Assawoman Canal-White Creek dredging project map. /DNREC graphic

Beneficial Reuse Sediment From Dredging Will Help Restore Nearby Salt Marsh

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced today that two vital dredging projects in southern Delaware are set to begin around the new year. Dredging is to start at the southern end of the Assawoman Canal, and when the canal portion is completed (anticipated for early February 2024), DNREC-contracted dredge crews will move into White Creek resuming a project that is expected to finish by late winter or early spring.

DNREC aims to improve navigability on the two important waterways northwest of Bethany Beach in Sussex County. Dredging on both White Creek and the Assawoman Canal began in early 2023 but was paused for environmental restrictions. Dredged sediment from both projects will be used to restore an area of degraded salt marsh at DNREC’s Assawoman Wildlife Area.

The projects to be undertaken by DNREC’s Shoreline and Waterway Management Section and the contractor McLean Contracting Company of Glen Burnie, Md. will remove approximately 80,000 cubic yards of shoaled sediment from the two waterways. The dredging work will restore White Creek and the Assawoman Canal to previous depths for safer boating and recreational use.

Funding for the $8.48 million project comes from appropriations to DNREC in the fiscal year 2022 and 2023 Bond Bills and the Waterway Management Fund. Both bills cited White Creek and the Assawoman Canal as dredging priorities.

White Creek flows from the south to the north into Indian River Bay, connecting the Assawoman Canal to the Bay, while serving numerous marinas and boat ramps for recreational activities. The White Creek navigation channel was last dredged by DNREC as part of a phased program from 1997 through 2001. The Assawoman Canal was most recently dredged from 2010 to 2015. The eastern and western prongs of White Creek and the confluence of the Assawoman Canal were last dredged in early 2023.

Based on surveys of residents and recreational users of the waterway and analysis of channel depth, boater safety and environmental issues, DNREC identified White Creek and the Assawoman Canal as two of the top priorities for navigation improvements.

For White Creek, an area 60 feet wide and 12,400 feet long is to be dredged – from the mouth of the creek, at Indian River Bay, to where the main channel splits into two prongs near Betts Avenue, in Ocean View. The eastern prong of White Creek was dredged 2,650 feet last spring before the projected paused, while the western prong was dredged 4,100 linear feet before the environmental window closed on the project in 2023.

For the Assawoman Canal, an area 35 feet wide and 2,400 feet long had been dredged, between its confluence with White Creek and the Central Avenue bridge, earlier in 2023.The remainder of the canal will be dredged with a channel width of 35 feet.
The White Creek channel will be restored to a depth of 4 feet below mean lower low water (MLLW). The northern Assawoman Canal will be restored to a depth of 3 feet below MLLW.

DNREC will make beneficial use of the dredged material to restore historically degraded wetlands in the Muddy Neck Marsh complex, located at the south end of the Assawoman canal – and will apply dredged material by the thin layer placement method, which minimizes marsh disturbance and restores the marsh through natural recolonization of vegetation. The beneficial use of dredged material also will improve the resilience of the marsh in future coastal storms while helping coastal wetlands adapt to sea level rise and other environmental stressors.

Tree trimming of overhanging limbs and removal of woody debris along the Assawoman Canal began prior to start of dredging. The canal’s main channel will be dredged beginning in late January, and permit conditions with environmental restrictions require the dredging to be completed by the end of February in White Creek and by March 31 for the Assawoman Canal to minimize impacts to hibernating diamondback terrapins.

The U.S. Coast Guard will issue a Local Notice to Mariners advisory for boaters to exercise caution on the waterways and to maintain safe distance from the dredging activity. Floating and submerged pipelines will be positioned in White Creek and the Assawoman Canal dredge and support vessels will be operating in the same areas over the course of the project.

The Coast Guard also recommends removing commercial fishing nets, crab pots and other structures from the dredging area.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship develops and implements innovative watershed assessment, monitoring and implementation activities. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov; Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov

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The 10th Delaware Wetlands Conference will be held Feb. 6 and 7, 2024 at the Chase Center on the Riverfront in Wilmington. Registration for the biennial conference presented by DNREC is now open, with discounted early bird fees good through Nov. 29. /DNREC photo

Registration is now open for the 10th Delaware Wetlands Conference to be held Feb. 6 and 7, 2024 at the Chase Center on the Riverfront in Wilmington. The biennial conference is presented by the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control and organized by the DNREC Wetland Monitoring and Assessment Program. 

