Eastport Civic Association - Community Life

Environmental

Environmental Committee: EcoAction!

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To get involved and help make a difference, or for more information about Eastport EcoAction! contact Karen Jennings at secretary@eastportcivic.org.

ECA EcoAction Committee
Water Quality Monitoring Program

eco-action As the summer’s heat and humidity increased, the waters of the Chesapeake Bay beckoned. But was it OK to swim?

The ECA EcoAction Committee launched the Water Quality Monitoring Program this summer for the Eastport Peninsula to create awareness of the pollutants in our water. We monitored every other week throughout the season, starting in May and ending in August. By raising awareness levels, we hope we encouraged residents to take action on their own property and in the neighborhood.
Read more and get the most recent stats.

Learn about and enjoy our Street End Parks

Rain barrel presentation shown
at the March 2011 ECA meeting.

Please join us in getting Environmental initiatives moving!

February 2011 Update

Eastport EcoAction! is a group of involved residents who are seeking to implement environmental improvements in our community.

Our goal is to initiate and complete environmental projects that benefit Eastport and also to partner with and support other organizations with similar goals. These initiatives will help stop the introduction of pollutants into our neighboring waters, mitigate shoreline erosion and enhance our public spaces.

Our mission is to create a sustainable and vibrant community action group that will actively look for and implement solutions to our environmental problems.

Our initial goals are to:

Begin storm water education and remediation for residential and commercial property owners. Identify projects to control stormwater runoff in our public spaces.
Establish contact with other environmental organizations, City, County and State Agencies, and potential funding sources to leverage their experience and expertise
for the benefit of Eastport.
Research and develop a water quality monitoring program for Back Creek and Spa Creek.

We invite interested individuals, businesses and organizations to join this initiative!

January 2011 Update

The Eastport Environmental Committee (EEC) is a group of involved residents who are seeking to implement environmental improvements to our community. Our goal is to design, finance and build environmental projects throughout Eastport which will help stop the introduction of pollutants into our neighboring waters, mitigate shoreline erosion and enhance our public spaces.

Its mission is to create a sustainable and vibrant community action group that will evolve and continually look for new and innovative solutions to our environmental problems.

The EEC is forming a group of interested parties to continue this initiative. its goal is to create an immediate, intermediate, and long term plan to:

Identify local street end parks in Eastport that require attention and develop a priority list for repair and stormwater run-off mitigation.
Work with residents and businesses to control run-off from downspouts and impervious surfaces such as parking lots.
Partner with other local conservancy groups and government agencies to gather information and experience.
Develop specific projects and apply for grant funding from Public and Private sources’

While there have been exhaustive discussions and studies over the past 30 years about the health of the Chesapeake Bay, there has been little success in combating its decline, as evidenced by the failing grade reports given by various governmental and environmental action groups.

Several years ago a local initiative was designed and constructed to help the health of the Chesapeake Bay by turning street end parks in Annapolis (specifically Eastport) into natural filtration barriers. The idea was to create water catch basins at the end of streets which dumped into the Bay, filtering water through a natural buffer to “clean” the storm water run-off, removing sediment and toxins (automobile by-products, etc.) before it was sent it back to the Bay. One such park was created at the Spa Creek end of Fourth Street and another in Annapolis on Compromise Street at the foot of the parking lot and tennis courts behind the Annapolis Elementary School.

Capturing Stormwater in Eastport

During November and December, local volunteers took on several projects at the Horn Point Marina, located on Eastern Avenue, to reduce the negative impacts of stormwater runoff on Back Creek. About 75% of the marina is impervious surface (areas where water cannot soak into the ground), so most rainfall ran immediately into a storm sewer at the lower edge of the marina and then directly into Back Creek. To give the rainfall a chance to soak into the ground, several rain gardens were installed and the stormwater drain was elevated. This involved digging several shallow depressions to capture water running off the building and parking lot, and covering with local plants and grasses. In addition, a dog waste collection station was installed for marina residents to reduce this source of potential pollution (Learn more.).

A typical rain garden consists of a shallow depression that contains loose soil, mulch, and sometimes stone, which is planted with native plants. Well-designed rain gardens collect and soak up rainwater that flows off of impervious surfaces. As the stormwater passes through the soil mixture, physical and biological processes remove pollutants and nutrients. The rain gardens at the Horn Point Marina will help reduce the pollutants flowing into Back Creek, enhance the beauty of the property, and provide wildlife habitat. Planting these gardens with native species will minimize the amount of maintenance required, as well as the need for fertilizers and pesticides.

