This document discusses water quality issues related to nutrient pollution in the midshore region, specifically nitrogen and phosphorus levels. It notes the natural and acceptable levels for drinking water and the Chesapeake Bay, then provides data showing levels exceeding standards in the Choptank River watershed and other areas. Sources of the excess nutrients are identified as agricultural runoff and discharge from tile drains and ditches. The impacts discussed include contaminated drinking water requiring treatment, pollution of local waterways, and negative effects on public health, ecosystems and fisheries. Monitoring data over time indicates worsening phosphorus levels. Steps needed to address the issues are identified as increased regulation, use of pollution management tools, innovation in technologies like bioreactors,

1. Water Quality and
the Midshore
CURRENT STATE AND WHAT IS BEING DONE

2. Overview
 Nutrient Pollution
 Surface and groundwater contamination
 Phosphorus
 Nitrogen
 Human health
 Environmental health
 Misinformation
 What is being done

3. Standards
Nitrogen
 Natural levels: < 0.5 mg/l
 Drinking water: < 10 mg/l
 Chesapeake Bay: < 0.6 mg/l
Phosphorus
 Natural Levels: < 0.02 mg/l
 Drinking water: None
 Chesapeake Bay: < 0.03 mg/l

4. Nutrient
Story
Choptank River
WatershedMiles-Wye River
Watershed

5. Choptank Land Use
56% Agriculture
28% Forest
13% Developed
2% Wetland
http://faculty.salisbury.edu/~kssilaphone/Swipe_ChoptankLU/index.html#

6. Delmarva Landscape

7. Delmarva Landscape
Well Water
Ditch
Drainage Tile
Local Waterway

8. Nutrient Pollution- Nitrogen
Ridgely

9. Nutrient Pollution- Nitrogen
Ridgely
Centreville

10. Nutrient Pollution- Nitrogen
Ridgely
Centreville
Easton

11. Pathways

12. Pathways

13. Pathways
Discharge from tile
drains and ditches
5 to 20 mg/l

14. Pathways

15. Concerns
High Nitrate
Concentrations
(>10mg/l)

16. Concerns
Contaminates
Drinking Water

17. Necessitates Treatment
Iowa 2015 lawsuit Delaware 40% of total cost
Suit makes legal waves
- Iowa Farmer Today, 3/26/15

18. Impacts
Pollutes Local
Waterways

19. Impacts
Pollutes Local
Waterways
Bacteria born
infections
“Bad Water relates a
nearly fatal Vibrio
infection for a
Maryland man who
swam in the brackish
Severn River.”
Loss of
property value
Loss of
ecosystem
services
Fish killsEconomic
impact on
fisheries

20. Sites
 117 sites
 Mouth of Choptank
 Tuckahoe dam
 Above Denton

21. Sites
 UMCES
 USGS
 Major
subwatersheds

22. In Talbot County
Nitrogen- 7.85 mg/l (15X) Phosphorus- 0.077 mg/l (4x)

24. Upper

25. Upper

26. Outer

27. Moving
Out

28. Moving
Out

29. Same Story
for
Phosphorus

30. Conowingo…

31. Conowingo…
?

32. Conowingo…
x

33. Conowingo…
Monitoring Station
Total Nitrogen Total Phosphorus Suspended Sediment
Long Term Short Term Long Term Short Term Long Term Short Term
Susquehanna River - Conowingo, MD   -  - -
Potomac River - Washington, DC    -  -
Patuxent River - Bowie, MD    -  
Choptank River - Greensboro, MD      

34. Conowingo…
Monitoring Station
Total Nitrogen Total Phosphorus Suspended Sediment
Long Term Short Term Long Term Short Term Long Term Short Term
Susquehanna River - Conowingo, MD   -  - -
Potomac River - Washington, DC    -  -
Patuxent River - Bowie, MD    -  
Choptank River - Greensboro, MD      

35. Necessary Steps
 Regulation
 PMT

36. Necessary Steps
 Regulation
 PMT
On the Eastern Shore the
phosphorus levels have worsened
over the past 10 years…

37. Necessary Steps
 Regulation
 PMT
On the Eastern Shore the
phosphorus levels have worsened
over the past 10 years…
In the Choptank River watershed,
increased 48% over the last 10
years, and by 65% since 1985.

38. Necessary Steps
 Regulation
 PMT
On the Eastern Shore the
phosphorus levels have worsened
over the past 10 years…

39. Necessary Steps
 Regulation
 PMT
 Nitrogen?

40. Necessary Steps
 Regulation
 PMT
 Nitrogen?
 Innovation
 Bioreactors
 Phosphorus Removal
 Partnership
 Non-profit, Federal, State, Local Community

41. Nutrient Reduction Projects

42. Nutrient Reduction Projects
Necessity is the
mother of
invention….
First woodchip
bioreactor in the state
of Maryland

43. Nutrient Reduction Projects

44. Nutrient Reduction Projects

45. Nutrient Reduction Projects