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Nanticoke Currents Summer 2017

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Nanticoke Currents Summer 2017 Nanticoke June | 2017 currents CONSERVING THE NATUR AL, CULTURAL, AND RECREATIONAL RESOURCES OF THE NANTICOKE RI VER Homeowners Workshops Golden Nanticoke Creek Freaks Workshop Learn about rain gardens, Was there a fungus among The NWA offers educators an rain barrels, pollinator- us? Find out what caused a opportunity to learn about friendly gardening practices, golden sheen on the our local waterways and lawn fertilization, converting Nanticoke in May. learn activities they can lawns to meadows, and conduct with their students See pages 2 & 3 . more. inside and outside. See page 6. See page 5. C+ Grade for the Nanticoke Report Card The Nanticoke’s grades slipped a bit this year. Increased rainfall and higher levels of phosphorus are damaging the waterways. Learn more about the issues and what you can do. See page 7. Unusual Golden Sheen on the Nanticoke River Photo Credit: Tom Darby Written by Mike Pretl & Judith Stribling May 22 dawned as a normal though periodically rainy day for NWA’s Creekwatchers. Every other Monday from late March through early November – rain or shine -- our trained volunteers visit 36 sites on the river and its major tributaries, from Delaware down to Nanticoke. These citizen scientists collect water samples and partner labs analyze for total nitrogen, total phosphorus, chlorophyll a, and bacteria. Creekwatchers also measure dissolved oxygen, salinity, water temperature, water clarity, and total water depth directly. Lastly, Creekwatchers note and record on data sheets the temperature and weather conditions as well as any unusual phenomenon of the water or its surrounding habitat. That morning, our river waters displayed nothing abnormal, only an occasional, slight film of brownish algae, to be expected in the spring months. However, by the end of that day, when the clouds had dispersed and the sun emerged, observers at sites throughout the watershed – in Seaford and Sharptown, on the Marshyhope, and at Riverton down to Vienna and beyond -- reported an unusual substance or coloration on the water surface. Many long-time residents indicated they had never seen anything similar before. For much of its length, the Nanticoke River was covered by a remarkable orange-gold surface slick. Similar sightings that day were reported on the Choptank River in Denton, and on the Broadkill River. Each of these sites was freshwater and had tree-lined shores upstream. Several folks along the Nanticoke River determined that the material was not an oil slick or other pollutant, but appeared biological in origin. Doug Stephens collected a sample of the substance from the river next to his house in Sharptown. Faculty at Salisbury University’s Dept. of Unusual Golden Sheen on the Nanticoke River Biological Sciences, Drs. Chris Briand, Ann Barse, and Judith Stribling, examined it under the microscope and found two notable forms: star-shaped clear structures and colorful round objects that looked like pollen grains. The latter gave the material its golden appearance from the shore. The Salisbury University Biology faculty and Andy Howard of the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control worked together to determine that these were two different types of fungi, both found on dead or dying tree leaves. The first is probably a clear fungus that has star-shaped hyphae, (string-like filaments) called a hyphomycete. It is very common and it colonizes dead leaves, breaking them down in the first step of decomposition. The round-shaped objects are likely spores from the disease-causing ash tree rust fungus, which is attacking a number of ash trees in the area this spring and actually causes the death of leaves. There are many Green Ash trees growing in the wetland forests along the upper reaches of the Eastern Shore’s rivers, as they are exceptionally Photo Credit: Doug Stephens flood-tolerant. This assessment still needs to be confirmed by an algae and tree specialist. However, NWA and its citizen scientists have been assured that the substance is harmless, and the phenomenon natural -- not suggesting any “foreign” matter or dangerous pollutant. Strangely, by the following morning, the “golden” surface had virtually disappeared in the flow of the tidal currents, and the Nanticoke River had regained its natural, healthy look. Middle Schoolers Take Action in Their Community Creek Freaks Teachers Workshop The Nanticoke Watershed Alliance has created a yearlong experience for seventh graders in Wicomico and Sussex Counties. This experience includes field trips, in-classroom presentations, and action projects to give youth an opportunity to form a connection with their local waterways. This spring, Wicomico County seventh graders completed projects that will benefit their community and help protect their watershed by decreasing pollution sources. These projects included launching recycling campaigns at their schools to decrease waste and creating storm drain art to raise awareness about stormwater pollution. At Salisbury Middle School, students researched Salisbury’s storm drain system