Recent News

March 20, 2024

March 2024 Legislative Update

Happy Crossover Week!  We are officially more than halfway through the 446th Session of the Maryland General Assembly. Arundel Rivers Federation has weighed in on about 30 pieces of legislation […]

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March 19, 2024

Lake Marion Restoration in Partnership with Severn River Association

This spring, Lake Marion in Severn, Maryland will undergo large-scale restoration to enhance the lake’s habitat and restore its capacity to store and treat stormwater. After years of planning by […]

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March 13, 2024

River Report Cards Return This April!

This spring, Arundel Rivers will host two River Report Card events! These events are your chance to hear from the South, West, and Rhode Riverkeeper and learn more about the […]

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February 15, 2024

Bay Loving Landscapes: Habitat over Habit!

Arundel Rivers Federation and the Anne Arundel County Watershed Stewards Academy  (WSA) are excited to announce Bay Loving Landscapes, a collaborative program to help communities and homeowners in the South, […]

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February 7, 2024

Arundel Rivers Launches Underwater Grass Restoration Program

Annapolis, Maryland– In 2024, Arundel Rivers Federation (Arundel Rivers) will propel the restoration of underwater grasses across Maryland’s Western Shore by constructing and managing a submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) turbulator […]

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December 5, 2023

Franklin Point and Honeysuckle Drive Projects Completed with Maryland Department of Natural Resources

Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Press Release: Four Living Shoreline Projects Enhance Climate Resilience in Anne Arundel County

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October 2, 2023

Tell the County: “Don’t Waive Forest Laws at Glebe Heights!”

Thank you to the over 550 people who signed on to our comments to save the forest at Glebe Heights from development. Our voices were heard! We are grateful to […]

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September 27, 2023

2023 Arundel Rivers Annual Meeting

Join Arundel Rivers for our 2023 Annual Meeting (it’s free!). Help us celebrate a great year of fighting for our rivers and hear what we have planned for the year to […]

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2023 Bacteria Testing Season Wrap-up

The 2023 Bacteria Season has come to an end. September marks the end of Arundel Rivers Federation’s annual bacteria monitoring season. Our mission is to protect, preserve, and restore the South, […]

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September 7, 2023

Swim & Paddle the South River

The annual Swim & Paddle the South River returns on October 1, 2023! Crossing Currents Aquatics celebrates outdoor recreation in the Chesapeake Bay region with a self paced, open water […]

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August 24, 2023

A message from our intern, Kate Moore

Hello river supporters! My name is Kate Moore and I had the amazing opportunity of working for Arundel Rivers as an intern this Summer! I am entering my third year […]

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August 23, 2023

Help Save the Forest at Glebe Heights

Dear River Supporters, The Forest at Glebe Heights needs your help! Within my first month as your South, West, and Rhode Riverkeeper last year, I sent out my first call-to-action […]

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August 8, 2023

Arundel Rivers’ Business Sponsorship Program

Do you own or manage a business? By becoming a business sponsor of Arundel Rivers, your business can make a real investment in clean waters for generations to come. Becoming […]

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July 26, 2023

A message from your Riverkeeper, Elle Bassett

Dear Supporters,  Can you believe August is here?! My first summer here with Arundel Rivers Federation is flying by and we have been very busy this season! I am out […]

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June 29, 2023

A note from your Outreach Coordinator, Mairin Corasaniti

To our incredible Arundel Rivers supporters, Hello! It has been a whirlwind three months since I came on board, and I have been in awe of this incredible and powerful […]

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June 20, 2023

Accepting 2023 Summer Photo Contest Submissions!

Introducing the Arundel Rivers Photo Contest! This year’s theme… Love Letter to our Rivers! We want to see the natural resources we all know and treasure through your eyes. In […]

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June 18, 2023

The Bacon Brothers visit Arundel Rivers Restoration

On Saturday, June 17, Michael and Kevin Bacon of The Bacon Brothers and SixDegrees.Org joined forces with Arundel Rivers Federation (Arundel Rivers) and local scouts to plant hundreds of native […]

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April 22, 2023

Arundel Rivers and Chrysalis House Inc create a space for healing in nature this Earth Day

On this Earth Day, Arundel Rivers Federation joined Chrysalis House and dozens of volunteers for a planting event to create a natural healing space for their clients. Over 200 native […]

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April 20, 2023

Welcome Outreach Coordinator, Mairin Corasaniti!

