On Sunday, June  14, GreenGive organization members and volunteers, including Annapolis Green, followed the “Wade In” tradition started by State Senator Bernie Fowler 33 years ago in the Patuxent River by wading into Annapolis’ four creeks to assess water clarity. The waders move into the water until they can no longer see their feet or their sneakers, as an unscientific, yet easy-to-understand measure of how clear our creek waters are.

Results:

• Back Creek (2019 measurement was 43.3”)
  • 40” at Annapolis Maritime Museum
  • 30” at Annapolis Maritime Museum’s Back Creek Nature Park
• College Creek (2019 measurement was 39.4”)
  • 19.5” at the St. John’s College living shoreline
• Spa Creek (2019 measurement was 19.7”)
  • 26” at Truxtun Park
• Weems Creek (2019 measurement was 29.5”)
  • 25.5” at Dewey Dock

In summary, Back Creek clarity was about the same as last year, College Creek was half as clear, Spa Creek was more clear, and Weems Creek was slightly less clear. This year more underwater grasses are being seen in almost all of the Bay’s tributaries.

Water clarity is important because it can affect the health of underwater grasses which are a critical part of the ecology of the Bay and its tributaries. When water is murky sunlight reaching underwater grasses is reduced making it difficult or impossible for photosynthesis to happen. Bay and river water can become cloudy from excess nutrients (such as fertilizers) and sediments (soil runoff or erosion in rainstorms) which fuel algae growth. When the algae dies the decomposition reduces available oxygen in the water harming aquatic wildlife.

Senator Fowler began his informal “sneaker index” of water clarity because he was concerned about the declining health of the Patuxent and the Chesapeake Bay. When he was a boy he could see crabs scurrying under his feet at chest-high depth. Read more here. The tradition has continued throughout the Bay and its tributaries.

The GreenGive is a collaborative fundraising partnership that includes ten  small environmental nonprofits that work completely or primarily in Anne Arundel County. Funds raised by the 24-hour campaign, taking place this year on July 21-22, will be used to invest in actions that have a tangible impact on our own local waterways and quality of life. Every dollar raised will be turned into projects and programs that make a difference in Anne Arundel County.

The partners are:

• Annapolis Green
• Arundel Rivers Federation
• ClearShark H2O
• Scenic Rivers Land Trust
• Severn River Association
• Severn Riverkeeper
• Spa Creek Conservancy
• Luke’s Restoration of Nature
• Unity Gardens
• Watershed Stewards Academy

Read more about the GreenGive here: https://greengive.org.