2006 South River Snapshot

Thanks to volunteer, Sumit Dutta, you can see the results on a google map Sumit created a mash-up so you can click on the map and see data for that site. Click here to see the results in an Excel spreadsheet You can also look at the original data maps here: Testing Locations Bacteria Turbidity Dissolved Oxygen pH Nitrate Phosphate Visual Assesment (given a report card grade of A-F) (a PDF of the complete map set is available here) 2005 Data Reprint from The Capital Newspaper Snapshot captured of county's watershed health By PAMELA WOOD, Staff Writer  With rain drizzling down, Chris Trumbauer hoisted himself over a guardrail, climbed down a steep hill and balanced on slippery rocks yesterday morning in search of his prize: a bucket full of water from a Davidsonville stream.

Over in Arnold, a group of Magothy River volunteers had a slightly easier path to their water samples. From a pier at a waterfront house, they dipped their bottles and testing devices into Mill Creek.

Similar scenes were repeated throughout the county, as volunteers tested water from creeks and rivers for the first countywide "Watershed Snapshot."

The event had multiple goals: record data, identify problems, note positive areas and get more people involved in their local waterways.

"We're not just recording data for the sake of recording data," said Mr. Trumbauer, a volunteer for the South River Federation whose day job involves water quality monitoring for the state.

The South River Federation conducted its first watershed snapshot last year. It was modeled after a similar program on the Eastern Shore's Chester River.

The federation got such good turnout and so much good information that Mr. Trumbauer thought it would be a good idea to get other watershed groups involved, too. After all, they're all working for the same goal: improve the health of the tributaries that flow into the Chesapeake Bay.

"We're all related. We're all in it together," Mr. Trumbauer said.

Most of the county's watershed groups signed on, from the new Back Creek Conservancy in Annapolis to the long-established Severn River Association.

Volunteers were able to do some of the testing on site. Dissolved oxygen - vital for aquatic life - was tested in a tube by dropping a series of tablets in the water and shaking it up.

Another tablet in another tube of water resulted in a color change that revealed the pH level (acidity or baseness) of the water.

And disposable gauges helped determine temperature and water clarity.

Only tests for bacteria and nutrients couldn't be completed by volunteers. That will be done by Anne Arundel Community College.

For the Magothy River Association, the watershed snapshot was a chance to combine existing water quality work with new projects related to this winter's massive Mill Creek sewage spill.

Volunteers Dick Carey and Dr. Peter Bergstrom conducted their regular water quality sampling throughout the river yesterday morning to coincide with the snapshot.

And they also used the event to launch a twice-monthly monitoring program for Mill Creek and its neighbor, Dividing Creek, to help determine the effects of last year's 3 million gallon sewage spill.

"We were planning to do the sampling anyway, so when we heard about the snapshot, we decided to do it today," Dr. Bergstrom said.

The Magothy crew working on Mill Creek was able to use more sophisticated tools - including an electronic meter that can be dipped into the water - because the county Department of Public Works is funding the Mill Creek work. Still, they were looking for the same water quality measurements: temperature, oxygen, salinity, clarity, pH, nutrients and bacteria.

Trish Lehman, clad head-to-toe in rain gear, said she volunteered to help with the sampling after hearing about it during a meeting on the sewage spill.

"I figured to be a good community member, I should jump in and help," she said.

©Copyright South River Federation 2007