Maryland has selected the five watersheds in the state that will receive initial state grant funding as part of the Whole Watershed Act. These watershed-scale restoration efforts will contribute to both short-term and lasting economic benefits in the state of Maryland.
“When we preserve and protect Maryland’s natural treasures, we grow and strengthen Maryland’s economy. Prioritizing these five watershed programs will
Antietam Creek crossed by Burnside Bridge in Sharpsburg, Washington County. Photo by C. Witt, submitted to the 2020 Maryland Department of Natural Resources Photo Contest.
ensure Maryland agriculture, Maryland tourism, and Maryland businesses remain strong,” said Governor Wes Moore. “Our administration’s environmental protection work isn’t just responsible, it’s strategic – and it’s going to advance our economic growth agenda for the entire state.”
Cleaner waterways bolster tourism in Maryland, which generates about $3.2 billion a year in economic activity. Improved water quality and habitat also benefits Maryland’s seafood industry, which contributes about $600 million to the state’s economy each year. In the selected watersheds, restoration work will contribute to local economic development by making areas more attractive for businesses and creating new opportunities for outdoor recreation.
The state’s interagency management team selected Antietam Creek in Washington County, Baltimore Harbor, Newport Bay near Ocean City (Worcester County), the Severn River in Anne Arundel County, and the Upper Choptank River on the Eastern Shore (Caroline, Talbot, and Queen Anne’s Counties).
Maryland’s Whole Watershed Act, passed by the Maryland General Assembly in 2024, establishes a collaborative and science-based approach to watershed restoration. The act created a five-year program to target five Maryland watersheds for water quality improvements that best represent the state’s diverse land uses, geographies, and environmental challenges. A watershed is a land area that channels rainfall and snowmelt to creeks, streams, and rivers, and eventually to outflow points such as the Chesapeake Bay or Atlantic Ocean.
