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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Great Blue Heron at Trap Pond, by 2021 contest winner Sharon Denny.

Photographers of all ages and skill levels are invited to participate in the Delaware Watersheds Photo Contest. Hosted by the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, 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. All land in Delaware is part of a watershed. This year, images taken in any watershed within the state of Delaware will be accepted. The contest opens online for entries on Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022 and closes on Thursday, Nov. 10, 2022.

“This contest challenges photographers to go out to capture and share the unique beauty and functionality of Delaware’s watersheds,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “In addition, sharing these photos will help highlight areas of the state that have an important and significant role in improving our water quality and managing water quantity, which are both under threat due to the impacts of climate change on our 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 online, with the winning photograph to be chosen by public voting through the DNREC Watershed 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 online magazine at de.gov/outdoordelaware.

To enter the Delaware Watersheds Photo Contest, use the online submission form at de.gov/watershed. The form should include the entrant’s name, phone number, address, email address, a photo description and the location where the image was taken. A legal parent or guardian must complete the form for contestants under the age of 18. Images must be at least 1650 by 2100 pixels resolution but no larger than 10MB, and the digital image must be submitted in .jpeg or .png format. Only photos that meet the criteria, along with a completed form, will be eligible. DNREC staff members and immediate family are not eligible to submit photos in the contest.

Learn more about Delaware watersheds at 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, Twitter or LinkedIn.

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

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Snowy egrets engage each other on the water/Photo credit: Kimberly Barksdale.

Submissions This Year Focus on Chesapeake Bay Watershed

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control invites photographers of all ages and skill levels to enter this year’s Delaware Watersheds Photo Contest. Hosted by the DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship, the contest aims to 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 all the land that water moves across or under while flowing to a specific body of water. Only images from Delaware’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay watershed will be accepted this year. Contest judges will be looking for striking photographic images of Delaware’s waterways, landscapes, sustainable watershed practices, native plants and animals, and agricultural practices.

Registration for the Delaware Watersheds photo contest opens at 8 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 28. All entries must be submitted by 4 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 26. A judging panel consisting of DNREC staff — a photographer, an educator and an environmental scientist — will determine finalists whose entries are voted on at the Delaware Watersheds Facebook page. Facebook voting will pick the winning photograph.

The winning photographer will receive a prize pack consisting of a $250 Visa gift card, a Delaware State Parks Annual Pass for 2022, a signed certificate from Governor John Carney and DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin, a print of the winning photograph, a feature published in Outdoor Delaware online magazine, and additional goodies.

To enter the Delaware Watersheds Photo Contest, participants should fill out the online submission form, which includes providing a description with the entrant’s name, phone number, address, email address, and the location where the image was taken. Those submitting photos will click on the map in the submission form or use their device’s GPS locator to show where the photo was taken within the Chesapeake Bay watershed. A legal parent or guardian must complete the form for contestants under the age of 18. Images must be at least 1650 by 2100 pixels (but no larger than 10MB) resolution, and the digital image must be submitted in .jpeg or .png format. Only photos that meet the criteria, along with a completed form, will be accepted.

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, Twitter or LinkedIn.

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

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