DOVER – DNREC’s Division of Watershed Stewardship invites photographers of all ages and skill levels to participate in this year’s Delaware Watersheds Photo Contest. The contest aims to share the beauty of Delaware’s diverse environment while acting as a vivid reminder that everything that happens on land within the state’s watersheds also directly affects what’s happening in our waterways.

A watershed is all of the land that water moves across or under while flowing to a specific body of water. Images from any of Delaware’s watersheds will be accepted. Contest judges will be looking for striking photographic images of Delaware’s waterways, landscapes, native plants and animals, and agricultural practices.

All entries must be submitted by Sunday, June 2. Contest judges from within DNREC will choose entries that move on to the next stage of the contest – online public voting – which will determine the finalists and winners in each category. Photos by contest winners will be on display at the 2019 Delaware State Fair and voted on by fairgoers to determine the overall “Best in Show.” The first place winners of each of five contest categories listed below will receive a Delaware State Park pass for 2020. The first, second, and third place winners of each category will be recognized during the annual DNREC Awards ceremony on Governor’s Day at the Delaware State Fair, and the “Best in Show” will be featured in Outdoor Delaware magazine.

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, the location the image was taken, the category the photograph is being entered in, and if submitting a photograph in the Native Wildlife or Native Plant category, the name of the species in the photograph. 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 eligible.

Contestants may enter photographs in all or any of the five categories below but photographers can only win one place per category. Your photograph with the most votes will be your final submission for that category. A completed submission form must accompany each photograph entered.

The categories and criteria on submitting photos for them are as follow:

Natural Landscapes of Delaware – Photographs of the scenic visible features of Delaware’s countryside or land.

Waterscapes of Delaware – Photographs of any waterbodies such as streams, rivers, lakes, creeks, estuaries, bay, ocean, etc.

Native Wildlife of Delaware – Entries in this category may only include photographs of native mammals, birds, fish, insects, reptiles, and amphibians of Delaware. Photographs of domesticated animals are not eligible in this category. When submitting in this category, include the name of the species appearing in your photo in the application form.

Native Plants of Delaware – Photographs of Delaware native plants in any setting. When submitting in this category, include the name of the species in the application form. No wildlife are permitted in this category, native plants only.

Agriculture in Delaware – Photographs of the practice of farming, including but not limited to the cultivation of soil for growing crops and rearing animals for food, wool, and other products.

Rules and the submission form are available on the Division of Watershed Stewardship website at Delaware Watersheds Photo Contest. Questions can be emailed to dwpc@delaware.gov.

Media Contact: Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

DOVER – Due to uncertain weather conditions related to Hurricane Florence, the 31st Annual Delaware Coastal Cleanup will be postponed to the rain date of Saturday, Sept. 22, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) announced today. The cleanup will be held from 9 a.m. to noon at all sites as previously planned for Sept. 15, unless volunteers have been otherwise notified.

“With the possibility of adverse weather conditions still in the forecast, we are taking the precaution of postponing the Coastal Cleanup for the safety of our volunteers,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “We hope our volunteers will be able to join us on Sept. 22, and that we will have a better opportunity to accomplish our goal of cleaning up our beaches, waterways, and watershed areas statewide.”

Sponsored by DNREC, the cleanup spans 49 sites in New Castle, Kent and Sussex counties, including river and ocean shorelines as well as wetland and watershed areas.

For more information about the Delaware Coastal Cleanup, please visit https://dnrec.alpha.delaware.gov/coastal-cleanup/, or contact Joanna Wilson, Delaware Coastal Cleanup coordinator, at 302-739-9902, or joanna.wilson@delaware.gov.

Contact: Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902.

Vol. 48, No. 248

DOVER – A new “wetlands report card” for the Smyrna River Watershed is now available from DNREC’s Wetland Monitoring and Assessment Program – the ninth in a series of watershed-specific wetland health reports produced by the Department. The Smyrna River Watershed extends into both Kent and New Castle counties, where agriculture (46 percent) and wetlands (27 percent) primarily dominate the landscape. The wetlands report card indicates that wetlands in the Smyrna watershed were in better-than-average condition when rated against other previously assessed Delaware watersheds, earning an overall B-minus grade.

Nearly half (47 percent) of the wetlands found in the Smyrna River Watershed were the saltwater tidal variety. Other dominant wetland types include freshwater forested flats, riverine, and depressions. Saltwater tidal and freshwater flat wetlands were in the best health of the four types evaluated. Both received a B- grade, mostly as a result of invasive plant species and development closely surrounding the wetlands. Tidal wetlands in this area were in better health compared to most in Delaware due to a lack of man-made ditches.

Teams of wetland scientists from DNREC’s Division of Watershed Stewardship and the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary gained permission to visit a total of 122 randomly-selected sites within the Smyrna River Watershed. Using condition assessment checklists and biological metrics, they found that wetlands in the watershed were in fair condition, and that the most common stressors were invasive plants; the digging, filling, and/or ditching of wetlands; and agriculture or development in the buffer area closely surrounding the wetland.

DNREC’s data were used to create a technical report and a more user-friendly report card that summarized not only the health of the Smyrna River Watershed’s wetlands, but also examined the change in wetland acreage in recent decades, what value wetlands provide, and how recent changes in land use will impact wetlands. Already, 32 percent of this watershed’s original wetlands have been lost, primarily due to conversion to development and agriculture. Meanwhile, in their ongoing preservation work, DNREC’s Wetland Monitoring and Assessment program continues to emphasize how wetlands are beneficial resources for both people and wildlife, and that impacts to their health reduce a wetland’s ability to perform and diminish fully, minimizing its valuable role in controlling flooding and erosion, improving water quality, and providing beautiful habitats for us all.