Early-bird registration – with discounted admission fees – can be submitted online and by the United States Postal Service through Nov. 29. Registration closes Jan. 19, 2024. Opportunities are available to sponsor and exhibit at the conference – not only to support wetland science and education in the Mid-Atlantic region, but also as an opportunity to gain visibility with important leaders in the field of wetlands science.

“Wetlands play a vital role in our everyday lives by reducing climate risks and protecting our communities by increasing resiliency to flood and storm impacts, as well as providing nurseries for critical juvenile species. Wetlands also help boost our economy by supporting commercial fisheries, generating green jobs and encouraging eco-tourism,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “It is important that we continue to foster an atmosphere that supports the exploration and dissemination of wetlands science. This conference brings together a broad group of people to share the latest information about our wetlands and to plan for the future of these important natural resources.”

The two-day event showcases the importance of wetlands in Delaware and across the Mid-Atlantic region. The conference brings together scientists, educators, natural resource managers, planners, county, state and federal representatives, and community leaders. As has been the conference’s calling card since it was initially held in 2001, attendees will gain insight into current research on tidal and non-tidal wetlands, the value of the region’s wetlands, and the impact that managing them for environmental benefits has on the community. More than 400 experts and enthusiasts from the region and beyond are expected to gather at the biennial conference.

The conference agenda for both days will include invited speakers, networking time, and presentations during concurrent sessions. Attendees including undergraduate and graduate students are invited to submit oral and poster presentations that cover wetland topics related to coastal resilience, soils, beneficial use, monitoring and assessment, remediation, stream and wetland restoration, wildlife, policy/legal considerations, green technology, mitigation and hydrodynamics.

Online registration and information about the event, including sponsorships and the preliminary agenda is available at de.gov/dewetlandsconference. 

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship develops and implements innovative watershed assessment, monitoring and implementation activities. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Joanna Wilson, Joanna.Wilson@delaware.gov; Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov

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The winning photo from the 2022 Delaware Watersheds Photo Contest was “Turkey Trot”
by Kimberly Barksdale, taken “leaving Bear Swamp” in the Leipsic River Watershed.

Sponsored by DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship; For First
Time, Submissions Can Capture Any of the State’s 45 Watersheds

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control is again inviting photographers of all ages and skill levels to submit their best shots and to participate in the Delaware Watersheds Photo Contest. Hosted by the DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship, the contest will share the beauty of Delaware’s diverse environment while acting as a vivid reminder that everything that happens on land directly affects what happens in our waterways.

A watershed is land that water moves across or under while flowing to a specific body of water. Every acre of land and body of water in Delaware is part of a watershed. And the contest lens for focusing on watersheds has widened – unlike previous Delaware Watersheds Photo Contests, this year there is no restriction or limitation on where photos can be taken, meaning images associated with any of the 45 watersheds in the state will be accepted. The 2023 contest opens online for entries Friday, Oct. 13 and closes Friday, Nov. 10.

“The watersheds contest continues to challenge photographers to capture the unique beauty and functionality of Delaware’s watersheds,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “What better way of promoting the roles watersheds play in improving water quality and helping to manage precious water resources – both under threat due to impacts of climate change on our state. What we want to see in these photos is the outsize importance watersheds have – and have always had, but now more than ever – here in the second smallest and lowest-lying state.”

A panel of judges consisting of a photographer, an educator and a scientist from DNREC staff will be looking for striking photographic images of Delaware’s waterways, landscapes, sustainable watershed practices, native plants and animals and agricultural practices. The judging panel will determine the finalists whose work will be posted on the DNREC website, with the winning photograph to be chosen by public voting through the DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship Facebook page.

The winner will receive a prize pack including a $250 Visa gift card, a 2023 Delaware State Parks annual pass, a print of the winning photograph, and a certificate signed by Governor John Carney and DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. The winning photo also will be published in Outdoor Delaware, DNREC’s online magazine, at de.gov/outdoordelaware.

To enter the Delaware Watersheds Photo Contest, use the online submission form at de.gov/watershed. To learn more about Delaware watersheds and what you can do to benefit the, go to de.gov/howyoucanhelpwetlands.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship develops and implements innovative watershed assessment, monitoring and implementation activities. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn.

