BETTERTON — Each year, ShoreRivers, a nonprofit with the mission to protect and restore Eastern Shore waterways through science-based advocacy, tour locations along the four main watersheds on the Eastern Shore: the Sassafras, Chester River, Wye River and Choptank.
They present their data to the residents in that region in a report card.
As scientists, they inform them of their area’s water quality index and bacteria count, what species are thriving, while providing methods on how to maintain the shared watershed.
Their first stop was Sassafras, in Betterton, the “jewel of the Chesapeake”. On April 17, they gathered at the Betterton Volunteer Fire house, while local wine, drafts and oysters were served.
ShoreRivers had some good news and bad news, both delivered by Sassafras Riverkeeper Zach Kelleher and Chesapeake Conservation and Climate Corps member, Autumn Conley.
The good news is the water has a high quality in and around Betterton beach, the lower Sassafras area, indicated on their report card with a green color, Kelleher explained. But the upper Sassafras, was not as clean, indicated on the graph by a yellow color.
Overall the water quality level in the Sassafras received a B-.
“We’re doing well, but definitely have room for improvement,” Kelleher told the audience.
They now have 65 water monitoring stations and from April to October will be testing for water temperature, salinity, water clarity and nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus.
Comparing the data to the report card from 2022, they’ve decreased 2 to 3 % at almost every level, Kelleher noted.
Both he and Conley chalked that up to a dry year combined with climate change and increased runoff from fields, roadways and open spaces.
In their estimation, that led to an increased salinity, (saltiness) in the water, which throws off a freshwater ecosystem.
Conley backed up her coworker’s statements, declaring 2023, as the “summer of salt.” Speaking with scientists from the University of Maryland, she observed that the high level of salinity affected many organisms in our watershed.
Probably the largest noticeable one was the Eastern oyster. It thrives in saltier water and so increased in population in 2023. Conley quoted from a Department of Natural Resources fall report, that the spat (baby oysters) count was four times more than the median of 39 years.
However, saltier conditions can lead to more parasites and diseases like MXS, Multinucleated Sphere Unknown, and Dermo, she noted.
Species like dolphins are being seen more and more in the bay too. She said it could be because of the bay’s saltier conditions, or it could be they’re simply following their prey, or it could be because there are more dolphin-sighting websites and public interest than ever before, increasing the reporting.
She sees the emergence of white shrimp now as evidence too. Presently, watermen are catching them for commercial use whereas commonly grass shrimp used to only inhabit our waters.
Not every organism likes the salt, she indicated. Sea nettles retreated from the mouth of the river, moving up the bay. The American Lotus bloom’ numbers dwindled in number as well, although there were still sightings.
But, in a positive light, the invasive plant the nonprofit’s been fighting, the water chestnut, does not like the increased salinity.
In fact, Conley pointed out, only 100 lbs. was found in the sassafras last year.
They showed various slides of volunteers and staff with smiling faces, pulling up invasive plants and clearing out the watersheds.
They like what they do but it’s a daunting task. Year after year, it gets harder to clean the bay, the team acknowledged.
“Bottom line, Kelleher said, “the waters are polluted.”
No matter what grade was given.
And the bacteria count is something they have to keep an eye on too.
Each season their volunteer SwimTesters test for bacteria pollution at shoreline sites use a pass/fail system to determine the level of risk.
In 2023, Sassafras sites passed 87% of the time and Bayside Creeks, 95% of the time.
The team said cleaner water is what all Marylanders want, and stressed that getting out unbiased, scientific-based information to the public is essential.
“You can’t protect what you love if you don’t know to protect it,” he said.
And as always, ShoreRivers realized one of the great protectors of the water.
The volunteer of the year award went to Anne Stevens. Kelleher joked, “the only thing more persistent than water chestnut, is Anne Stevens.”
Executive Director Isabel Hardesty thanked those in attendance, saying this will be a pivotal year for river restoration. In the upcoming years she said to expect their goals to become more defined as they focus on what sets ShoreRivers apart from other conservation organizations.
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