Organizers of this effort include five graduates of the Watershed Stewards Academy—who referred to themselves as the "Back Creek Believers." The Watershed Stewards Academy, an initiative of the Anne Arundel County Department of Public Works and Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center, trains community leaders on reducing the negative impacts of stormwater runoff in Anne Arundel County. Local environmental specialist and Principal/Owner of the Low Impact Design Studio, Anne Guillette, also helped with designing and implementing the project.

Two other activities are planned for early 2011:

A large mural depicting the natural beauty of Back Creek, which was painted by the students at Eastport Elementary school, will be unveiled on the side of a building in the parking lot; and
An educational sign will be hung near the entrance to the Horn Point Marina so Eastport residents can learn more about reducing stormwater impacts in their community

Thanks to the ECA for notifying members when the rain gardens were planted—and thanks to those local Eastport residents who helped with this effort. Special thanks to Melissa Wuest, the art teacher at Eastport Elementary, and her students for creating a wonderful mural.

Over the past few weeks, we've been able to check on the new rain gardens and they are clearly working—rain fall and snow melt are running off the parking lot and into these holding areas, where it slowly soaks into the ground. The Back Creek Believers are looking forward to seeing the garden bloom in the spring.

For more information, contact Cara Visconti at caravisconti@hotmail.com.

Rain Gardens Planted in Eastport Saturday, Nov. 13, 2010

Be an Oyster Gardener!

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), in partnership with several water steward organizations, is encouraging waterfront property owners to become oyster gardeners. The Spa Creek Conservancy is sharing the good news that DNR is including Spa Creek in its Marylanders Grow Oysters (MGO) Project.

The purpose of this program is to grow spat for one year and then plant them in sanctuary sites where the oysters enrich the local ecology.

Did you know that a mature oyster can filter as many as 60 gallons per day?!

As you may have read in the news, this free program will provide small cages filled with dozens of young oysters called spat. The cages will be be suspended under piers throughout our creek along with many of the other rivers and tributaries of the Chesapeake. You are encouraged to become a successful oyster grower while making a contribution to the creation of a living oyster reef in your own back yard. For general information about the MGO program see www.oysters.maryland.gov.

The Conservancy is inviting two levels of volunteers to participate. Needed are owners (or renters) of piers on the creek, and volunteers to help distribute the cages of spat.

These are not mutually exclusive, you can be both! The Conservancy anticipates that cages will be available the first week in August; the exact date will be announced in mid-July. You will be notified that the cages are ready for pickup at a location within the city, and at the time of pickup. You will receive a short briefing and information package on how to care for your oysters.

If you are interested in joining the Conservancy in this exciting work, or if you have questions, please contact Burnell Vincent burnellv@verizon.net.

For more information see: www.spacreek.org.Rain Barrel Lesson - The Spa Creek Conservancy is looking for Good Creek Neighbors to get the word out on their blocks, at their end of the streets. The word is about how we can all help the health of our creeks – Back and Spa – and the Bay by the very easy installation of rain barrels on our downspouts. Consider hosting a brief gathering at your home or business so members of the Spa Creek Conservancy can discuss the importance of rain barrels and how easy it is to install them. Be a Good Creek Neighbor. Help the environment one rain barrel at a time! Contact us at rainbarrel@spacreek.org to volunteer. For more information see spacreek.org.

Hazardous Household Waste - Dispose of it Responsibly

Household Hazardous Waste Drop-off Days provide opportunities for County residents to safely dispose of products containing harmful chemicals. Unless used and disposed of according to directions, these household chemicals present a threat to the environment. Special handling is required to dispose of them properly. Materials collected are recycled, or disposed in hazardous waste landfills or incinerators. A licensed private company under contract to the County provides these services. Read more on the County website.

Handy flyer of 2008 Household Hazardous Waste Drop-off Days Schedule

Some ideas for helping to keep our Creeks, and therefore the Bay, clean and healthy

From the Spa Creek Conservancy, here are some everyday things you can do to be a good neighbor to Spa Creek and Back Creek. From caring for your boat, car, and lawn in the right way to taking simple steps to reduce runoff... we can all do our part to help.

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