How clear is your water?
By Karey Harris, Local CorrespondentThu, Jun 04 2009 at 10:02 PM EST
How clear is your water? No, not your drinking water. The water you use for swimming, boating and fishing. Want to find out? This Saturday, June 6, (yes, sorry for the late notice) is the annual Annapolis Wade-In.
What’s a wade-in? It was developed by retired state Sen. Bernie Fowler, and is a unique way of measuring local water clarity. Since the 1950s, Bernie has worn white sneakers and waded into local rivers, particularly the Patuxent River. In the '50s, he could see his sneakers in what he thinks is about 63 inches of water. In 2008, he could see them in 26 inches of water. Although that might sound bad, in 1988 he could only see through 8 inches of water. I wonder what it will be this year...
If you are interested in participating in this not-so-scientific measurement, there are several places you can go! Spa creek is having their event at 9 a.m. at Truxtun Park Beach next to the boat ramp. Weems Creek is having their event at 9 a.m. at the Tucker Street boat launch. The results from these two wade-ins will be reported at 10 a.m. on Back Creek at the Annapolis Maritime Museum. Even if you don’t wade into the creeks, this will be a fantastic place to be. There will be an opportunity to learn about your local watersheds, seine for fish -- that involves a huge net -- restore a part of the creek, or release some yearling Maryland terrapins that were raised in safety over the winter. You can find more information on the Annapolis Maritime Museum’s plan for the day here.
If you are not in the Annapolis area, or are not available this Saturday, other wade-ins are scheduled throughout the state:
Choptank Wade-In
When: 11 a.m., Saturday, June 13
Where: Environmental Concern on San Domingo Creek, 201 Boundary Lane, St. Michaels, MD
When: 11 a.m., Saturday, June 13
Where: Environmental Concern on San Domingo Creek, 201 Boundary Lane, St. Michaels, MD
Lower Western Shore & South River Federation: Sojourns and Wade-In
When: 12:30 p.m., Saturday, June 13
Where: Selby Community Beach, London Towne Community, Edgewater, MD
When: 12:30 p.m., Saturday, June 13
Where: Selby Community Beach, London Towne Community, Edgewater, MD
Upper Eastern Shore: Annual Wade-In
When: 10 a.m., Saturday, June 20
When: 10 a.m., Saturday, June 20
Where: Betterton Beach, Betterton, MD
Lower Eastern Shore Tributary Team Wade-In
When: 11 a.m., Saturday, June 27
Where: Cherry Beach, Sharptown, MD
Lower Potomac Wade-In
When: 1-4 p.m., Sunday, June 28
Where: Mirant Power Generating Station, Newburg, MD
Fowler Wade-In
When: 12 p.m., Sunday, June 14
When: 11 a.m., Saturday, June 27
Where: Cherry Beach, Sharptown, MD
Lower Potomac Wade-In
When: 1-4 p.m., Sunday, June 28
Where: Mirant Power Generating Station, Newburg, MD
Fowler Wade-In
When: 12 p.m., Sunday, June 14
Where: Broome Island
Click here for more information.
Click here for more information.
Don't forget your white sneakers! Keep an eye out here for a future post about the results of the wade-ins, as well as a brief story about why I think water clarity is such an important issue and what you can do to help.
Photo: Chesapeake Bay Program
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