July 22, 2021
News from DNREC: Virtual information session for White Creek Dredging Project to be held on Wednesday (July 28th)
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control will hold a virtual information session on Wednesday (July 28) to discuss the upcoming White Creek maintenance dredging project in Sussex County. The public meeting will be held from 5 to 6:30 p.m. via Zoom. More information about the project and the link to join the meeting can be found at de.gov/dnrecmeetings.
 
Since White Creek was last dredged in the early 2000s shoaling has increasingly impacted navigation in the waterway that connects Indian River Bay to the Assawoman Canal, and ultimately Little Assawoman Bay. The project is currently in the design phase and an alternatives analysis is also underway to identify suitable beneficial uses for dredged material generated by the project to restore and enhance coastal wetland areas close to the waterway.
 
Facilitated by the Shoreline and Waterway Management section within the DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship, the virtual meeting will provide information about its waterway management program, and an update on the progress of the White Creek project design and current project schedule. Interested parties are encouraged to submit questions in advance of the public information session. Meeting attendees can also provide comments and ask questions about the proposed project during the meeting.
 
For more information, call the Division of Watershed Stewardship, 302-739-9921.
Ron helps to dedicate the newly-renovated Vanderwende-Evans Sussex Conservation Center
Ron joined dozens of citizens and elected officials last Thursday (July 15th) to dedicate the renovated and expanded headquarters of the Sussex Conservation District (SCD) near Georgetown.
 
According to SCD District Coordinator David Baird, his agency needed a larger, more contemporary home. The original administration building was more than three decades old and some of the support buildings and workshops dated back to the 1940s and 1950s.
 
The project included renovating the administration building, adding a large new addition, and replacing the equipment storage and support structures. "These changes meet our needs today and [will continue to do so] as we move into the future," Mr. Baird said.
 
The work was completed about a year ago, but the dedication was delayed due to the state's COVID-19 restrictions on group gatherings.
 
The new administration complex is known as the Vanderwende-Evans Conservation Center. The previous building had borne the name of the late Cashar W. Evans -- a farmer, entrepreneur, and conservationist who was a long-time chairman of the SCD Board of Supervisors. The new facility's moniker also incorporates the name of William "Bill" Vanderwende, who led the board for 21 years and was an outspoken advocate of the conservation district's work to prudently manage the land, curtail non-point source pollution, and protect the environment. Mr. Vanderwende passed away last September.
 
Ron's colleague - Rep. Jesse Vanderwende - spoke about his grandfather, stating: "He really dedicated a big portion of his life to being on this board and making water management in Sussex County, and ultimately throughout the state, more efficient."
 
Rep. Vanderwende added that all Sussex Countians owe a debt of gratitude to the work of the Conservation District, which has made large portions of land that would be otherwise be unviable, available for residential use and agricultural production.
Between now and August 30th, Delaware State Police are collecting school supplies for their "Operation Troopers Have Your BACKpack" effort
Hunger Relief Day at the Delaware State Fair in Harrington will be held on Monday (July 26th)
To contact Ron: [email protected]