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At the end of 2003, representatives from Centreville, a town situated near the headwaters of the Corsica River in Queen Anne’s County, teamed with a group of dedicated citizens, community groups, and technical staff from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to develop a Watershed Restoration Action Strategy (WRAS) to outline the steps required to restore and protect the Corsica River watershed. The Corsica WRAS is one of 25 WRASs developed throughout the state with technical assistance provided by DNR and recently by the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE).
The main areas of concern for the Corsica included pollution from Centreville’s urban nonpoint sources, the town's wastewater treatment plant, and the extensive surrounding agricultural lands. The stakeholders played a significant role in the development of the WRAS and became involved in the review of the data, stream conditions, water quality information, and land use maps, adding local knowledge and a vision for the future of the watershed.
Governor’s Initiative
In 2005, at the urging of Maryland’s Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr., state agencies collaborated to select a watershed with a strong watershed plan where the components could be implemented to improve water quality and habitat.
“In large part, the Corsica was selected because of its exceptional stakeholder involvement and the local commitment to participate in a project that was broad and comprehensive in scope,” said Dr. Richard Eskin, director of MDE’s Technical and Regulatory Services Administration. “Additionally, according to a recent comprehensive EPA review, the Corsica WRAS is considered to be one of the best watershed-based plans submitted to EPA.”
The Corsica WRAS
The Corsica River is listed on the state’s 303(d) List (impaired waterways list) as impaired by sediments (1996), nutrients (1996), polychlorinated biphenyls (2002 – PCBs), fecal coliform (1996 – restricted shellfish areas), and impacts to biological communities (2002 & 2004 – non-tidal areas). Total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) have already been developed for some of the listings, such as bacteria and nutrients.
The Corsica WRAS identified 13 actions, which, if implemented, would restore the Corsica and address the existing TMDL requirements. These strategies include:
- Planting cover crops
- Retrofitting urban stormwater
- Protecting the urban homeowner watersheds
- Providing education and outreach
- Upgrading septic systems
- Increasing riparian buffers
- Assuring low impact development strategies
- Restoring oyster populations
- Restoring submerged aquatic vegetation
- Restoring wetlands
The WRAS also identified code and regulatory changes that the Town of Centreville and Queen Anne’s County could implement to protect the watershed in the future.
Resources Available
Nearly $800,000 from MDE’s Nonpoint Source Grant was directed to the Corsica project. Support also came from Maryland’s Bay Restoration Fund, the Oyster Recovery Partnership, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and the Chesapeake Bay Trust. The funding will primarily be used to support the local capacity needed for project implementation and to measure water quality and habitat improvements. MDE will monitor project implementation, provide stormwater management guidance, and participate in the working group. Because water quality improvements may take years to show up in the river, monitoring projects are designed to catch the early signals by monitoring the groundwater.
With a total price tag of almost $19 million, the project has some distance to go before the improvements become tangible. But with considerable assistance and long term commitment from state, federal, and local agencies and immense local willpower, things are starting to happen.
“The Corsica Project is a real-world case study,” said MDE Secretary Kendl P. Philbrick. “If the comprehensive approach proves to be successful, it could serve as a model for other parts of the state.”
A Call for Action
If you are interested in participating in the Corsica Project, the 40-member work group meets on the second Tuesday of every month and is open to the public. DNR’s John McCoy is the state’s project lead and can be reached at 410-260-8795.
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