Chester River water quality has shown marked improvement for 2015, up from C to C+, according to the Chester River Association’s recent assessment.
The assessment practices, along with solutions for improved water quality for the watershed, were explained in detail last Thursday during an overview session at Washington College’s Hynson Lounge.
The grade was given with significant caveats, however, pointing out that future success would depend on of the efficacy of current remedial programs, along with public awareness about how we contribute to the problem.
“Our monitoring shows that nutrient and sediment pollution increases in all of our tidal tributaries as you move upriver and away from the Chesapeake Bay – clear evidence the Chester is polluted from our own actions. The good news is that this means we hold the power to clean up our river,” the 2015 report card states.
Executive Director Anna Wolgast introduced the presentation with an overview of CRA’s mission and underscored the longevity of the program by announcing that 2016 marked its 30th year of advocating for the health of the Chester River and regional watershed.
Watershed Manager Tim Trumbauer hosted an extensive PowerPoint show to highlight the evolution of the river’s water quality issues and the programs that have been introduced to monitor and aid in the watershed’s restoration.
Even at 20 minutes, this video does not include all of the information conveyed on Thursday, and the Spy recommends visiting their new website here. Also, be sure to check out their new River Watch section for live updates on river quality as measured by its more than 50 monitoring stations.
Write a Letter to the Editor on this Article
We encourage readers to offer their point of view on this article by submitting the following form. Editing is sometimes necessary and is done at the discretion of the editorial staff.