Fairlee Creek, is located in Kent County, Maryland. It drains directly to the Chesapeake Bay roughly three miles due east of Pooles Island. The Creek is approximately 5.2 miles in length, from its confluence with the Bay to the upper reaches of the headwaters.
Fairlee Creek (02130611) was identified on the State's 1996 list of water quality limited segments (WQLSs) as being impaired by nutrients, due to signs of eutrophication and low dissolved oxygen, and suspended sediment. Eutrophication, the overenrichment of aquatic systems by excessive inputs of nitrogen and phosphorus was evidenced in Fairlee Creek by recurrent high chlorophyll a. For these reasons, the document available below addresses the high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus to control chlorophyll a concentrations (a surrogate for algal blooms) and to maintain dissolved oxygen standards. The suspended sediment impairment will be addressed at separately.
Contact Information
Please direct questions or comments concerning this project to Maryland's TMDL Program at (410) 537-3818.