If you have driven along McKinsey Road between Ritchie Highway and Cape Arthur during the past month you may have noticed construction equipment in the woods. The good news is the construction is part of a project to restore the eroded North Cypress Branch streambed. In mid June, site work began encompassing the area from Ritchie Highway behind the Shell to the headwaters of the North Branch of Cypress Creek. During the past 50 years, stormwater runoff from commercial and residential development in the areas surrounding McKinsey and Cypress Creek roads had caused large portions of this stream…
When I signed up for the Master Watershed Stewards program two years ago, I did so because I wanted to learn how to help improve the water quality in the Severn and Magothy river watersheds. The training I received through weekly classes and practical “hands on” projects greatly increased my knowledge and awareness of ways through which I could help reverse the effects of pollution in our waterways. During the last two years, I enthusiastically shared that knowledge with my neighbors and the people who attended the various events where I helped staff an outreach and information display. I …
Last Monday evening, the Watershed Stewards Academy sponsored a tour in Severna Park to provide information about the efforts of three local stewards to reduce stormwater runoff pollution in the Severn and Magothy river watersheds. Attendees included Anne Arundel County Councilman Dick Ladd, members of the Watershed Stewards Academy board of directors, and several area watershed stewards. The tour stops featured a degraded stormwater outlet near Barrensdale Road, the rain gardens in my front yard on Lower Magothy Beach Road in Stewart’s Landing, Ann Jackson’s rain garden project on Park Drive…
More than a year ago, I received an email from a Severna Park neighbor asking if my experience as a member of the Watershed Stewards Academy would help him solve an erosion problem at his community beach. I quickly responded that I would be glad to help in any way possible. Within a week of our initial contact, I visited the beach during a steady rainfall and took several pictures showing the soil erosion being caused by stormwater runoff. After we reviewed the photos and visited the site, we determined that the majority of the runoff was coming from an old storm drain outlet pipe that …
In October, I wrote about my experience installing two rain gardens in my front yard to help reduce pollution from stormwater runoff. I'm glad to report that thanks to a mild winter, all the plants survived and are growing well. My biggest challenge during the construction process was removing the red clay that was used to rough grade the yard when my house was built. The layer of poor-draining clay varied between 16 to 28 inches deep, which meant the collection area for stormwater in my rain gardens would be much deeper than the usual depth of a foot or so found in most rain gardens. After I…
Memorial Day weekend is a week away and its arrival usually signals the beginning of the season when people enjoy swimming and other water-related activities in the Severn and Magothy Rivers. While stormwater runoff and aging septic systems pollute the rivers, people can reduce their risk for illness. Here are some precautions to take before and after coming in contact with the water: The Anne Arundel County Department of Health has a standing advisory that no one should swim in the waters of the beaches in the county, including the Severn and Magothy rivers, within 48 hours after a rainfall…
It has been nearly a decade since I began to change my backyard from a play area for my kids to a more naturalized landscape that would help improve habitat for wildlife. As my project slowly progressed through the planning stage, I became aware of the benefits of including native plants in my plans. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, native plants are “adapted to local soils and climate conditions, generally require less water and fertilizer … are more resistant to insects and disease and are less likely to need pesticides.” I learned the hard way that just because plants share…
Each year, Earth Day reminds us of the impact our day-to-day living has upon the environment. Hopefully, those of you who attended the ninth annual Earth Day Festival, hosted by the Greater Severna Park Watershed Action Group at Severna Park Middle School, came away from the event with a desire to help reduce pollution around your homes and neighborhoods. A number of people took advantage of the opportunity to purchase rain barrels and composters at our local Earth Day event. Both products offer homeowners easy, practical ways to reduce pollution and improve our environment. Once the initial …
Once a week, the county collects yard waste at the curbs of homes in Severna Park. The bags of leaves and bundles of branches are loaded on a recycling truck, but where does this material go once it is collected? Fortunately, yard waste from our area is not dumped in a landfill. It is transported to the Western Branch Composting Facility in Upper Marlboro which is managed by Prince George’s County and operated under contract by Maryland Environmental Services. It is there that over 80,000 tons of yard waste from Anne Arundel County and Prince George’s County residents are processed into …
English ivy, Hedera helix, has been a popular landscape plant in the United States since colonial times, and it is used frequently as a ground cover in many yards in the Severna Park area. It is a hardy, long lasting plant, and its dark, glossy green leaves often provide a contrasting background for other plants in the garden. In this area, it is easy to find English ivy growing up the trunks and branches of trees and carpeting the ground around the trees on public and private land. Unfortunately, due to its ability to grow well in a variety of conditions, English ivy is now considered an …
