SRA buoy marking the confines of the MGO oyster sanctuary reef

This newsletter is made possible in part thanks to the generous support of Platinum Sponsor: Annapolis Cars

Summer is always a busy time for river groups, but this week has been a bit exceptional.

Five days ago, the Department of Natural Resources called me with some unexpected, but amazing news: they had extra oyster larvae available at the last minute, and asked if SRA would be interested in using our direct setting technique to get them onto a restoration reef. Yesterday, 50 MILLION larvae were hand delivered to us and within hours Restoration Associates Mollie and Erin were pumping them down to a restoration reef where the larvae will settle on to oyster shells and start cleaning the Severn.

Millions of oyster larvae fit in a single coffee filter!

Those 50 million oysters are in addition to the year-old oysters our faithful Marylanders Grow Oysters (sign up to grow oysters here!) volunteers plant every year, and on top of the 16 MILLION spat on shell that SRA will be planting with contractors Wittman Wharf Seafood and Ferry Cove Oyster Hatchery this month.

We were also gifted 13 flats of grasses which we used to fortify the new living shoreline in the Wardour community. Lastly, in other great news, SRA has been awarded four new grants from the Chesapeake Bay Trust. More information about those below.

Thank YOU for all you do for the Severn - without your support none of this is possible.

For the Severn,

Ben Fertig, Ph.D

Restoration Manager

Thanks to the generosity of 86 donors we fully unlocked the match challenge set to us by donors Bob Whitcomb, Doug Legum, Ted Delaplaine and Todd Wilson, and an anonymous donor, and raised enough to increase our order to 16 Million oysters! Thank you to each and every one of the donors and matching donors who are invested in oyster restoration in the Severn River.

Nearly all of the Severn River is an oyster sanctuary for restoration, meaning the oysters cannot be harvested commercially. The polygons outlined in blue are the historic ‘Yates bars’, where oysters are known to have grown naturally, and where oyster restoration efforts are focused.

As mentioned in the opening paragraph, we were recently awarded four grants through Chesapeake Bay Trust.

Two grants are in partnership with the Anne Arundel County Bureau of Watershed Protection and Restoration:

• $87,958 to complete the design and permitting process for stormwater treatment and a living shoreline in the Hollywood on the Severn community.
• $96,018 to work with the Kensington and Severndale communities to design and permit stormwater treatment and fix associated erosion.

Another two are in partnership with the City of Annapolis: 

• $149,533 to design and implement a rain garden and permeable pavement at Forward Brewing in Eastport.
• $64,518 to work with the Redeemer Anglican Church to assess opportunities to treat stormwater and reduce nutrient and sediment pollution.

L: Design plan for raingarden at Forward Brewing. R: the shoreline at Hollywood on the Severn

Marylanders Grow Oysters


If you would like to renew your oyster growing this year, or try it for the first time, sign up TODAY.

NOTE: existing and new growers must use this form to receive oysters for the 2026-2027 growing season. We can only provide oysters for signups by July 1, even if you signed up last year. 

When: October 4th
Where: Kinder Farm Park

What: 100, 65, 30, 15 mile bike routes

Why: Raise money for your favorite river (the Severn!) and have fun with family and friends.

If you like biking, there is a course length for you! Join the Century cohort at 100 miles, a jaunty little 15 miler, or something in between. Kids are welcome, so bring the entire family!

This is a fun way to enjoy parts of our watershed, raise money for the Severn River, and be outside with your favorite people.

Summer in Maryland means hot sun, high humidity, and the occasional heavy downpour from a summer thunderstorm. When rainwater rushes off roofs and driveways, it carries fertilizers, oil, sediment, and bacteria straight into storm drains—and ultimately into the Severn River. One of the simplest ways homeowners can help is by redirecting their downspouts so rainwater soaks into the ground instead of becoming polluted runoff.



How to do it

• Add a downspout extension to guide water 6–10 feet away from your foundation and toward a spot where it can safely absorb.
• Aim the flow into a garden bed, grassy area, or native buffer strip—deep‑rooted plants naturally filter nutrients and slow runoff.
• Create a small “splash zone” at the end of the extension using river rock, mulch, or moisture‑loving native plants to prevent erosion.
• Check during the next rain to make sure water is spreading out and soaking in rather than pooling or flowing toward pavement.



Why it matters

Redirecting just one downspout can keep hundreds of gallons of stormwater out of the river each year. It’s a quick, inexpensive improvement that helps reduce nutrient pollution, protect wildlife habitat, and support a healthier Severn.

Volunteer

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