Severn River Association team (L-R): Executive Director Jesse, Operations Manager Sarah, Restoration Associate Mollie, and Restoration Manager Ben

This newsletter is made possible in part thanks to the generous support of Diamond Sponsor Modera Wealth

Do you know the “serenity prayer”? The one that asks the divine for the ability to accept the things we cannot change, the courage to change the things we can, and the wisdom to know the difference? In uncertain times like these, this simple mantra can help keep us focused on our mission. The Severn River watershed is 82 square miles in a very wide world and while national forces beyond our control will ebb and flow, we have the power right now to effect meaningful change in and around our own Severn River.

Big Wins for the Severn

Last week we learned that after over a year of hard work, the Severn River has been selected for an unprecedented investment from the State of Maryland through the Whole Watershed Act. SRA was instrumental in reaching that milestone, from joining a small focus group in the fall of 2023 to craft the bill which ultimately became law, to pulling together the team of partners that drafted the proposal in response to the law. But the fight for the resources the Severn needs continues–to learn how to take action and protect this invaluable funding from budget cuts being considered by the Maryland legislature, see the section “Action Alert” later in this newsletter.

Last week a team of local high school athlete volunteers pulled hundreds of pounds of trash from Weems Creek, our number one priority subwatershed under the Severn River Action Plan. A commercial property owner gave us access and the City of Annapolis hauled off the waste our volunteers collected. Now that very dirty little stretch of stream is cleaner because we saw something we could change, and took action.

That same week we also began a groundbreaking project to install test wells for cutting-edge technology to manage septic system pollution. Septic system effluent is one of the more significant sources of pollution in our Severn River, and it is something we can and will change. This project is only possible because of the support of members like you, who care about this river. Also, a huge thanks to the Sherwood Forest Community for stepping up to be the pioneers of this innovative technology.

It need not stop with SRA–all of us at our own homes and businesses have the power to improve and protect our river. As spring awakens the earth, have a look around and think of where you might place thirsty native plants with deep roots to absorb stormwater and attract all sorts of neat birds and other animals for you to enjoy. Install a rain barrel to collect stormwater to stop erosion. Consider replacing white outdoor light bulbs with bulbs on the warmer, yellow-spectrum to protect pollinating insects. Go shake your oyster cages to help those bivalves grow and feed on the algae that are starting to come back to life. We all have the power to make a positive change, if we have the wisdom to see it. Happy spring!

Jesse Iliff

Executive Director

Jesse@severnriver.org

The long road to winning a spot for funding in the Whole Watershed Act has a new plot twist. One source of funding for this program comes from the MD Department of Natural Resources' Chesapeake and Atlantic Bays Trust Fund, which the General Assembly is currently considering cutting out of the State’s budget. We NEED YOU to contact your state lawmakers and tell them to protect the DNR Trust Fund and the Whole Watershed Act.

You can look up your state representatives with the button below. Enter your address and you will see a list of your state lawmakers. Pick up the phone and call or send them an email. Tell them how important the DNR Trust Fund is to the restoration of the Severn River and the Chesapeake Bay, and that it needs to be protected! Together we can ensure that the progress we made last year does not get erased.

We completed drilling the test wells in the Sherwood Forest community to measure nitrogen levels from septic systems. After a year of collecting data we will determine if it's the right location for an innovative treatment system called a Permeable Reactive Barrier. These barriers will treat nitrogen before it enters the Severn River. Learn more by watching the video above.

We broke ground on our restoration project in the Georgetown East community! SRA is working with Environmental Quality Resources, LLC and Bayland Consultants to install several bioretention pools with native plants. These pools will allow water to collect and filter through the native plants and sand before draining into the groundwater. Visit the project webpage for more details.

John Wright Speaker Series

In person ONLY at Cafe Mezzanotte.

760 Ritchie Highway, Severna Park

A recording will be made available after the event.

Two board members and three staff from Severn River Association attended Anne Arundel County Watershed Stewards Academy's (WSA) annual conference earlier this month.

In addition to having a table displaying information about how our organization is working on the Severn River, the SRA representatives learned about how to improve the soil health for waterways, bird-friendly landscaping, and smart flood-monitoring tech for climate resilience. Thank you WSA for another educational conference!

The Annapolis Junior Rowing team came out last weekend to help clean up a part of Weems Creek. They removed hundreds of pounds of trash including: 18 tires, 28 bags of trash, and 1 shopping cart. Thank you Junior Rowers!

Our important work is only possible due to the generous support of people like you. If you are a current donor - THANK YOU! We welcome your support any time of the year. If you are not yet a member, please consider joining the movement today. Any size donation makes you a member.

HELP RESTORE AND PROTECT THE SEVERN RIVER