We are thrilled to welcome Mairin Corasaniti to our Arundel Rivers Family! Anne Arundel County native, Mairin graduated from Washington College in 2019 before joining ShoreRivers as a Chesapeake Conservation […]

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Successful 2023 Legislative Session

After a busy 90 days, the 2023 legistlative session came to an end on April 11th. Arundel Rivers weighed in on almost 30 legislative bills this year that would better […]

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March 9, 2023

Arundel Rivers Legislative Update

We are officially halfway through the 2023 Legislative Session!  Arundel Rivers Federation has weighed in on about 30 pieces of legislation that will better protect or restore our waterways so […]

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February 16, 2023

Our Voices Were Heard!

Before the holiday season, Arundel Rivers Federation submitted comments calling upon the County to reject the Glebe Heights conceptual development plan. We want to thank the 650+ individuals who signed […]

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October 14, 2022

Quiet Waters Park Restoration Project Unveiling

On Saturday, October 8, Arundel Rivers celebrated our latest stream restoration project on a tributary of the South River that runs through Quiet Waters Park in Annapolis. The banks of […]

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October 13, 2022

A Note from Riverkeeper Elle Bassett

Dear Supporters, I am thrilled to introduce myself as your new South, West, and Rhode Riverkeeper at Arundel Rivers Federation! As your Riverkeeper, I will work to protect and restore […]

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September 15, 2022

Welcoming Home Elle Bassett as Our New Riverkeeper!

ARUNDEL RIVERS FEDERATION ANNOUNCES ELLE BASSETT AS SOUTH, WEST, AND RHODE RIVERKEEPER Media Contact: Matt Johnston [email protected] 443-510-8346 September 15, 2022 Edgewater, Md – Arundel Rivers Federation (Arundel Rivers) is […]

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September 14, 2022

September River Currents Newsletter

Click here to view the 2022 September River Currents Newsletter.

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August 18, 2022

Broad Creek Valley West Stream Restoration Project

Arundel Rivers Federation is restoring 1,686 linear feet of stream in the Broad Creek subwatershed of the South River. This project, located in a valley along Broad Creek, was brought […]

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August 11, 2022

Update from Summer Intern, Seneca RiceWoolf

Thank you to those I have enjoyed getting to know and hello to the faces I have yet to meet! My name is Seneca RiceWoolf, Arundel Rivers’ summer intern. I […]

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July 21, 2022

Franklin Point Living Shoreline Project

Great news! Our Franklin Point Living Shoreline project’s construction is set to begin on August 1. Arundel Rivers will construct 1,060 linear feet of living shoreline to stabilize the peninsula, […]

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July 5, 2022

Support for the Proposed Transfer of the Crownsville Hospital Center

Letter of Support for the Transfer of the Crownsville Hospital Center Image Credit: Capital Gazette Image Link: Click Here

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May 9, 2022

May River Currents Newsletter

View our May River Currents newsletter here. Visit our Half Shell event website here. Learn about Half Shell sponsorship opportunities here.

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April 22, 2022

Caffrey Run Stream Restoration Project

Caffrey Run Stream Restoration Project Quiet Waters Park, Annapolis, MD With more than 300 acres of walking trails, scenic waterfront views and other fabulous amenities, it is no wonder Quiet […]

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March 23, 2022

New Leadership for Arundel Rivers Federation

ARUNDEL RIVERS FEDERATION ANNOUNCES MATTHEW JOHNSTON AS NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR March 23 2022 Arundel Rivers Federation is pleased to announce that Matthew (Matt) Johnston has been appointed as the new […]

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March 2022 Newsletter

View the March 2022 Newsletter here.

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March 2, 2022

Working Together to Protect Anne Arundel County’s Rivers

Two organizations leading efforts to conserve the rivers of Anne Arundel County are making changes to strengthen their capacity to protect the South, West and Rhode, and Severn Rivers. Arundel […]

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January 20, 2022

Advocacy Priorities for 2022

2022 MD Legislative Session Overview A number of important and interesting pieces of legislation are coming up in this year’s general assembly session. Already, just one week in to the […]

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December 17, 2021

Jim Lyons Takes the Helm from Denise Swol

      FEDERATION LAUNCHS NEW PLAN TO PRESERVE, PROTECT AND RESTORE OUR RIVERS; JIM LYONS TAKES HELM AS INTERIM DIRECTOR December 17, 2021 The Arundel Rivers Federation invites you […]

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November 18, 2021

Plans for Liberty Marina

Arundel Rivers Federation has heard from several community members about their concerns related to the Liberty Marina redevelopment proposal.  Arundel Rivers is not supportive of the project, but is willing […]

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October 20, 2021

Helping Test Out New Turbidity Technology

Arundel Rivers Federation has been excited to help Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC)  to test a new way to measure the clarity of the water in the Chesapeake Bay and […]