I think it would be safe to say that the mild winter weather is giving folks an early dose of “spring fever” this year. Daffodils are blooming, some flowering trees are beginning to show color and the cool season blue grass and fescue lawns, that are predominate in the Severna Park area, are starting to turn green. In the past, we were told that to improve the appearance of our lawns, we needed to apply fertilizer with high nitrogen content at this time of year to encourage the grass to turn a rich, dark green color. While this practice did achieve the desired result of creating a greener …
During the last several decades, many of the summer cottages that had been constructed along the Severn and Magothy Rivers were converted into year-round residences. Typically, the homes in these waterfront communities were situated on narrow lots and relied upon septic systems for wastewater removal. As the years progressed, the number of homes in these older communities increased and, during the last 20 years, the size of many of the homes increased as well. Unfortunately, it was not always possible to increase the size of the septic systems on these properties due to the small lots on …
Phytoplankton, commonly referred to as algae, are microscopic size, single-cell plants that serve as an important source of food for many creatures that live in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. These tiny plants live near the surface of a body of water and feed on nutrients that are washed into waterways. During warm weather, when excessive amounts of nutrients are washed into waterways, the phytoplankton population will increase dramatically which can warn biologists that an oxygen deprived dead zone may soon be created in the water. Dead zones occur when the phytoplankton die, sink …
See below for an update to this post. Dobbins Island is in the news again, however this time the issue concerns erosion control of the cliffs on the island rather than the ongoing dispute over usage rights for the beach on the island’s north shore. David Clickner, the owner of Dobbins Island, has wanted to build a home there since he purchased the property in 2004, but before he builds a house, he wants to address the erosion of the island’s shoreline. According to Polly Thornton’s article about the history of Dobbins Island in Maryland Life, the island was 13 1/2 acres when it was purchased …
Lately it seems that most every article I read about the health of the Chesapeake Bay deals with the ongoing problem of trying to restore the Bay and its tributaries. During the past week, two stories have come to my attention that deal with something positive concerning the health of the Bay. Last week the Baltimore CBS affiliate, WJZ, reported that underwater grasses on the Susquehanna Flats survived the horrific discharge of silt-laden flood water that flowed through the Conowingo Dam from the Susquehanna River after Tropical Storm Lee. It was initially feared that force of the water …
Two weeks ago, I thought I had a great idea for a seasonal article. I decided I would weigh in on the real versus artificial Christmas tree debate that occurs every year. As I researched the topic, I quickly came to the conclusion that finding a clear cut answer would not be an easy task. The information that I initially read from the Maryland Christmas Tree Association concerning artificial trees was negative, which I expected since this is an association of Christmas tree growers and not manufacturers. Their main reasons for not buying an artificial tree are that most of the artificial …
Is it me or has anyone noticed that the Christmas decorating season seems to begin earlier each year? Like a number of my neighbors, I took advantage of the balmy weather over Thanksgiving weekend to put up my outdoor lights and decorations. Thanksgiving weekend also signals the arrival of cut Christmas trees at local garden centers, tree lots and the opening of area tree farms for those folks who like to cut their own tree. Since live Christmas trees can be purchased a month before the actual holiday, I thought it might be helpful to share some basic steps to keep your tree as fresh as …
Stormwater runoff is a serious problem that negatively affects the health of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. All sorts of pollutants, such as excess nutrients, animal waste, oil and sediment are washed into our waterways with each precipitation event. As runoff is channeled into storm drains it gains speed and causes erosion of natural stream beds when it is discharged from storm drain pipes. This runoff problem has worsened in our area over the last several decades as land that was once woods or farms are developed for such projects as housing, shopping centers and businesses. …
I have been feeding wild birds for as long as I can remember. When I was a youngster my mom taught me how to identify different birds when they visited our feeders. Occasionally we would have some visitors that we did not recognize, and we would consult our bird guide to identify the birds. While feeding wild birds is an enjoyable pastime, it has also become an important activity due to the decline of natural food sources from suburban development. By providing food, shelter, and water for birds in our yards, we can help offset some of the losses of food and habitat caused by development. …
When I was growing up here in the 60s, my mother taught me that local oysters were available during months that had the letter “R” in the name. As a long time resident of this area I would look forward to the arrival of fall because it meant oysters would once again be featured in restaurants and available in grocery stores. I first tried eating these tasty bivalves as a youngster at a church sponsored ham and oyster supper where they were coated in cornmeal and fried to a golden brown color. I have to admit I wasn’t sure I would like the taste of these creatures which come from shells that …
