Federation Blog

The South River Federation's Riverkeeper Tidal Water Quality montoring is in mid-season currently.  Some of you may have see us out there sampling the water quality.  I have been ask many questions about when and where we sample.  I have provided a GIS map of our current tidal stations.  I have 7 main stem stations, then 14 stations in each of the tidal creeks.  

EPA Unveils Chesapeake Bay Restoration Strategy

 The Chesapeake Bay Restoration Strategy is now out as presented by Lisa Jackson (EPA administrator) yesterday.  She stated that only thing needed is money and resources.

I would like to include Three more things:

1)  The absolute old fashion American CAN DO.  With out the can do/will do we will not have anything.

2 ) Much better enforcement,  marinas have put large piers/bulkhead/and pilings into the South River and have only received a 43,000.00 fine, and they did not have to take out the structures that were installed.  So, in reality the company folded the fine into the cost of doing the construction.  The State and Federal agencies need to not only have greater fines but mandate that these structures be removed! 

3)  I would also like to include more education on the true causes of the destruction of the Chesapeake Bay and the South River.  I speak beyond the choir quite often and have learned that most adults really do not know what stormwater runoff it,  they do not know how fertilizer can harm the Bay/River,  they do not realize how poor the infrastructure of our septic and sewer systems is.  I see very well educated folks over-fertilize their lawns in order to get the Crayola crayon green color, instead of managing their lawns in a River-friendly way.

http://wjz.com/local/Bay.foundation.epa.2.1689773.html

Brewer Creek, on the south side of the river between Limehouse Cove and Glebe Bay, contains within it Pocahontas Creek, an area that from older maps looks basically to have been an occluded tidal pond.  Brewer Creek itself was named after John Brewer (or his descendants), a prominent property owner in the area who was given a 400-acre land grant by Cecilius Calvert (the 2nd Lord Baltimore) in 1651 (below). 

 John Brewer 400 acres Cecelius Absolute Lord and Proprietor of the Province of Maryland and Avalon Lord Baron of Baltimore.  

 To all persons to whom these presents shall come Greetings in Our Lord God everlasting.

Know Ye that we for in consideration that John Brewer of this Province, planter hath due unto him Four Hundred Acres of the land and upon such conditions and terms as are explained in our conditions of said Plantations of our Said Province of Maryland under our Greatest Seal at Arms, bearing date at London, the second day of July in the year of our Lord God 1649, it remaining upon Record in our Said Province of Maryland with such alterations as in them are made by our Declaration bearing date Sixth and Twentieth day of August, Anno Domini 1651, likewise remaining upon record in our Said Province of Maryland, do hereby grant to the said John Brewer a parcel of land called Brewerton lying on the West Side of the Chesapeake Bay and on the West Side of a River in the said Bay called Rhode River next adjoining the land of Thomas Besson the elder.

Beginning at the said Besson's Northern most boundary, there is a Poke Hickory Tree, Bounding on the East by a line drawn North and by West from the said Poke Hickory for breadth Two Hundred Perches to a marked Oak; on the North by a line drawn West and by South from the said Oak for length Three Hundred and Twenty Perches on the West, by a line drawn South and by East thereon of the West and by South line for breadth, Two Hundred Perches until it intersects Parallel drawn from the land of the said Besson on the South, with said land and parallel, containing and now laid out Four Hundred Acres more or less, together with all profits, rights and benefits thereunto belonging, Royal minus excepted to have and to hold the same unto him, the said John Brewer his heirs and assigns forever, to be holden of us and our heirs as of our Manor of Baltimore in free and common Socage by fealty only for all services yielding and paying therefor yearly unto us and our heirs at our receipt at St Mary's at the two most usual Feasts in the year viz: at the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and at the Feast of St Michael the Archangel by even and equal portions of rent of Eight Shillings Sterling in Silver or Gold or the full value thereof in such commodities as we or our heirs of such officer or officers appointed by us or our heirs from time to time to collect and receive the same shall accept in discharge thereof at the choice of us and our heirs of such officer or officers as aforesaid. Given at St Mary's under our Great Seal of our Said Province of Maryland, Anno Domini 1651. Witness our Trusty and well beloved Josias Tendall Esq., our Lieutenant of our Said Province.

 Brewer Creek was formerly named Pyther's Creek after William Pyther.  It is also formerly described as Bessons Creek (presumably after Thomas Besson) in Amrhein, John L. Jr.  "The Middle And Upper Bay of Chesapeake as it appeared Circa 1690 with all the Rivers, Shoals, Channels, Islands, Entrances, Soundings and Sailing Marks." Salisbury, Maryland: Ryan and Black, 1987.