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September 22, 2021

Bay Loving Landscape Campaign

This weekend, we are launching a Bay Loving Landscapes Campaign. Learn about the 40% rebate for native plants here. Below is a list of resources to help homeowners replace portions […]

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September 13, 2021

Public Meeting for Broad Creek Valley Permit Modification

The Arundel Rivers Federation is pleased to begin the restoration and stabilization of another eroding stream located within the Broad Creek watershed in Annapolis, MD. The Federation uses science, restoration, […]

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September 9, 2021

Jesse’s Gets the Dirt for Marylanders To See

Some of you might remember that a few years ago, our Riverkeeper, Jesse Iliff, did extensive research using the public information act to find out how well Anne Arundel County […]

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August 5, 2021

My Year with Arundel Rivers

For those of you who have been following along or those I am reaching for the first time, hello! My name is Chloe Obara and for the past 12 months […]

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August 3, 2021

One Shell of a Year: Studying Oyster Reefs on the South River

In the South River, hundreds of millions of oysters have been raised and released on over a dozen oyster reefs. However, at many of these reefs, no one has been […]

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August 2, 2021

The Effect of Fishery Pressure on Oyster Reefs in the South River

Click the link below to read Chloe Obara’s 2020-21 capstone report! Obara Oyster Capstone Final   See a summary  of Chloe’s oyster research here. Learn more about Chloe’s year with […]

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July 30, 2021

Update from Summer Intern, Isaac Edmundson

This summer internship has exceeded my personal expectations. I have learned much more than I expected. The experience has made it clear to me that I am interested in working […]

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July 26, 2021

Camp Woodlands Construction Starts

In 2016, Arundel Rivers installed some step pools to slow and filter stormwater running off Riva Road at the Girl Scout’s Camp Woodlands. Anne Arundel Bureau of Watershed Protection and […]

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June 29, 2021

Osprey Chick Rescued

On Monday, June 28th, one of the two Osprey chicks fell out of the nest! Luckily, it fell only a few inches onto a black shingled roof, but still those […]

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Cool Time Lapse Video of Herrington Harbor

Here is a great time lapse video of the 2nd small bioretention project that Arundel Rivers installed at Herrington Harbor North Marina.  The site has since been planted with wetland […]

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June 24, 2021

Herrington Harbour North Marina Restoration Project

Arundel Rivers Federation installed a restoration project that slowly steps the stormwater downhill, stops erosion, reconnects the floodplain, and allows the water to infiltrate into the ground to reduce the […]

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June 23, 2021

Uncovering the Hidden Ecosystems above Oyster Reefs

When thinking about the habitat created by an oyster reef, you might picture minnows, mud crabs, and barnacles that hide in and among the shells. However, the ecosystem of an […]

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June 17, 2021

Thousands of Cicadas Wash Up

            Thousands of cicadas were washed up on the shore of Herring Bay Friday morning, part of a veiny-winged tide of bugs found on boat […]

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May 13, 2021

Annapolis Landing Stream Restoration

Annapolis Landing Project is Completed! Beards Creek is the 3rd most polluted creek on the South River. This stream restoration project, completed in May, 2021 is located in the community […]

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April 22, 2021

Herrington Harbor North Restoration

At Herrington Harbour North Marina, the Federation restored a rapidly eroding headcut in an area of the County that has seen little restoration work. With full landowner support in a […]

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April 20, 2021

Federation Honor’s Long-time Supporter with Boat Renaming

On April 10th, the Federation Board and staff was joined by a group of supporters at the Hillsmere Boat launch for a special occasion- the renaming of our West Rhode […]

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April 9, 2021

Data Deep Dive Presentation

If you missed our Data Deep Dive Presentation, click below to view it. Riverkeeper, Jesse Iliff, discusses the mysteries in our analysis of 2020 data.

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April 5, 2021

What is the Orange Stuff I See in Streams?

We get asked frequently what is the orange stuff people see in streams. It is not some toxic chemical or harmful algae. Rather it is a bacteria that fixes oxygen […]

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March 20, 2021

2020 State Of Our Rivers Report

Here is our 2020 State of Our Rivers Report Card! See the Arundel Rivers on the Half Shell video presentation including an overview of the report card data by Jesse […]

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March 12, 2021

Where Are They Now? Following the Lives of Chesapeake Conservation Corps Members

Episode 2: Katie Geiger Interviewed: March 4th, 2021 The Federation is proud to serve as an incubator for young professionals as they enter the environmental field. This blog is the […]

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March 1, 2021

Busy as Beavers at Annapolis Landing in Riva, Md

We’re busy as beavers at Annapolis Landing in Riva, MD installing innovative log-jams instead of the traditional rock step pools. This technique is cost efficient and very low-impact. Learn more.

