June 2026 Riverkeeper Report

Well, it's hard to believe we are already 3 months into our 2026 monitoring season. I was eager for summer to arrive, but now I wish time would slow down a bit! Here are some exciting updates from the Riverkeeper/Monitoring department in June 2026: 

We started the month with water clarity averaging about 1.5 feet greater than this time last year. At the mouth of the South River, for example, we recorded 5.5 feet of clarity this June compared to just 3 feet in June 2025. While the lack of rainfall is likely a major factor, this unusually dry spring has had some positive effects on our waterways.

Have you noticed an increase of underwater grasses? We've received an unprecedented number of reports of robust and healthy horned pondweed grass beds. This is an early season grass, and has likely already broken off and floated away by now. Hopefully this is a good indicator for the rest of the season and we continue to see later season grasses such as sago pondweed and widgeon grass. Remember, if you see a grass bed while out boating: trim your motor and slow down to avoid damage to the bed and consider taking a data point for our SAV Watcher Volunteer program. 

Speaking of horned pondweed, we had a great first SAV processing at our new home at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center's (SERC) wet lab. We're thrilled to be partnering with SERC and we're very grateful that they have welcomed us to use some of their waterfront wet lab space for our two turbulator tanks and SAV processing work. We harvested horned pondweed from Thompson Creek on the Eastern Shore earlier this month and were able to process over 3.3 million seeds from the harvest. All of these seeds will be replanted in the South, West, and Rhode in an effort to restore our native grass beds and improve habitat and water quality. 

I reconnected with my fellow Chesapeake Waterkeepers during our annual Waterkeepers Chesapeake retreat earlier this month in York, Pennsylvania. Hosted by the Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper this year, our group was able to discuss both regional and local impacts we face and learn from each other. These retreats are a great time for coalition work and strategy amongst partners and friends who face similar work challenges, but they are also an inspiring time with fellow waterkeepers in a beautiful watershed outside the one I work and live in. Thanks Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper for hosting us!

Finally, we are busy not just with field work this summer but advocacy work as well. Arundel Rivers recently received funding from the Chesapeake Bay Trust to produce a septic policy plan that addresses nutrient pollution and climate change threats. The policy plan will incporporate compiling data to communicate with policymakers, agency personnel, funders, and the general public. It is our hope that this plan will propose concrete recommendations for action that make lead to shifts in policy, funding, or regulations. We're thrilled to partner with ShoreRivers, Clean Water Action, and Chesapeake Legal Action on this effort. Stay tuned for the plan, which should be available in the new year. 

See you on the rivers!

Elle Bassett

South, West, and Rhode Riverkeeper