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MD Environmental Report Gives Eastern Shore Rivers Low Grades

Choptank River
creative commons
Choptank River

The latest environmental report has given the bay a grade of C for the second straight year.

The University of Maryland’s Center for Environmental Science found that the rivers around agricultural areas lost ground last year.

The Choptank River received a C-minus while the upper shore rivers such as the Sassafras Chester and Miles got D’s.

That’s down from the previous year.

The researchers said that much of the problem involved the 50 inches of rain on Delmarva which brought fertilizer and animal waste from the fields into the rivers.

William Dennison, vice president of the center, said all of those Eastern Shore tributaries are showing that, “We’re not going in the right direction.”

Meanwhile, Maryland scientists found that key fish populations ranging from blue crabs to stripe bass improved last year.

    

Don Rush is the News Director at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.