October Riverkeeper Report

The Chesapeake Bay has been making headlines in recent weeks, with two major developments drawing attention to the health and future of our waterways. President Trump issued an executive order addressing federal support for Chesapeake Bay water quality, and the latest Chesapeake Bay and Watershed Report Card offers a fresh look at the Bay’s health. But what do these developments mean for our local rivers? Let’s take a closer look at the headlines and what they could mean for the South, West, and Rhode Rivers.

Last month, President Trump signed an executive order that revokes an 2009 Obama Executive Order that helped guide federal coordination around Bay restoration efforts. The order directs the Bay states and District of Columbia to assess stormwater fees, including "take measures to encourage the repeal or rescission of stormwater management fees imposed by States or localities and funded by their respective residents." Fortunately for Anne Arundel County, our stormwater fees are associated with our MS4 permits (municipal separate storm sewer system), mandated by the Clean Water Act.

What this likely means is that there may be no actual implications from this Executive Order for the South, West, and Rhode, however we are concerned to see President Trump specifically state that stormwater management fees provide “little to no measurable benefits to the Chesapeake Bay” or the residents that pay them. Arundel Rivers knows that this simply is not true. These dollars assist us in implementing on-the-ground restoration in communities throughout Anne Arundel County, help us work towards water quality goals, preserve water access, and expand vital habitat. These funds also support resilience efforts, protecting our shorelines and low-lying areas against storm surges, flooding, and other impacts from climate change.

The proof that restoration is working is in the data. The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) just released their 2026 report card, to which our data contributes. This is the 20th year UMCES has produced this report, and it reports the highest grade ever for the Chesapeake Bay health. The report highlights improving trends, largely due to investments in restoration action across the watershed. When we zoom into the Lower Western Shore in the report, (which includes the Magothy, Severn, South, West, and Rhode rivers) the report grade declined by three points since 2024. Despite an improvement in chlorophyll a (algae), the score declined largely due to dissolved oxygen. Despite this slight decline, our dissolved oxygen and clarity data over the long term do show a slight improving trend. This emphasizes the need for us to stay the course on restoration efforts, if not double down. Now is not the time to slow or stop - our waterways need practices that treat stormwater runoff and reduce pollutants.

Regardless of changes in Washington, Arundel Rivers remains relentlessly committed to our mission. We implore our partners at Anne Arundel County and the state of Maryland to continue to effectively utilize and leverage stormwater fees, which directly benefit the South, West, and Rhode Rivers that we cherish. We feel lucky that we have state and local leadership that are committed to maintaining these water quality goals, and we encourage our supporters to continue to vote for leaders in the future that will uphold these values. 

As we come closer to wrapping up our final month of water quality monitoring in 2026, I am starting to receive a lot of questions about how the year was in general. Was it a good year for water quality? Was it better than 2025?

The long story short here is that we don't have all the data yet to completely answer these questions. But if I do love to do one thing- it's speculating. So let's make some educated guesses on what went down this year. 

It was a pretty dry year. So far, 5 of the 7 months in our monitoring season have been below average rainfall in the state. Generally, that's a good thing for water quality. The less rainfall, the less runoff, the less pollutants entering our waterways. Ideally, a dry year could translate to improved clarity and reduced nitrogen and phosphorus. 

We did see improved results in our bacteria monitoring program this year, likely due to the dryer season. Our total pass rate for 2026 bacteria sites was 83%, compared to a pass rate of 62% in 2025, and a pass rate of 77% in 2024. 

A dry summer can also have consequences. The high heat, salty rivers, and lack of rain can also create good conditions for algal blooms. We did record a number of active blooms throughout the monitoring season. In this case, our data may show increased chlorophyll a results (algae) and lower bottom oxygen. 

Ultimately, the health of our rivers will shift year to year based on rainfall. What really matters in the long run is the trend. Are our waterways improving over time despite the seasonal variability? This is something only data and time can tell. As we wrap up the last few weeks on the river, we'll shift into data analysis mode. Our team will prepare the 2026 River Report Card to release in the spring, exploring the annual data and what it means in the longer term.

In the meantime, pulling our boats off the river for the season means we lose our weekly eyes on the river. Please be sure to continue to send us photos (info@arundelrivers.org) - of concerns, of wildlife, of beautiful sunsets. The more photos the better!

See you on the rivers!

Elle Bassett

South, West, and Rhode Riverkeeper

PS: Did you know that the Annapolis Anglers Club is hosting the 15th Annual Fall Rockfish Tournament, benefiting the EVAN (Evan's Victory Against Neuroblastoma) Foundation this November?!

Register for the tournament (a 100% donation to the EVAN Foundation, helping kids with cancer have brighter days and a more hopeful future), and recorded your longest rockfish catch in the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland for a chance to win big! We'll see you out there!