In partnerships with a wide range of agencies, ICPRB works on numerous restoration and protection projects in the water and on the land.

...IN THE WATER

The Potomac River American Shad Restoration Project is a good example of a successful restoration project. Sometimes a population need a little help when it's down. American shad stocks in particular have remained depressed in the Potomac River, despite significant improvements in water quality made over the last several decades and a river harvest moratorium that has been in effect since 1982. ICPRB has spearheaded a collaborative effort to stock American shad that began in 1995 and was designed to imprint shad to the historic spawning and nursery waters and help rebuild Potomac River shad stocks. As a part of this project ICPRB has been collecting fertilized shad roe to be raised in fish hatcheries and classrooms, stocking hatchery fingerlings in historic spawning and nursery areas, and monitoring survival of the year classes. Through this effort shad populations have begun to recover in the Potomac River. Since 2002, the Potomac has been the egg source for all of Maryland’s streams that are being restored with shad, as well as the Rappahannock in Virginia, the Susquehanna (Maryland/Pennsylvania), and some of Delaware’s rivers.

In previous years, IPCRB has been involved in River Herring Restoration.

The ICPRB is assisting local partners in the Cash Valley Run fish passage enhancement project. The purpose of this project is to mitigate a fish passage barrier for the native brook trout. The ICPRB was awarded a grant from the Chesapeake Bay Trust and the Fish America Foundation to restore native vegetation to a concrete channelized section of stream and create a series of step-pools that will allow brook trout and other native fish to return to historic spawning grounds. In the Braddock Run Watershed, the majority of breeding takes place within the Cash Valley Run tributary, but most of this high-quality stream is unavailable to the species due to an impassable road culvert. By the end of 2008, the restoration will be complete and over 1 mile of high-quality habitat will be returned the brook trout.

...ON THE LAND

Find Gardening Ideas for improving your landscape and getting more watershed-wise! The gardening ideas included in this section are for homeowners to create small-scale habitats and reduce storm runoff from rooftops, driveways, and sidewalks.

Riparian Buffer Restoration,or restoring the plants along streams, creeks, and rivers, is another aspect of ICPRB's restoration efforts. The ICPRB and other partners work together to acquire grant funds to plant vegetated strips along rivers. The plants help absorb excess nutrients and sediment that can harm aquatic life. The vegetated strips also help regulate temperature in the streams, which is beneficial for fish.

Trash Free by 2013 is a treaty signed by many partners pledging to get the trash out of the rivers and streams and keep it out. The treaty is an extension of the annual Potomac Watershed Cleanup efforts in which ICPRB has been a partner for 16 years.