Based on results included in the report, DNREC made recommendations to scientists, decision makers, and landowners to improve the future health of the Smyrna River Watershed’s wetlands. These included: encouraging planting buffers around streams and wetlands; promoting restoration of degraded wetlands; improving protection of non-tidal freshwater wetlands; using best management practices in agricultural operations, and exploring innovative shoreline protection techniques such as living shorelines.

The wetland reports and the work of the Wetland Monitoring and Assessment Program are made possible by EPA Region 3 Wetland Program Development funding. To view more details on the Smyrna River Watershed or for more information on assessment methods, please visit de.gov/watershedhealth.

Contact: Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Vol. 48, No. 206

LAUREL – Laurel Riverfront Park will be the setting of the second-annual Eco Paddle as part of the Reclaim Our River (ROR) Nanticoke Series, a program offering monthly events, workshops, and recreational activities designed to raise water quality awareness in the Nanticoke Watershed. DNREC’s Division of Watershed Stewardship, the National Parks Conservation Association, Delaware Nature Society, Abbotts Mill Nature Center and Nanticoke Watershed Alliance invite kayakers and canoeists to come to the Riverfront Park in Laurel Delaware where the ROR partnership will be exploring a portion of Broad Creek. The Eco Paddle takes place Saturday, June 25, with a rain date the next day.

Experienced paddlers and first-timers alike are welcome to bring the family and learn about wildlife, water quality, and the river’s history while floating on the water. After the paddle, there will be a barbecue and viewing of exhibits from the ROR partnership. The event lasts from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. and the $5 registration fee (plus $1.12 credit card fee) includes food and beverages, along with kayak or canoe rental, if needed. All are welcome to participate, but space is limited. Register here to reserve a spot in a canoe or kayak.

Participants are reminded to be prepared to have fun! Site leaders will brief paddlers on basic safety measures to ensure that everyone has a safe and enjoyable time. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own canoes and kayaks; however, equipment can also be provided. The Eco Paddle is a family-friendly event, and kids are welcome. However, all participants less than 18 years old must have a waiver signed by an adult, and participants less than 15 years old must be accompanied by an adult. Waivers will be provided onsite.

Attendees should dress appropriately for the weather and wear clothes they won’t mind getting wet. Lunch will be provided, but participants should bring a water bottle for their thirst while paddling. All donations collected help cover the costs of food and equipment.

One of the most iconic and scenic rivers in the Chesapeake, the Nanticoke River Water Trail spans a 26-mile segment of the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail through Delaware and Maryland. In 1608, Captain John Smith explored the river, and named it the Nanticoke after the Native Americans who lived along its banks. Today, the 725,000-acre watershed supports a diverse range of wildlife and more rare plants than any other landscape in the Chesapeake. The event will educate residents on techniques used to improve water quality by reducing nutrient and sediment pollution entering Delaware’s waterways.

The Reclaim our River Nanticoke Series offers participants fun opportunities to connect with their waterways and provides important information on water quality to help protect aquatic resources. Additional sponsors include the Nanticoke Watershed Alliance, Nanticoke River Sail and Power Squadron, and Survival Products.

For more information on the Reclaim Our River Program, visit www.delawarewatersheds.org

Media Contacts: Phil Miller, DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship, 302-672-1149 or philip.miller@delaware.gov

Vol. 46, No. 208

DOVER – With DNREC sponsorship through the Division of Watershed Stewardship, the Nanticoke Watershed Alliance (NWA) will launch a new citizen science and water quality improvement program, Nanticoke Musselwatchers, with an organizational meeting from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Saturday, May 7 at the Seaford District Library, 600 N. Market Street Ext., Seaford, DE 19973.

The goal of the Musselwatchers program is assessing the status of freshwater mussels in the Nanticoke River watershed. Freshwater mussels serve as filter feeders and are capable of filtering a liter of water in about 45 minutes, thus providing a crucial ecosystem service. However, mussels are highly sensitive to pollution, especially excessive sediment.

Volunteers will learn about freshwater mussels and species found most often in the Nanticoke watershed, and how to conduct mussel surveys in the watershed. They also will receive survey kits and adopt segments of Delaware’s portion of the watershed. Volunteers must commit to conducting at least four surveys during the May-September pilot season and to providing feedback about the program.

The Nanticoke Musselwatchers Program is a part of the 2016 Reclaim Our River (ROR) series, a partnership including the Nanticoke Watershed Alliance, DNREC’s Division of Watershed Stewardship and the Delaware Nature Society. The ROR partnership is devoted to bringing monthly events, workshops, and recreational activities to the Nanticoke River Watershed. The series offers participants fun opportunities to connect with Delaware’s waterways and provides important information on water quality that can help in protecting aquatic resources. More information at delawarewatersheds.org

Participation in this program is limited to 25 Musselwatchers and, for safety reasons, volunteers must work in teams of no fewer than two people. Prospective volunteers must pre-register at nanticokemusselwatchers.eventbrite.com or may contact Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator Beth Wasden at bethwasden@nanticokeriver.org or at 443-944-1175 for more information about the program.

The Nanticoke Watershed Alliance is a consensus-building organization that supports partnerships to conserve the natural, cultural and recreational resources of the Nanticoke River watershed. Partnership representation includes local citizens, academia, industry, agriculture, development professionals, conservation groups and government.

Media Contact: Phil Miller, DNREC Watershed Assessment and Management Section: 302-739-9939 or philip.miller@delaware.gov

Vol. 46, No. 158