In 2009, the State of Maryland committed to accelerate efforts to reach its pollution reduction goals by 2020. To meet the challenge of Chesapeake Bay restoration, every local government, every business and every citizen will have a significant role to play.  Through the Watershed Assistance Collaborative, the Chesapeake and Coastal Program and its partners are ensuring that local communities get the information and the resources that they need - putting the resources at the level where the work gets done.

The Collaborative, a partnership between state agencies, the Chesapeake Bay Trust, University of MD Extension, and University of Maryland Environmental Finance Center, has been hard at work in its first year of existence matching local communities with financial resources for planning and design through the Watershed Assistance Grant Program; helping communities prepare for project implementation through outreach and stakeholder assistance; and providing direct technical assistance in the form of project coordination and implementation through the Regional Watershed Specialists. 

First year highlights of the Collaborative include:

Led by the Chesapeake Bay Trust, the Watershed Assistance Collaborative awarded a total of $200,000 for planning and design grants awarded to the following communities: 

• Sassafras River Association for project development
  
• West/Rhode River Riverkeeper for project development
• Octararo River Association for project development
• Choptank Riverkeeper for project development
  
• Severn River Association for project design
• Spa Creek Conservancy for project design

In addition, DNR and the Chesapeake Bay Trust have just announced the Watershed Assistance Grant awards for November 2009:

• Caroline County for Choptank River project development
  
• Baltimore City Watershed 246 (Baltimore Harbor Watershed Association) for project development
• Harford County  for Wheel Creek (Bush River) stream restoration design
• Trout Unlimited for Jones Falls stream restoration design

Through the Collaborative's Outreach and Training Program, the UMD Environmental Finance Center and other partners are providing project development, financing strategies and stakeholder development assistance to prepare groups for project implementation.

In the case of the Middle Chester River, an initial partner-planning meeting, facilitated by the UMD Environmental Finance Center, was held in April 2009 with Kent County government, Chester River Association, Washington College, Ducks Unlimited, the Upper Eastern Shore Tributary Team and others to discuss putting together a solid project proposal for the 2010 Trust Fund Local Implementation Grant. The Middle Chester partners were awarded a Trust Fund Local Implementation Grant of $360,000 for their first year of work. 

Another highlight of the Collaborative is on-going assistance with the Sassafras River Association (SRA). The SRA received a planning grant for $35,000 from the Watershed Assistance Grant Program in February 2009 for a comprehensive Watershed Action Plan and later received assistance from the UMD Environmental Finance Center who provided stakeholder facilitation and detailed financing recommendations for the Sassafras River Watershed Action Strategy.  In August 2009 the Sassafras River Association was awarded a National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Small Watershed Grant for outreach and agriculture activities.

Finally, working with the University of Maryland's SeaGrant Extension Service Specialists, the Watershed Assistance Collaborative is providing direct assistance to local and county governments and their partners to accelerate nonpoint source pollution reduction efforts with its Watershed Restoration Specialists (WRS). Jennifer Dindinger (Eastern Shore) and Amanda Rockler (WesternShore), were brought on board in March 2009. Jennifer and Amanda are providing on-going support to Trust Fund Priority Watersheds and other groups to coordinate project implementation, conduct outreach and leverage additional funding opportunities.

Local communities interested in learning how the Collaborative can connect them to the financial and technical resources they need to undertake comprehensive watershed restoration projects in Maryland should contact Carrie Decker with the Chesapeake and Coastal Program or call 410-260-8723.

In May of this year, Governor O'Malley announced that Maryland would achieve (from 2009 - 2011) a 3.75 million pound reduction of nitrogen and a 193,000 pound reduction of phosphorous by implementing a suite of 27 best management practices through the State's first 2-Year Milestone.  This first set of 2-Year Milestones will put Maryland on a greatly accelerated pace needed to meet our ultimate Bay restoration goals by 2020, and will be followed with subsequent, accelerated 2-Year Milestones.  The Milestone is broken out into four parts:  1) Implementing best farming practices; 2) Reducing pollution from urban areas; 3) Restoring natural filters on private lands; and 4) Restoring natural filters on public lands.  To date, Maryland has achieved 29% of its first Milestone. 

For a comprehensive look at Maryland's 2-Year Milestones, please click here.

On September 28, DNR hosted a living shorelines training session for marine contractors, engineers and consultants in Annapolis. Over 80 industry professionals from across the state attended the day-long workshop to learn about successful practices and the new regulatory guidelines associated with the passage of the Living Shorelines Protection Act of 2008.  Invited speakers included Chesapeake & Coastal Program staff and other representatives from State agencies, professional associations, universities, private companies and non-profit groups.

The Chesapeake and Coastal Program is committed to increasing awareness about living shorelines and providing information to property owners and professionals venturing into these projects.  Since 2007, CCP has conducted eight living shorelines workshops for waterfront homeowners, partnering with seven coastal counties and reaching over 500 Maryland residents.  For anyone interested in more information about the workshops, the services provided, or for hosting workshops, please contact Gwen Shaughnessy at 410.260.8743.

15th ANNUAL MARYLAND WATER MONITORING COUNCIL CONFERENCE

There's still time to register for the 15th Annual Conference of the Maryland Water Monitoring Council (MWMC) Thursday, December 3, 2009 in North Linthicum.

The theme of the conference is Water Quality Success Stories: It Ain't All Doom and Gloom.  Highlights include a keynote talk by Tom Horton, a freshwater critter table, three concurrent sessions, and about 20 posters. Talk and poster topics include monitoring radium in groundwater, restoring shad in the Potomac River and mitigating acid mine drainage in the North Branch of the Potomac River.

Please click here to see a draft agenda and access the registration form and vendor/advertiser information.

MARYLAND'S COASTAL AND WATERSHED RESOURCE ADVISORY COMMITTEE (CWRAC): Next Meeting: Friday, December 11, 2009

CWRAC, established in 1976, is comprised of representatives of local government, concerned local citizens, special interest groups, state and federal agencies and academic institutions.  CWRAC acts as an independent advisory body to the Secretary of Natural Resources and to Maryland's Chesapeake and Coastal Program on policy issues affecting the coastal areas of Maryland. Funding is provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration under the Coastal Zone Management grant. 

If you are interested in attending the upcoming meeting or in need of more information on CWRAC, contact Joe Abe at 410.260.8740.

Welcome to your Chesapeake and Coastal Program!  This Staff directory is intended to highlight the services provided by the Chesapeake and Coastal Program and more importantly help you communicate with our Team.

The Maryland Chesapeake and Coastal Program, administered by the Department of Natural Resources, is a partnership among local, regional, and state agencies.  Through this networked program, no one agency or department is responsible for Maryland's entire coast.  Rather, all partners help to ensure its proper management. 

We conduct research, provide technical services and distribute federal and state funds - to enable on the-ground projects that benefit Maryland's local communities.  Whether it's helping communities plan for climate change, restore local waterways, protect habitats, foster clean coastal industries, or encouraging citizens to become caring stewards - the Chesapeake and Coastal Program constantly seeks ways to improve coastal management.

We hope that you will learn more about our Team and how our products and services can benefit your community. Click here to view the CCP Staff Directory.