals, camping fees, guides, shuttle and educational programming. If you do not have a boat, rentals are available; prices include delivery and pickup.

For more information please visit:  http://www.potomacriver.org/cms/

You may also contact Jennifer Willoughby with the ICPRB at 301-984-1908 ext. 109 or JWilloughby@icprb.org; or Lee Baihly with River & Trail Outfitters at 301-988-5712 or lee@rivertrail.com.

The Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin has been working to enhance and protect the Potomac River and its tributaries through regional and interstate partnerships since 1940. River and Trail Outfitters has been guiding trips since 1972, annually outfitting more than 30,000 people on various rivers in the Potomac watershed.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) and the Marine Trades Association of Maryland will hold a forum July 8 in Annapolis to offer an opportunity to learn more about the new General Discharge Permit for Boat and Vessel Maintenance. The forum is intended for operators of facilities that perform or allow boat repair.

MDE is reviewing appropriate changes to the General Permit for Discharges for Marinas. Changes to the permit address and update requirements related to bottom paints and wash water. Maryland’s waters must be protected from toxicity that could compromise aquatic life and public health now and in the future.

DNR’s Clean Marina Program and the Marine Trades Association of Maryland are assisting in the process by providing technical expertise and experience, and will provide ongoing compliance assistance.

Attendees will learn about the active ingredients in bottom paints from several paint representatives as well as how marina discharges are handled in other states. This forum is not a “public hearing” as no draft determination of the permit has been proposed for public comment. Rather, the forum is a chance to hear why changes are being discussed and to get industry suggestions to best meet new water quality standards.

The forum will run from 1:00 to 4:00p.m. July 8 in the meeting hall of the Calvary Methodist Church on at 301 Rowe Boulevard in Annapolis. There is no cost and operators of businesses that conduct—or allow—boat repair work on site are strongly encouraged to attend.

To register contact the Marine Trades Association of Maryland at susan@mtam.org or by calling 410-269-0741.

For more information on Maryland’s Clean Marina Program visit:

www.dnr.maryland.gov/boating/cleanmarina

source: MD DNR