Prior to reconstruction in the late 1960's, Marshy Hope Creek was a meandering, tidally-influenced waterway with wetlands and riparian areas in and along its floodplain.

 

However, frequent and damaging floods along Marshy Hope Creek posed a serious environmental threat to the town of Federalsburg, Maryland. In 1956, flood waters reached as high as the famous "white brick" (up and left of trash container) in the wall of the local movie theatre on Main Street in Federalsburg.​