Donate Now
Home / Blogs / Page 14
Why are riparian buffers important? Riparian buffers are important because they reduce erosion, runoff, and emissions and create habitats for native species. The roots of the trees hold the soil together and filter out contaminants in runoff before they reach the water. And the leaves absorb emissions and provide shade which keeps the water cool and oxygen-rich. For those that like to fish, high levels of oxygen and nutrients are required for a body of water to support aquatic life. Vegetation in riparian buffers also attracts birds, insects, and bats which eat mosquitos and other pesky insects.
Read More
Happy Shark Week everyone! If you’re anything like me, you are glued to the Discovery Channel for exactly one week every summer to learn from the newest and most groundbreaking shark research happening around the world. With Shark Week coinciding with peak swimming and boating season, you may have found yourself wondering – Are there …
Summer is in full swing, and the Alliance’s DC Team has been busy all over the District! We have been honored to participate in some exciting events recently that have allowed us to share our meet people from all over – in the watershed and out! Community engagement is a large part of our efforts …
In the last three years working at Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, I’ve found work that allows me to coordinate some of those programs and resources that will enable people to be more informed about the health of their local waterways. I train community members to collect baseline water quality data within the Chesapeake Bay to look at long-term water quality trends. My journey with whitewater recreation and water quality are deeply intertwined, and I look forward to continuing to promote Chesapeake Bay stewardship and river safety in my circles and beyond.
Ask the Alliance is a signature live talk webinar series. Alliance Staff experts share what you can do at home to both enjoy and improve the health of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. In 2021, the Alliance hosted its first live talk webinar series, “Breakfast on the Bay.” We united Alliance staff expertise and our partners’ …
On May 18th and 19th, 2022, the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) held its quarterly meeting in Ellicott City, Maryland, to discuss large-scale solar development in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. CAC is a group of volunteers representing communities and stakeholder from across the Chesapeake Bay watershed, that advises the leadership of the Chesapeake Bay Program …
Follow along as Alliance staff member, Laura Todd, paddles all 444 miles of the Main Branch of the Susquehanna River with her father, Mark. Starting in June 2022 in Cooperstown, New York, the pair will kayak down the river to the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay at Havre de Grace, Maryland. This series will follow their journey over the next year as they paddle the longest river on the East Coast, sharing Susquehanna facts, photos, and reflections from the trip along the way.
Rain gardens are a crucial piece of green infrastructure that capture and filter stormwater before it enters local waterways. They are bowl-shaped and full of native grasses, perennials, and shrubs whose roots filter sediment and pollutants from runoff. They also prevent flooding by storing water, reducing erosion from collecting sediment, and providing habitats for native …
Summer is here and with it, some of our favorite weather. Rising temperatures drive us to the water, where we enjoy a range of outdoor activities, including watching thunderstorms! While afternoon storms are often accompanied by welcome cooler air, they also bring sudden downpours and large volumes of water that come too fast for the …
On Tuesday, June 21st, the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay conducted a macro-invertebrate study at Barshinger Creek behind Red Lion Middle School in York County, PA. Here, a group of 10 elementary and middle school students waded through the creek and used nets to collect aquatic wildlife like fish, tadpoles, salamanders, and all sorts of …
