Click here to see the full Potomac News Reservoir – April 27, 2023
Thank you to all the volunteers at the recent cleanups!
People of all ages showed up to help clean trash out of a small creek in Frederick, MD at ICPRB’s recent stream cleanup event. Over 25 volunteers picked up around 500 pounds of trash, including a coat rack, several shopping carts, and a large stuffed teddy bear. A nice chair and a shovel even found a new home. One item, a (possibly stolen?) backpack, was handed to a passing police officer who promptly found it’s rightful owner.
We are grateful to the volunteers who showed up in Frederick and at events throughout the Potomac River watershed to work towards cleaner, healthier streams and rivers for all.
ICPRB in the Community
Walk in the Woods: Frederick Municipal Forest (April 29 near Frederick, MD)
WEBINAR: Innovations in Sustainable Agriculture (May 12, Virtual)
Anacostia River Festival (May 20, Washington, D.C.)
Find these and other events around the Potomac watershed on our Events Calendar.
Media from around the Basin
Drought expands across D.C. area after helping fuel several recent fires
Washington Post
Flow rates on the Potomac River have been decreasing. The rate is down to 4,280 cubic feet per second as measured by a gauge at Point of Rocks in Frederick County, Md., according to Michael Nardolilli, executive director of the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin, which monitors the river for water supply and pollution issues. That’s less than half the flow rate of 11,600 cubic feet per second at this time last year, which was near the long-term average.
Deadline extended for presentations/abstracts for 2023 Potomac Conference on Climate Change
ICPRB
The Call for Presentations/Abstracts for the 2023 Potomac River Conference: One River’s Perspective on a Changing Climate has been extended to Friday, May 5.
EPA agrees to step up enforcement of Chesapeake Bay cleanup efforts in Pennsylvania
Richmond Times-Dispatch
The EPA has promised to step up enforcement in Pennsylvania of Chesapeake Bay cleanup rules that the state has been flouting and that the agency let slip during the Trump administration.
New mapping tool reveals community green space disparities in Chesapeake Bay watershed
WHRO
Not everyone has the same access to green space, which provides mental and physical health benefits. People who live in communities of color or lower-income neighborhoods often have to travel farther to get to them.
Climate change is affecting NH’s streams and rivers. Dartmouth researchers are tracking how.
NHPR
The study looked at the Dead Diamond river in northern New Hampshire, as well as the Mattawamkeag River in Maine, the White River in Vermont and the Shenandoah River in West Virginia. The three northern rivers are affected strongly by snowmelt, while the Shenandoah river is more affected by rainfall. The researchers are relatively confident we can expect higher streamflows and more flooding, particularly during heavy rainfall events in the warm seasons.
PUBLIC NOTICE: Maryland Agencies to Treat Potomac River for Black Fly Control on April 27
MDA
The Maryland Department of Agriculture—in partnership with the Department of Natural Resources—will treat a targeted area of the Potomac River near Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, as part of a pilot program to control black fly populations in the area.
Dominion seeks permit for new coal ash landfill in Virginia
Bay Journal
Dominion Energy is moving forward with plans to build a new coal ash landfill near the Potomac River in Northern Virginia, entering the last chapter of a long debate over how to safely dispose of the lingering contaminant.
Maryland Fishing Report – April 26
MDDNR
The trout management waters in western Maryland will often provide good water quality for trout throughout the summer months and provide excellent fishing opportunities for fly casters.
WDTV
The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources announced on Monday that the following waters were stocked during the week of April 18–22.
Fishing for Giant Blue Catfish in the Shadow of Capitol Hill
OutdoorLife
What a winter kamikaze run for trophy catfish outside Washington D.C. can teach you about global warming, the YouTube generation, and the importance of a good bridge net.
A New Smithsonian Guide for How You Can Make Your Daily Routine More Sustainable
Smithsonian Magazine
Launched on Earth Day 2023, the Anacostia Community Museum’s Center for Environmental Justice is a new research hub at the Smithsonian that will leverage history and current research to develop solution-based models by and for the people most affected by environmental injustice.
Letter: Time to think about protecting the Potomac
InsideNova
One major way [to Protect the Potomac] is through green infrastructure, including the use of permeable pavers and sidewalks and green swales. As building projects are under consideration, an essential element of weighing their environmental impact should include what they can contribute back to the environment.
Alexandria Times
Three million dollars slipped through the city’s fingers last week after City Council announced it would rescind two grants backing the Taylor Run and Strawberry Run stream restoration projects.
After-school program and city officials celebrate Arbor Day
Cumberland Times-News
Roughly 100 students in the program in first through fifth grades from John Humbird and South Penn elementary schools participated in Monday’s activity.
Many cleanups took place over the past few weeks in celebration of Earth Day. Thank you to all the volunteers who showed up to make a difference! Here are a few highlights in local media:
Friends of the Occoquan fill 185 trash bags
To honor the upcoming Earth Day, April 22, 2023, Friends of the Occoquan organized a river cleanup across seven parks and marinas along the Occoquan River on Saturday, April 15.
Preserving the Anacostia River
Yahoo!News
In Cheverly, several volunteers came out to the Anacostia watershed to pick up trash, serve their community and enjoy the river.
Volunteers clean up the Anacostia Watershed on Earth Day
Fox5
Many environmentally friendly events took place around the DMV in honor of Earth Day including a volunteer event at the Anacostia watershed to clean up trash so they and others can enjoy the river.