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February 26, 2021

Winter Weather is No Match for Annapolis Landing Restoration

February has graced Annapolis with the full suite of winter weather: ice storms, snow, sleet, hail, and freezing rain alike. And as luck may have it, the snowiest winter we’ve […]

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November 16, 2020

Mild Weather but Persistent Dead Zones

We have finished the 2020 monitoring season for the South, West and Rhode Rivers. The season was characterized by relatively mild weather but those creeks with the most impervious surfaces […]

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November 10, 2020

Where Are They Now: Following the Lives of Chesapeake Conservation Corps Members

Episode 1: Caroline Rodriguez The Federation is proud to serve as an incubator for young professionals as they enter the environmental field. This blog is the first of a series […]

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October 9, 2020

Where Do the Ospreys Go?

Here one day, gone the next. Seemingly overnight, the ospreys that populate the Chesapeake Bay in abundance vanish without a trace. Gone is the classic ‘ee-ee-ee’ screech that echoes throughout […]

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October 5, 2020

Our Commitment to a Better World

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and Justice The Arundel Rivers Federation is committed to fostering, cultivating and preserving a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion and justice so that […]

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September 8, 2020

Help Our Rivers by Catching and Eating Invasive Fish

Invasive species, like Snakehead fish and Blue Catfish out-compete the native species of fish for food and habitat and damages the local food web. Help our rivers by catching and […]

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2020 Bacteria Sampling

The Federation is proud of the role it plays in keeping residents informed about when and where it is safe to swim. Weekly, all summer long, Marvin Solberg and Diane […]

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Help Our Rivers– Catch and Eat Invasive Fish

Invasive Fish Recipes Help native fish by catching and eating non-native invasive species such as Snakehead fish and Blue Catfish. Enjoy these two great recipes below. From: WUSA9! Author: Madeline Cuddihy […]

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August 31, 2020

Chloe Heads into the Field and onto the River

Chloe Obara’s First Week Hi, my name is Chloe! I just graduated from William & Mary this spring with a degree in geology and a minor in marine science. I […]

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July 9, 2020

Osprey Cam Update

The Osprey family is having a wonderful summer on the South River! Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum took turns building their nest. Osprey require the perfect spot to build a […]

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June 17, 2020

Federation Internship: Week #1

Hi, my name is Jon! I am an environmental science and technology major at University of Maryland, College Park. My internship with the Arundel Rivers Federation has only just begun […]

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April 27, 2020

Behind the Scenes of our Scorecard

By Sarah Giordano, Arundel Rivers Federation Around this time, each year, we share exciting news about the state of our rivers. Often, we present this in the form of a […]

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April 15, 2020

State of Our Rivers Report – 2019

The Federation is pleased to present you with our State of Our Rivers Report Card! Our South, West, and Rhode Riverkeeper, Jesse Iliff, presented the report card virtually. We will […]

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April 10, 2020

The Northern Snakehead: Coming to a Creek Near You?

By David Lanier, Arundel Rivers Federation Channa argus, commonly known as the Northern Snakehead, is an invasive fish that is native to parts of China, Korea, and Russia. They were first […]

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March 20, 2020

Coronavirus Update March 20th

Federation Coronavirus update: March, 20, 2020 We are hoping that all our members of our Federation Family stay healthy and safe. Please follow the guidelines laid out by Governor Hogan […]

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March 1, 2020

Glebe Bay Oyster Sanctuary Reef Population Survey

As a part of the Chesapeake Conservation Corps program through the Chesapeake Bay Trust, Shayna Keller developed an oyster population survey for the Glebe Bay Oyster Sanctuary Reef. The restoration […]

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Water Quality Measurements

The Federation prides itself on science-based restoration. To enhance our understanding of the river, the South, West, & Rhode RIVERKEEPER® collects a battery of water quality data from almost over […]

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February 18, 2020

Use Your Voice To Protect Our Rivers

In the 2020 legislative session, Arundel Rivers is working on 6 bills (so far!). Please help us pass these bills by contacting your local representative. To send a letter or […]

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January 13, 2020

Senator Van Hollen Wants EPA to Enforce Pollution Targets

Senator Van Hollen put out this statement in response to EPA Chesapeake Bay Program Director Dana Aunkst calling Bay pollution targets as “aspirational” and not “enforceable”. For Immediate Release January […]

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January 7, 2020

Not Just An “Aspiration”

Remember that huge algae bloom that ravaged Anne Arundel County rivers over the holiday break? On Friday afternoon, the head of EPA’s Chesapeake Bay Program, Dana Aunkst, gave us to […]

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January 3, 2020

Glebe Heights Public Meeting

On December 30, 2019, Jesse Iliff, South RiverKeeper, visited the Edgewater library for a public hearing on a proposed development along Glebe Heights Drive. Given the timing between holidays, I […]

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January 1, 2020

Charting the Course for BMP’s: A Church Creek Case Study

The South River Federation and the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center are partnering to study a tributary of the South River that has been known previously as one of the most […]

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November 22, 2019

Forest Conservation ACT PASSED!

