MD’s Stream Health: DNR Report Highlights Mixed Outcomes

A Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) report reveals conflicting results for the state’s non-tidal streams, highlighting both encouraging improvements and ongoing environmental challenges.
According to the report, the Maryland Biological Stream Survey sampled hundreds of stream sites and compared current data to that from 14 or 20 years ago. The report underscores the importance of continued stream protection and restoration efforts to address ongoing and emerging challenges. By prioritizing stream health, counties can ensure the long-term sustainability of natural resources like the Chesapeake Bay.

Key findings from the report include:

  • Stream Temperatures: Increased in much of Maryland, reflecting global warming trends. Western Maryland streams, however, showed potential cooling.
  • Water Chemistry: Improved overall, with streams becoming less acidic and lower in sulfates, likely due to Clean Air Act amendments and reduced pollution from abandoned coal mines. However, orthophosphate and chloride levels rose, indicating persistent pollution issues.
  • Biological Indicators: No significant changes in the ability of streams to support fish and benthic macroinvertebrates overall, though there were signs of decline in some sensitive species and an increase in non-native fish species.

Read the full report.

At this year’s MACo Summer Conference session, “A Riparian Renaissance: Leveraging Stream Restoration for Recreation & Environmental Stewardship,” an expert panel will share the basics of stream restoration broadly, what the Whole Watershed Act means for counties, and how some jurisdictions are finding new mixed uses for these projects. 

MACo’s Summer Conference, “Turning the Tide,” is August 14-17, 2024, at the Roland Powell Convention Center in Ocean City, Maryland.

Learn more about MACo’s Summer Conference: