MattawomanMattawoman CreekCreek CanCan wewe savesave thethe BayBay ifif wewe letlet itsits gemsgems slipslip away?away?

Jim Long Mattawoman Watershed Society

March 11, 2009 Charles County Commissioners Mattawoman Watershed Society Protecting and preserving Mattawoman Creek for the enjoyment of all. MattawomanMattawoman isis ““thethe best,best, mostmost productiveproductive tributarytributary toto thethe Bay.Bay.

Maryland fisheries service, 2005 Yellow Perch White Perch American Shad River Herring Migratory fish

Maryland fisheries service ay B ke ea ap es Ch best, most productive tributary to the Bay.” A Chesapeake Bay Issue Mattawoman is “the “The Mattawoman is considered one of the best spots for bass fishing on the East Coast” September 4, 2008 Reason for urgent concern

“Under current development scenarios, the result will be an overall decline in the ecosystem.”

“These intense development practices would have severe repercussions on the biological community and would decrease the habitat quality within the estuary.” “The County cannot rely on State and Federal regulatory programs within their limited scope of review to protect the aquatic resources of the Mattawoman Creek. Letter to Charles County from Army Corps of Engineers November 19, 2008 Cook’s Tour of Mattawoman Creek

Mount Vernon Patuxent

r P i s c a t a w a y e v I R

Bryans Mason Road Neck Waldorf START c a Indian m t o Head o P Z e k i a h

END

P o r t La Plata 2 miles N a n j e m o y T o b a c c o ~Source Successional beaver meadow Hey! Don’t insult our warts! Not without warts—Buried tributary ~20 miles of river Head of tide S2—state imperiled

G3 community—globally uncommon

Tidal-freshwater Estuary Extensive & diverse tidal freshwater marshes Outstanding tidal freshwater marshes Tundra Swans Dec. Smallwood State Park, at mouth with Potomac River Mattawoman remains special today…

“Where one goes pleasantly” From the Algonquian “Mattaughquamend” “Mattawoman is the best, most productive tributary in the Bay” DNR Fisheries 2005 presentation to County Commissioners • Largemouth Bass

• Migratory Fish spawning habitat & nursery

• One of the healthiest aquatic food-webs Baywide A focal point for the Potomac River Largemouth Bass Recreational Fishery “Mattawoman Creek is the most productive tributary of all the fine Potomac River branches.” Ken Penrod, author and fishing guide

The Pomonkey, Mattawoman, and the Potomac between them make up the most important habitat for the proliferation of the large mouth bass in the entire Potomac River Estuary. Local Bass Tournaments Tens of millions of dollars of commerce annually in Maryland alone. Migratory Fish

River Herring Young of Year

Migratory-fish juvenile density 40 times more!

7 Bay tributaries combined

2nd study: J. Carmichael et al., 10 times more River Herring! Fish Sampling in Eight 2 times more White Perch! Chesapeake Bay Tribs., DNR, 1992.

13 Bay tributaries combined Notable biodiversity The most diverse site in Maryland for amphibians & reptiles (18 species) “one of the best Coastal Plain systems in MD”

MBSS State of Streams IX, 2004

Hognose snake (in “greatest need of conservation”)

Oh yeah? DNRDNR FisheriesFisheries ServiceService concludes:concludes:

““MattawomanMattawoman representsrepresents asas nearnear toto idealideal conditionsconditions asas cancan bebe foundfound inin thethe northernnorthern ChesapeakeChesapeake Bay,Bay, perhapsperhaps unattainableunattainable inin thethe otherother systems,systems, andand shouldshould bebe protectedprotected fromfrom overdevelopment.overdevelopment.””

WhatWhat makesmakes MattawomanMattawoman soso special?special? Location,Location, location,location, locationlocation

J. Carmichael et al., Fish Sampling in Eight Chesapeake Bay Tribs., DNR CBRM-HI-92-2 ay B ke ea ap es Ch Location beyond DC’s urban gradient: Forested watershed “Forests are the best land cover for improving water quality in the Chesapeake Bay.” Rebecca Hanmer, former director, EPA’s Chesapeake Bay Program Office.

Other Other Forest Forest

1990 2000 State Office of Planning Chesapeake Bay Program website

In aggregate, over 10,000 acres of forest are expected to be lost in the next 20 years, replaced with suburban development. This will represent a dramatic change in the landscape and function of the watershed. Forest meters & filters the Bay’s water supply

Precipitation Evapotranspiration

(more than 50% H20 returns!)

•Mild overland flow; filters pollutants; proper nutrient mix Shade Organic soils=‘sponge’ cools streams

Debris: widens •Infiltration stream maintains water table •Seepage provides stream “baseflow” stream between storms Location: tidal freshwater

Tidal freshwater

Slightly brackish

More brackish

Fall surface salinities Potomac’s last tidal freshwater estuary beyond the urban gradient spreading from Washington DC Washington DC

Largemouth Bass Urban

Summer survey decrease rk C 40 DNR 2004 ad ro B 30 ay Mt. Vernon w 20 ta ca is 10 P Fish per hour per Fish 0 y Bryans k y n a a e k a a n y Road re Cr w rk m B C ad ta ay C o wom s d a w w salinity < 0.5 ppt Waldorf a Bro c aw a tta lo is tt l ro P a Ma a Mallows Ba B iscat M P M 19% 17% 8.5% <2% Impervious cover Salinity decrease Mallows ON THE BRINK! Bay 0.5 – 5 ppt M. Groves, DNR Inland Fisheries, Poster at the 2nd Maryland Streams Symposium, Carroll Community College 10-13 Aug 2005. 5 – 18 ppt Impervious cover is approaching dangerously high fractions

non- functioning Business as usual

severe we are here degradation

significant degradation

“Studies suggest that about 10% impervious cover constitutes a threshold for significant impacts to aquatic resources.” Nov. 17th letter to County from ACOE.

