Chesapeake Bay News

As of August 26, 2011, residents of the Chesapeake Bay region remained on high alert as hurricane warnings were in effect for parts of the bay.

The forecast for Hurricane Irene includes heavy winds, rain, storm surge, flooding and possible storm damage.

A state of emergency was in effect for both Maryland and Virginia and evacuation plans remain in effect for many areas.

For the latest information, visit the National Hurricane Center website at : http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

NOAA’s National Weather Service has completed the testing phase for a new 1000-watt NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards transmitter, increasing service to areas that had limited or no coverage along the Virginia and Lower Maryland Eastern Shores. Now life-saving watch and warning services will be available to recreational and commercial mariners navigating the Atlantic coastal waters in this area.

This transmitter will serve Accomack and Northampton Counties in Virginia, including the cities of Wachapreague and Chincoteague. It will also serve Somerset and Worcester Counties in Maryland, including Pocomoke City and the Atlantic coastal waters between Ocean City, Md., and Oyster, Va. The transmitter will broadcast on a frequency of 162.525 MHz, usually Channel 6 on most NOAA Weather Radio receivers.

“NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards is vitally important for both recreational and commercial boaters navigating the Atlantic coastal waters,” said William Sammler, warning coordination meteorologist at the forecast office in Wakefield, Va. “Weather can change quickly and now everyone will be able to keep tuned to the latest forecasts and watches and warnings ? and take appropriate action.”

The new transmitter is located in Mappsville, Va., on a tower owned by Accomack County. Funding for the transmitter was secured by the Virginia Department of Emergency Management using a $59,900 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Utilities Service, and $16,640 from the Department of Homeland Security’s Emergency Management Performance Grant. USDA has awarded 99 grants from its Weather Radio Transmitter Grant Program to extend the coverage of NOAA Weather Radio into rural America.

source: National Weather Service

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

Crews at the Coast Guard Long Range Aids to Navigation stations, including the six Alaska-based stations, turned off their domestic signal across the nation at 11 a.m. Monday, February 8, 2010.

The shutdown of the signal concludes the broadcast of the U.S. domestic signal. Stations Attu and Shoal Cove, which are bound by bi-lateral agreements with Russia and Canada, will continue to broadcast their international signals until later this year. All the stations will continue to be maintained and manned as the closure of the facilities proceeds over the coming months. Decommissioning dates have yet to be set and plans for the dismantlement of the stations are in development.

Loran-C was originally developed to provide radio-navigation service for U.S. coastal waters and was later expanded to include complete coverage of the continental U.S. as well as most of Alaska. Twenty-four U.S. Loran-C stations work in partnership with Canadian and Russian

stations to provide coverage in Canadian waters and the Bering Sea. The system provided better than 0.25 nautical mile absolute accuracy for within the published areas and provided navigation, location, and timing services for both civil and military air, land and marine users. It was approved as an en route supplemental air navigation system for both Instrument Flight Rule and Visual Flight Rule operations.

The Loran-C system served the 48 continental states, their coastal areas, parts of Alaska and neighboring countries for 67 years, 8 months and 24 days.

source: USCG press release

As Marylanders prepare to take to the state’s waterways and parks for Memorial Day weekend and the start of the summer season, the Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) urge boaters and park patrons alike to exercise caution this summer and throughout the year. To promote safety, NRP will be conducting an extensive statewide enforcement effort during the Memorial Day weekend.

The Natural Resources Police will aggressively target boaters operating in a reckless or negligent manner and/or under the influence of alcohol on the waterways. It will also focus on boaters not maintaining a proper lookout and not having the required safety equipment onboard.

Addition emphasis will be placed on conserving Maryland’s natural resources. Officers will concentrate on possession and size limits of our crabs and finfish resources.

Meanwhile, patrols in the parks and forests will focus on picnic areas, pavilions, campgrounds, and waterfront areas for alcohol consumption, and will educate the public as to where these types of beverages are permitted. Patrols will also focus on underage alcohol possession and individuals driving under the influence of alcohol.

“Memorial Day is generally considered to be the official beginning of the boating and camping season in Maryland,” said Colonel George F. Johnson IV, Superintendent of the NRP. “During the busy Memorial Day weekend, the Maryland Natural Resources Police urges citizens to enjoy Maryland waterways and parks while exercising safety and caution.”

NRP also recommends that boaters continue to use good judgment and take extra precautions during this busy holiday weekend. Boaters can help ensure their safety and the safety of others enjoying Maryland’s waterways by:

* Inspecting their vessel and its safety equipment for serviceability.

* Wearing an approved and properly fitted life jacket at all times while boating. Nationwide, approximately 700 people drown each year from recreational boating accidents.

* Knowing and obeying navigation rules, operating at a safe speed and maintaining a proper lookout.

* Be aware of fatigue on boaters caused by the wind, sun, and the motion of the boat.

