With data collected by four professional Riverkeepers and nearly 100 citizen scientist volunteers, ShoreRivers proudly presents its annual State of the Rivers and Report Card Release via Facebook Watch Party on Friday, May 1 from 5:00-5:30 pm. A Facebook account is not necessary to participate, simply visit facebook.com/shorerivers. The presentation will also be available at shorerivers.org. Featured topics will be water quality grades, regional river health trends, strategies to clean local waterways, and a discussion of climate resiliency. Riverkeepers will be available to answer questions in real time; comments and questions are encouraged.
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. For more information, visit ShoreRivers.org/events or contact Connor Liu at cliu@shorerivers.org or 443.385.0511 ext. 210.