Media contacts: Joanna Wilson, joanna.wilson@delaware.gov; Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov

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A Louisiana living shoreline site originated through the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana with Darrah Fox Bach, CRCL’s Oyster Shell Recycling Program manager in New Orleans, deploying shells at the site /Submitted photo

The Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana (CRCL) and living shorelines along the coast of Louisiana are the topic of a free webinar at 10 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 12, presented by the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, in partnership with the Delaware Living Shorelines Committee. Registration for the webinar and more information is posted on the DNREC events and meetings calendar at de.gov/DNRECmeetings.

The webinar speaker is Darrah Fox Bach, CRCL’s Oyster Shell Recycling Program manager in New Orleans, La. Bach will provide an overview of the non-profit CRCL and the organization’s work on shorelines across the Gulf coast state over the past 35 years. The presentation will showcase on-the-ground habitat restoration projects, advocacy and education in which CRCL engages.

Ms. Bach will highlight a wide range of partners sharing in a vision and commitment to the sustainability of coastal Louisiana. She also will detail the organization’s two volunteer-based restoration programs: the Oyster Shell Recycling Program, which offers a recycling service to New Orleans area restaurants and builds recycled oyster shell living shoreline restoration projects; and the Native Plants Program, which grows native plants from seed and uses them to restore habitat along the Louisiana coast. In addition, the webinar will cover the use of oyster shells and native plants in constructing enduring, adaptive living shorelines that accumulate materials across rectangular platforms to provide habitat and protect critical ecosystems.

This webinar is part of an ongoing virtual series offered by the Delaware Living Shorelines Committee, a work group dedicated to facilitating the understanding, peer review and implementation of living shoreline strategy within the First State. The DNREC Wetland Monitoring and Assessment Program represents the Department in supporting the committee and its work.

More information can be found at delawarelivingshorelines.org.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship develops and implements innovative watershed assessment, monitoring and implementation activities. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn.

Media contact: Joanna Wilson, joanna.wilson@delaware.gov

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DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship Director Steve Williams /DNREC photo

Steve Williams Has Served 37 Years with Department

Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Secretary Shawn M. Garvin has named Steve Williams as new director to lead the DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship. Williams has served his entire career with the Department, most recently as administrator for the DNREC’s Watershed and Wetlands Assessment and Monitoring programs, watershed planning and implementation, Watershed Stewardship grants management and federal reporting programs, and staff development.

As Division of Watershed Stewardship director, Williams succeeds Terry Deputy, who recently retired after more than 34 years of state service, including 24 years with DNREC, and 10 years with the Delaware Economic Development Office (DEDO). Before becoming a DNREC division director, Deputy had also served as chief of administration for the DNREC Office of Environmental Finance, and managed the state revolving loan fund for water quality.

DNREC Secretary Garvin said of his successor’s appointment: “Having served the Department since 1986 in a variety of capacities in multiple divisions, Steve Williams brings a wealth of knowledge of the programs he will oversee as director, and has built great relationships within DNREC as well as with many of our other state and federal partners. His experience and unique perspective makes him a well-rounded choice for DNREC’s leadership team.”

The Division of Watershed Stewardship’s director manages a diverse group of programs that deal with conservation practices, drainage, shoreline and waterway management and protection, surface water quality, shellfish harvesting, fish contamination, dam safety and wetland assessments. These programs are overseen by an extremely qualified staff of 108 full-time positions with an annual operating budget of more than $36.4 million.

In addition to the Division of Watershed Stewardship, Williams has held positions in the Division of Waste and Hazardous Substances and Division of Water during his long tenure with DNREC. He has also been engaged over the years with the Center for the Inland Bays, Delaware Board of Professional Geologists, University of Delaware Water Resources Center Advisory Panel and many more, including a long stint as an adjunct science professor at Wesley College. Most recently, he has served as an alternate commissioner on the Delaware River Basin Commission. In his free time, Williams is an avid angler and outdoors enthusiast, also giving back to his community through his lifelong service to the Boy Scouts of America.

More information about the DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship can be found at de.gov/watershed.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship develops and implements innovative watershed assessment, monitoring and implementation activities. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn.

Media contacts: Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov; Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov

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