Thank You County Council Members for Protecting Our Local Forests! Just over two months ago, the Federation jumped right into the thick of the fight for our County’s forests when […]

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November 5, 2019

River Reflections and Underwater Grasses

As we reflect on the past two monitoring seasons, we see a feast-or-famine paradigm unfolding in terms of rainfall and water quality. In 2018, we had record-setting rainfall that brought […]

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November 4, 2019

Our Fall 2019 Volunteers Really Rocked the Boat!

Enjoy a look at our fabulous fall volunteers. See “Volunteer” section for more information.

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October 7, 2019

Voters want Forest Bill

POLL SHOWS ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY VOTERS OVERWHELMINGLY SUPPORT PROPOSED FOREST CONSERVATION ACT ON EVE OF RALLY  Reveals Strong Support for Stronger Forest Conservation and Concern over Tree Loss Edgewater, Md. […]

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October 4, 2019

Stop the Bulldozers and Save the Trees Monday, Oct 7th at 6pm

  By every conceivable measure, Anne Arundel County leads Maryland in forest loss. And the numbers are staggering. “Since 2010, Anne Arundel County has lost 2,840 acres of forest to development.” Forests are […]

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September 23, 2019

Music of the Bay Overlooking the Bay

The Chesapeake Music Festival at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) this past Saturday was a huge success, bringing together dozens of artists from all around the Bay watershed to […]

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August 29, 2019

Denise Swol Named Executive Director

The Board of Directors of the Arundel Rivers Federation is pleased to announce that Denise Swol, currently the Federation’s Director of Development, has been named its new Executive Director. “We […]

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August 12, 2019

Confirmed Algae Blooms in the South River!

Confirmed Algae Blooms in the South River! Results came back from two samples collected on Wednesday, August 7th, when our South Riverkeeper saw a water clarity of less than only […]

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July 31, 2019

Health Department Ribbon Cutting

Arundel Rivers Federation celebrated the completion of Phase 1 of our restoration project at Anne Arundel County Health Department with a ribbon cutting.  The Federation was joined by our partners […]

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July 10, 2019

Scuba Diving South River’s Oyster Sanctuary Reef

By Shayna Keller, Chesapeake Conservation Corps Volunteer On June 26th, I went scuba diving with my dive buddies, Evan Claggett and Brad King, at the Glebe Bay Oyster Sanctuary Reef […]

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June 12, 2019

Thank You to Our Sponsors!

On May 9, the Arundel Rivers Federation celebrated the 15th Anniversary of the South River on the Half Shell with over 275  supporters.  We would like to again thank our […]

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May 23, 2019

South River High School Students Help Determine Optimal Oyster Numbers

The West Rhode Riverkeeper, Jeff Holland, has been working with Smithsonian Environmental Research Center and South River High School students to determine the optimal number of oyster shells that should […]

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March 8, 2019

We’re Hiring!

About the Position: Arundel Rivers Federation in Annapolis, MD seeks an energetic and visionary leader who is passionate about the mission of the organization.  Reporting to the Board of Directors, […]

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March 3, 2019

Learn About Water Quality Measurements!

The Federation prides itself on science-based restoration. To enhance our understanding of the river, the South, West, and Rhode Riverkeeper collects precise water quality data from almost over 50 different […]

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March 1, 2019

Why are Clarity and Dissolved Oxygen Important?

Water Quality Water Clarity is the measurement of how far sunlight can pass through the water column. Sunlight is one of the key elements needed for underwater grasses to grow. […]

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February 26, 2019

Federation Newsletters

Arundel Rivers Federation works hard to keep our followers informed!  Throughout the year, we send out newsletters as well as additional updates on current and upcoming events.  See our past […]

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February 7, 2019

Bacteria Levels Decreasing At Church Creek Headwaters!

Church Creek in Annapolis, MD is the most polluted creek in the South River Watershed and has been a high priority restoration goal since the Federation’s first strategic restoration plan […]

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