* Staying in control of your vessel and respecting the rights of others enjoying the waterways.

* Ensuring that your boat is never overloaded.

* Leaving a float plan with someone at home describing where you are going, how long you will remain, and when you expect to return.

* Remaining sober and alert – remember the use of alcohol contributes to accidents on the water.

During 2008, some of the leading causes of boating accidents in Maryland were the result of faulty equipment, operator inexperience and inattentiveness, excessive speed, and excessive wake.

The Natural Resources Police, United States Coast Guard and the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary will be hosting a boating safety day at Sandy Point State Park, 10:30 am to 3:00 pm on May 30, 2009. The day will include demonstrations, vessel safety inspections, USCG helicopter, and NRP & USCG patrol vessels and Officers.

For more information on safe boating in Maryland, visit the DNR website: http://www.dnr.state.md.us/boating/.

Since discovering Didymo for the first time in Maryland last month, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has set up six wader sterilization stations throughout the tailwaters of Gunpowder Falls, to prevent further spread of this and other aquatic invasives.

Didymo is an algal diatom that forms long stalks which combine to form heavy, thick mats that can smother a stream bottom. Didymo mats, also called “rock snot,” look slimy, but feel like wet cotton or wool, and can be white, yellow or brown. The stalks can persist for two or more months after the diatoms die, causing habitat damage for an extended period of time.

“Didymo and other aquatic invasive species seriously jeopardize the health of our rivers, streams and Bay,” said Don Cosden, an assistant director with the DNR Fisheries Service. “Not only do these exotic species disrupt the local ecosystem, they are capable of permanently displacing or eradicating native species, including trout and other freshwater fisheries. We need anglers and other recreational users of this area to take 60 seconds to sterilize gear, and protect the waters they enjoy.”

Although there is no human health risk associated with the species, DNR is developing an aggressive plan of attack to deal with this invader, including asking anglers and other outdoor enthusiasts to use extra precautions when moving from one stream or lake to another. Movement of a single cell can contaminate a new waterway, and once Didymo is established, it can cover and suffocate a stream bottom.

“Proper angler protocol is the main line of defense in preventing the introduction and spread of aquatic invasives,” said Jonathan McKnight, chair of DNR’s Invasive Species Team. “We are strongly urging anglers to properly sterilize their waders and all gear that comes in contact with the water prior to using the gear in a new location.”

DNR strongly urges citizens to sterilize boots, paddles, boats and anything else that comes into contact with stream water; anglers may want to consider having two sets of equipment in order to move safely from one spot to another. DNR also advises against using felt bottom boots and waders – the worst culprits in the spread of aquatic invaders – replacing them with non-porous materials. If felt waders are used, they should be completely immersed in salt solution before being used in another location.

Proper sterilization procedures include:

* Before leaving a stream, scrub away all dirt and debris.
* At home or at a wader sterilization station, disinfect equipment by scrubbing or soaking in at least a 5 percent salt solution (2 cups salt/2.5 gallons water) for 60 seconds and then letting dry completely or scrub with dish detergent and rinse well.
* If disinfection is not possible, let equipment dry completely for at least 48 hours before next use.

Currently, wader sterilization stations are set up at six popular crossings along Gunpowder Falls: Masemore Road, Bunker Hill Road, York Road, Blue Mount Road and both north and south lots at the Falls Road crossing. In the coming weeks, stations will also be set up along the Casselman, Youghiogheny and Savage Rivers.

Originally found in Scotland and extreme northern Europe and Asia, Didymo has been transported worldwide. Recently, the species has been found in the northeast and mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. In many cases, anglers have unknowingly transported the diatom on their fishing gear.

DNR urges anyone who observes Didymo on rivers other than the Gunpowder Falls to contact Don Cosden at 410-260-8287 as soon as possible.

For more information on Didymo and other invasive species, visit http://www.dnr.state.md.us/invasives/.

source: MD DNR press release

The Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) is observing National Safe Boating Week through May 23 to highlight the need for boaters to wear a life jacket at all times while on the water as well as abide by other safety precautions.

“Safe boating saves lives,” said Col. George F. Johnson, NRP Superintendent. “When you boat in Maryland, remember to practice safe and responsible boating, always wear your life jacket, and be alert and aware while on the water.”

On average a dozen people die each year in boating-related incidents on Maryland waterways, most of which could have been prevented had a lifejacket been worn. Last year, Maryland saw an increase in fatalities, from eight in 2006 to ten in 2007, and injuries went from 163 to 208. Records show that the majority of accidents are the result of wake and/or excessive speed, reckless or negligent operation and operator inexperience or inattention.

Nationwide, 3,474 injuries and 710 fatalities resulting from boating-related accidents were reported in 2006. Overall, two-thirds of all fatal boating accident victims drowned. Of those who drowned, 90 percent of the victims were not wearing their life jacket. Eight out of every ten boaters who drowned were using boats less than 20 feet in length.

source: DNR press release