2025 River Report Card Released for the South, West, and Rhode Rivers

Arundel Rivers released the 2025 River Report Card at a public event at Homestead Gardens this week.

Based on data collected throughout the 2025 monitoring season, the South River earned a score of 52%, the West River earned 53%, and the Rhode River earned 49%—giving all three rivers an overall grade of C.

Each year from April through October, our monitoring team, led by Elle Bassett, collects water quality data across the watershed to better understand the health of our rivers and track long-term trends. This is our second year monitoring nutrients and algae alongside our long-running clarity and dissolved oxygen monitoring.

This year’s report highlighted the growing impact of phosphorus pollution, especially in many upriver tributaries. Increased phosphorus concentrations contributed to higher algae levels, lower water clarity, and declining oxygen conditions at the bottom of the rivers. Areas like Beards Creek, Broad Creek, and Gingerville Creek experienced some of the most significant declines.

Despite these challenges, there is still encouraging news. Long-term monitoring continues to show slow improvements in water clarity and oxygen over time—evidence that restoration work, pollution reduction efforts, and engaged communities are making a difference.

The good news? These are solvable problems. Actions like reducing fertilizer use, planting native gardens, upgrading failing septic systems, and restoring shorelines and streams can all help reduce pollution and improve river health.

Explore the full results below:

• The 2025 River Report Card

• Interactive StoryMap with annual trends and watershed data

• Detailed Subwatershed Reports for local creeks and tributaries

Together, these tools provide a deeper look into the health of the South, West, and Rhode Rivers and help guide future restoration and protection efforts across our watershed.