water quality

2021 Severn River Report Card

Winter Algae Bloom Blankets Our Creeks 

Yuck … Our Water Quality (WQ) Monitoring teams discovered that our creeks are infested with this thick winter algae that blankets the bottom of most creeks in the Severn River. Just about everywhere we dropped the anchor during our WQ tours in April, this stuff comes up. And it is yucky. As WQ Crew member […]

Fertilizers: The Big Threat To Oysters, Fish, Crabs

–by Joan Treichel, SRA Science Reporter If you love your Severn River, please be very cautious about fertilizing your lawn this spring. Although fertilizers are remarkably valuable in feeding the world’s populations, when they end up in the Chesapeake Bay or the rivers that flow into it, they can inflict grave damage. What can be […]

The Floating Classroom Is Underway!

The fall is a great time for students to enjoy a scientific adventure on the Severn River to study oyster habitat and the connection to water quality. It’s time to schedule a Floating Classroom experience, a three-hour, hands-on introduction to water quality and habitat on the Severn River. This is a wonderful outdoor program to […]

Are Beavers Untapped Talent in Restoring the Severn?

by Joan Treichel, SRA science reporter The North American beaver has been promoted from “top hat” to “eco-engineer.” So reported Scott McGill. a stream and wetland restoration expert, during a talk sponsored by the Maryland Stream Restoration Association this winter.  Many aspects of the beaver’s capabilities were also reviewed by McGill’s colleague, Rachel Ortt, Eco-credits […]

Severn River WQ Data Tracks Dead Zones, Great Clarity

On top of all the trials we’ve experienced on land during 2020, the Severn River suffered through its own health crisis. It was a year that saw extensive algae blooms and persistent dead zones that plagued the river through spring and summer and even into the late October. And now, all of the water quality […]

2020 – The 5th Anniversary Of 14-Mile Severn River Swim 

— by Havana Mullaly, SRA Reporter Growing up in Severna Park, Jim Shepard was often found swimming in the Severn River. At a young age Jim was fascinated by swimming and was a part of the Severn River Swim Club during the 70’s. Back then, our treasured Severn River was in sad, sad shape. Despite […]

2020 – A Good Year For Oysters In The Severn!

ANNAPOLIS (October 10, 2020) — Despite the trials and challenges we all have faced on land from the Covid-19 pandemic, this was a good year for oysters in the Severn River, and now, conditions are greatly improving for them going into fall and winter. Just released water quality monitoring data, collected by the Severn River […]

Still Time To Sign Up For SRA’s Floating Classroom

The fall weather is a wonderful time to take advantage of SRA’s new Floating Classroom for students of all ages. This is a hands-on, environmental, educational and scientific adventure on the Severn River. SRA’s Floating Classroom is where “class” is held aboard our 20-ft. Maritime Skiff, Sea Girl. During a two- to three-hour tour, students […]

You’re Invited! SRA’s Annual Membership Meeting

August 28, 2020 Dear SRA Members and Communities, The Severn River Association (SRA) will hold its annual membership meeting on Sept. 3, 2020 at 7 pm. Due to the Covid pandemic, SRA is sponsoring a virtual meeting via a Zoom conference online. The meeting will feature: a keynote address by State Sen. Ed Reilly, a […]

Water Quality Monitoring Teams Are Back At Work!

With the lifting of boating restrictions in late May, SRA’s water quality monitoring crews are back in action to create a comprehensive picture of the health of the Scenic Severn River. Our weekly water quality monitoring tours visit 45 stations throughout the entire waterway, from Indian Landing at the top of the river, through Round […]

Monthly Giving, Automatic Renewal Now Available

If you’d like to automatically renew your SRA membership every year, you can now do this via the SRA Website. Your support helps sustain critical SRA’s programs. For example: a $50 donation supports our new Floating Classroom, which gives students a day of scientific explorations of the river and its habitat. A $35 donation keeps […]