NANTICOKE RIVER WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLAN Table of Contents Acknowledgements ...............................................................................................................................2 Top Level Summary ...............................................................................................................................4 Introduction .............................................................................................................................................5 Public Participation and Visioning Initiative ...............................................................................7 Listening Sessions ............................................................................................................................................ 7 Visioning Conference ...................................................................................................................................... 8 Watershed Characterization ........................................................................................................... 10 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................... 10 Current Studies and Reports ..................................................................................................................... 10 Physical Characteristics .............................................................................................................................. 11 Land Use /Land Cover ................................................................................................................................. 13 Agriculture ....................................................................................................................................................... 15 Forest and Wetlands .................................................................................................................................... 15 Developed/Transitional ............................................................................................................................. 17 Water .................................................................................................................................................................. 18 Natural and Cultural Resources ..................................................................................................... 19 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................... 19 Green Infrastructure .................................................................................................................................... 19 Protected Lands ............................................................................................................................................ 20 Recreational Opportunities ............................................................................................................. 25 Growth and Development ................................................................................................................ 28 Plan Implementation ......................................................................................................................... 49 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................... 49 Water Quality .................................................................................................................................................. 50 Natural and Cultural Resources ............................................................................................................... 60 Recreational Opportunities ....................................................................................................................... 61 Community Vision ......................................................................................................................................... 61 Next Steps ......................................................................................................................................................... 66 Potential Implementation Project Funding and Support .............................................................. 67 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................. 71 Glossary of Acronyms ........................................................................................................................ 72 Nanticoke River Watershed Management Plan 1 Acknowledgements Project Manager: Megan Ward, Nanticoke Watershed Alliance Project Funders: Chesapeake Bay Trust Town Creek Foundation National Fish and Wildlife Foundation MPG Urban Planning Services provided consulting services for the development of several maps and content related to this project. The Nanticoke Watershed Alliance would like to thank the many additional contributors to the creation of the Nanticoke Watershed Management Plan: Visioning Conference Committee: Bill Collison, local historian; George Whitehead, Salisbury University; Erik Fisher, Land Use Planner Chesapeake Bay Foundation; Sewell Fitzhugh, Chief Nause-Waiwash Tribe; Joe Glime, Federalsburg Historical Society; Bob Heim, ReMax Realty; Pat Jones, Seaford City Council and AFRAM Executive Director; Libby Nagel, Farmer and Dorchester Citizens for Safe Energy; Jim Passwaters, Delmarva Poultry Industry; Eric Wisner, waterman; Newell Quinton, John Quinton Foundation; Jim Rapp, Delmarva Low-Impact Tourism Experiences (DLITE); Scott Thomas, Southern Delaware Tourism; Megan Ward, Nanticoke Watershed Alliance; Jennifer Hicks, Positive Force Consulting (consultant); Iantha Gantt-Wright, Kenian Group (consultant). Visioning Conference Participants: Linda Allen, Nanticoke Creekwatchers; Leslie Wright, Wicomico Environmental Trust; Russ Brinsfield, Mayor, Town of Vienna; Suzanne Baird, Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge; Betsy Cottingham, Eastern Shore Sailing Association; Amanda Fenstermaker, Dorchester County Tourism; Erik Fisher, Chesapeake Bay Foundation; Sewell Fitzhugh, Nause- Waiwash Tribe of Indians; Joe Glime, Federalsburg Historical Society; Vikram Krishnamurthy, Eastern Shore Land Conservancy; John Kotoski, Eastern Shore Builders Association; Steele Phillips, River Farms; Jim Rapp, Delmarva Low Impact Tourism Experiences; Becky Robinson, Delmarva Water Transport Committee; Rebecca Rothweiler, Delaware Dept. of Natural Resources and Environmental Control; Bob Heim, ReMax Realty; Tom Darby, Nanticoke Watershed Preservation Group, Inc.; Stan Shedaker, Adrenaline High; Danny Short, Delaware House of Representatives; Fred Sponseller, Cooper Realty; Martin Stewart, Purdue Farms; Sara Sutton, Big Brothers Big Sisters; Megan Ward, Nanticoke Watershed Alliance; Cory Whaley, Sussex County Agricultural Extension; Judith Stribling, Friends of the Nanticoke River; Sylvia Bradley, Westside Historical Society; John Hunt and Karin D’Armi-Hunt, HAPPEN Seaford; Linda Prochaska, Senator Mikulski’s Office; Nanticoke River Watershed Management Plan 2 Bob Wheatley, Sussex County Planning and Zoning; Rodney Smith, Sussex County Planning and Zoning; Shelton Lankford, Local Eastern Shore Sustainable Organic Network; Christine Conn, Maryland Department of Natural Resources; Lisa Ludwig, Lower Eastern Shore Heritage Council; Newell Quinton, John Quinton Foundation; Eric Wisner, local waterman, Scott Thomas, Southern Delaware Tourism; Christina Darby, Nanticoke River Arts Council; Matt Heim, AmeriCorps; Spencer Travi, Greenbranch Organic Farm; Geet Jeswani, Parkside High School; George Whitehead, AmeriCorps/Salisbury University; Bethany Brinsfield, Dorchester High School; John Brinsfield, Vienna area farmer; Steve Kimpton, Invista; Sandy Brinsfield, Vienna resident; and Franklin Wright, longtime Wicomico County resident. Additional Information/Review: David Burke, Chesapeake Conservancy; Andrew Howard, DE Dept. of Natural Resources and Environmental Control; Jim Newcomb, Dorchester Soil Conservation District; Jared Parks, Eastern Shore Land Conservancy; Alan Girard, Chesapeake Bay Foundation; Karen Lukacs, Wicomico Environmental Trust; Amy Jacobs, The Nature Conservancy; Lisa Ludwig, Lower Eastern Shore Heritage Council; Judith Stribling, Friends of the Nanticoke River; Jennifer Volk, DE Dept. of Natural Resources and Environmental Control; Erik Fisher, Chesapeake Bay Foundation; Keith Lackie, MD Dept. of Planning; Jason Dubow, MD Dept. of Planning; Bryan Hall, DE Office of State Planning and Coordination. “The Nanticoke region will mindfully and intentionally conserve natural and cultural resources in a way that enhances the unique social, economic, and environmental make-up of the area with a particular focus on passing on natural and cultural legacies and preserving continuity of land use in connection with cultural significance.” “The Nanticoke region will draw and retain youth and young families by providing quality jobs and job training within an economy that celebrates and preserves local identity, encourages innovation, reflects the true cost of doing business, and grows within the carrying capacity of both human and natural communities.” ~Nanticoke Visioning Conference Participants, March 2010 Nanticoke River Watershed Management Plan