and learned which waterway stormwater entered via school property. The students then submitted designs to decorate two storm drains. The student body and faculty voted on their favorites, and students painted winning designs at the school. Stormwater runoff occurs when rain and melting snow run across the land into local streams and storm drains. The water picks up pollutants such as litter, dog waste, excess fertilizers, leaky engine fluids, and anything else left on the ground. These pollutants end up in our rivers and the Chesapeake Bay. At Pittsville Middle School, a plastics recycling campaign was launched in the cafeteria. Students created posters that were hung around the school and made presentations to each homeroom to raise awareness of their campaign. The seventh graders collected and sorted the plastic recycling three times a week-until the end of the school year. The students also launched two cleanups by picking up trash on the school property, the county softball field, and the library’s annex. Creek Freaks Teachers Workshop Laurel Public Library Thursday, July 20 and Friday July 21 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Nanticoke Watershed Alliance will be offering a FREE 2- Day Creek Freaks Workshop for teachers, environmental educators, non-Formal educators, and volunteers. Wicomico County Teachers will receive 1 CPD credit by completing an additional NGSS-aligned lesson plan using content from the workshop. Participants will receive: Free Creek Freaks curriculum Classroom supplies Indoor classroom activities; outdoor in-stream experiences Certificate of completion Teacher credit Basic understanding of stream ecology Visit www.NanticokeRiver.org/cftw2017 to register. Toast to the Nanticoke Fundraiser Over 100 people gathered at Layton’s Chance Winery on May 12 to celebrate the Nanticoke River. Crucial to NWAs ability to fund programs, the event raised Stormwater runoff occurs when rain and melting snow run more than $15,000. across the land into local streams and storm drains. The water Special thanks to everyone picks up pollutants such as litter, dog waste, excess fertilizers, who came out on that rainy leaky engine fluids, and anything else left on the ground. These night and to our sponsors. pollutants end up in our rivers and the Chesapeake Bay. Visit: www.NanticokeRiver.org/ events for photos. See page 8 for additional sponsors. Homeowners Workshop Series: Backyard Conservation Nanticoke Watershed Alliance wants to help you improve water quality and beautify your backyard! Learn about rain gardens, rain barrels, pollinator-friendly gardening practices, lawn fertilization, converting lawns to meadows, and more. Participants will receive 45-gallon EarthMinded Rain Barrels, soil test kits, and Backyard Conservation 2016 Nanticoke River Report Card Packs that includes resources about native plants and the Nanticoke River. We will provide lunch. The River and Creeks grades declined Registration is required, and spots are limited. from B– and B, respectively, in 2015 to C+ in in both. July 15 | 10AM-2PM July 22 | 10:30AM-1:30PM Highlights: Wicomico County Cooperative Greenwood Public Library Delaware Headwaters was the only area Extension Register at http://nanticokeriver.org/ to score a B in 2016. Register at http://nanticokeriver.org/ greenwood/ Total phosphorus amounts were higher in july15salisbury/ concentration throughout the watershed. Broad Creek scored poorest in chlorophyll a, which indicates the presence of too much algae. Heavy rainfalls in the summer and autumn months spurred excessive polluted runoff. Congratulations to our Nanticoke Creekwatchers We can all do things to reduce runoff in Program, whose tidal data is now Tier 3. This means that our home, work, church, school, and our data can be used by agencies for management community organizations, such as planting and policy decisions! native trees and plants, installing rain Thanks to all of our program partners, supporters, and gardens to capture stormwater, reducing (especially) volunteers who have helped us build this pavement and converting paved surfaces to permeable surfaces. incredible program in the last ten years! Download the report card at http://nanticokeriver.org/2016-nanticoke-river-report-card-released/ or pick up one in person. Wade In aka “Sneaker Index” The 2017 “sneaker index” at Trap Pond was 16 inches; the 2015 measurement was 18 inches. The “sneaker index” is an informal way of measuring water clarity and is based on Bernie Fowler’s 30-year tradition on the Patuxent. Nanticoke Watershed Alliance gave away nearly 50 native plants and shrubs to attendees of Native Plants and Greening Your Home workshops. Two attendees of a Rain Barrels workshop received free rain barrels. Thanks to DNREC for sponsoring this event! 2016 Nanticoke River Report Card The River and Creeks grades declined from B– and B, respectively, in 2015 to C+ in in both. Highlights: Delaware Headwaters was the only area to score a B in 2016. Total phosphorus amounts were higher in concentration throughout the watershed.Wade In Results Broad Creek scored poorest in chlorophyll a, which indicates the presence of too much algae.
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