“It is generally accepted that if impervious cover exceeds 15%, then impacts can be severe.” ACOE Management Plan Most of watershed is designated for urbanization

` Mt Vernon

Bryans Road Waldorf

2 miles Growth inducing impacts from the wastewater treatment plant were to be avoided

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING 1990 among Charles County Maryland the State of Maryland, and the United States Environmental Protection Agency Region III

“However, the FONSI [for primary impacts] was issued with reservations noted for a number of secondary impacts.”

“1. Protection of non-tidal wetlands, 2. Limitations on growth, 3. Land-use controls, 4. Protection of groundwater supplies, 5. Sedimentation/erosion control enforcement.” HoweverHowever…… “The Creek is expected to continue its decline as growth continues over the next 20 years.

…increases in the loading of nitrogen,

2003 phosphorus, and suspended solids can be anticipated.

Under current development scenarios, the result will be an overall decline in the ecosystem.”

Some concrete examples… “increases in the loading of N, P, and suspended solids can be anticipated.” Under current development scenarios, the result will be an overall decline in the ecosystem.

Bryans Road SERC n Poor a Aquatic insect-larvae indicators Stations rb U Forest 39 Fair % Grass Chapman Forest few er fis h s pe cie s Good

Good 3.5 AirportSolids NP

Fair 3 Good 2.5 _

2

1.5

Relative load/ha 1

0.5

Relative loads/ ha N T 0 S Trib Solids Tot N Tot P “The severe alterations in hydrology will dramatically increase the rate of sediment input during high flow events.” Mattawoman

Forested stream “During high flow events, there will be large sediment loadings associated with runoff, erosion and severe channel change …associated with bank erosion, down-cutting, and other examples of stream instability.

Mattawoman tributary draining Bryans Road “Sediment…can be expected to move through the system, eventually entering the Mattawoman Estuary…there may be a decline in the overall substrate and habitat quality within the estuary. Sediment may have implications…for game fish species.”

Mud flowing into the Pomonkey Creek tidal estuary. Mattawoman on EPA’s “303(d) list” of impaired waters:

1996: excess nutrients 1996: excess sediment 2002: degraded living resources

New data in 2008… Stress: data show River Herring are stressed upstream Bumpy Oak bridge site

A River Herring on 1998, 1999 2008 every cast. River Herring Eggs River Herring Eggs

~100 eggs per 5 minute sample every week 0 (averaged over season) eggs over entire season. Science suggests an explanation

Predominantly Alewife Herring Technology helps, but is not enough 2007 “The pollution increases associated with land development…have surpassed the gains achieved from improved landscape design and stormwater management practices. Pollution from urban and suburban lands is now the only pollution sector in the Bay watershed that is still growing. ”

EPA Inspector General’s report That Mattawoman is at tipping point is widely recognized What can be done? The “Fermata Report”

“It is much cheaper to conserve biodiversity than to recreate it.” George Washington Maryland Conservation Area

Many of these pristine resources lack permanent protection and are therefore subject to the land use and development pressures typical of rapidly growing communities.

ek n Cre woma Matta Alternatives to business as usual •Re-evaluate land-use strategies—a necessary step to save Mattawoman & the Bay.

•Forest or impervious surface?

•Preservation or Restoration?

•Switch priorities to transit oriented development.

non- functioning Business as usual

severe we are here degradation significant degradation Benefits of preservation ($)

•Cost of servicing sprawl exceeds tax revenue, unlike compact development: $1.10 - $1.40 in services per $1 in tax revenue (DNR)

•Sustains bass fishery worth 10’s of millions of $$.

•Restoration costs more than preservation

& is imperfect. Benefits: County Ecotourism

The “Fermata Report”

For a successful nature tourism plan, Charles County must have:

• A community-wide commitment to preserve and expand its natural resources Benefits: compliance with pollution reduction requirements

“The Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL) was established to address the impairment of water quality caused by nitrogen and phosphorus identified in Maryland’s 1996 Section 303(d) list for water quality-limited segments.”

“Total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) requires a 40% reduction in nonpoint

m source loads of nitrogen and phosphorus.” l bloo Alga 08 st 20 Augu EPA Decision Rationale TaxpayersTaxpayers benefitbenefit atat nono costcost

Forested watersheds and wetlands… produce oxygen, purify air, filter stormwater, infiltrate groundwater, sequester global warming gases, sustain seafood… forfor free.free.

The annual economic loss in ecological services from disappearing forest exceeds the total losses in the global financial meltdown. European Union study headed by Deutche Bank economist—Oct. 2008 Who else benefits from preserving Mattawoman?

Mecca for Largemouth Bass anglers Dip netters during the spring spawning run of River

Herring. Anglers for River Herring Good for kids Yellow Perch White Perch American Shad River Herring Largemouth Bass

ay B ke ea ap es Ch low it’s gems to slip away? A Chesapeake Bay Issue Can we save the Bay if we al the Can we save Concern over the health of the Bay is growing

Public opinion survey, November 2008 Take home messages: Mattawoman is poster child for what ails the Bay: A most productive Bay tributary for fish. High biodiversity. Health is on the brink from urbanization. Health is projected to decline dramatically.

Alternatives must be implemented—how can we save the Bay if its gems slip away?

We owe present & future Charles County citizens no less