AROUND THE PARK AGAIN by Sharon Lee Tegler
Brought to you by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu & Tai Chi
and Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services
Living between the Severn and Magothy Rivers, Severna Park residents enjoy both and know a great deal about them from a geographic, historical and environmental point of view. However, they’re not as familiar with Anne Arundel County’s southernmost waterways – the South River, West River and the Rhodes River.
Like the Severn and Magothy, the South, West and Rhodes rivers are tidal estuaries of the Chesapeake Bay. Our own interest in the trio of South County rivers was piqued in March when we visited the Arundel Rivers Federation booth at Annapolis Green’s “Green Drinks” event at Homestead Gardens.
ARF Communications Director Charlotte Graves and Community Outreach Assistant Lily Hariton had eye-catching displays and information at their table and did a good job explaining Arundel Rivers Federation’s mission.
Wanting to know more, we met Arundel Rivers Federation’s executive director Matthew Johnston for an interview at Pier 7 along the South River below Coconut Joe’s restaurant.
The scene was lively with small craft coming and going and the busy South River Bridge in the background. But, according to Johnston the waterway was likely much busier in the distant past. From the mid 1600’s, when settlers arrived in Anne Arundel County from the Virginia colony, through the 1700’s and into the 1800’s, traversing the rivers by boat served as the population’s main form of transportation and commerce.
“London Town, off the South River in Edgewater, Maryland, was an extremely busy port for about a century,” Johnston said. “Founded in 1683, it was also Anne Arundel County’s seat until 1694 when Annapolis became the county seat as well as Maryland’s capital. Annapolis won that privilege because it was a deep-water port while London Town’s relatively shallow waters couldn’t handle heavier craft.”
He added that London Town was a central transportation hub for the Chesapeake region. The sale of tobacco from the South County 100’s (land grants) was the primary source of trade. (Information on Historic London Town‘s website notes that trans-Atlantic tobacco ships would gather tobacco at London Town before sailing to England and Europe where the tobacco was traded for manufactured items, spices, and other goods.)
The smaller West and Rhode Rivers saw trade from tobacco and other crops but not on the same scale as London Town.
Shifting his attention to today, Johnston noted that the Arundel Rivers Federation was created on January 2, 2019, the result of consolidating the South River Federation and West Rhode Riverkeeper, Inc.
Previously, there was a South River and a West and Rhode Rivers riverkeeper. Today, Anne Arundel County native Elle Bassett is the Arundel Rivers Foundation Riverkeeper for all three rivers.
Johnston describes ARF’s mission as the protection, preservation, and restoration of the South, West, and Rhode Rivers by working with local communities to achieve clean, fishable, and swimmable waterways for present and future generations
He added that commercial and residential development of the watersheds around each of Anne Arundel County’s rivers is a real concern for the Arundel Rivers Federation. With a full-time professional staff of restoration, outreach, and grant experts, Arundel Rivers Federation often partners closely with professionals and volunteers of other local organizations including the Severn River Association, the Magothy River Association, and the Anne Arundel County Watershed Stewards Academy to help deliver environmental restoration projects across Anne Arundel County.”
Johnston’s favorite ARF initiative at the moment is the Broad Creek Stream Restoration Project. Kevin Bacon and his foundation, SixDegrees.org, joined scouts to plant hundreds of native plants for the project where 3,700 feet of degraded stream is now reconnected to its historic floodplain.
The majority of efforts ARF is involved with revolve around Streams and Wetlands Restoration, Living Shorelines Restoration, Rain Gardens, Reforestation and Oyster Restoration.
With regard to oysters, Johnston reports that they exist and are healthy near the mouth of the South River where the water is deeper and cleaner. Elsewhere, in shallower waters in inlets and creeks that do not regularly flush out excess nutrients, it’s difficult for populations of oysters to survive. The Federation has created a reef of its own. In addition, nearly 60 families will grow oysters this season through ARF’s partnership with Marylanders Grow Oysters.
Having previously served as Anne Arundel County’s first Environmental Policy Director, Johnston led county and statewide efforts to pass new forest conservation and stormwater management laws to preserve our rivers. Thus, saving forested acreage and reforestation efforts are especially important goals for him. The topographical features of each of the rivers influence its health and challenges.
From its headwaters in Crofton, the South River enters the Chesapeake Bay south of the City of Annapolis. The drainage area of the South River watershed is 36,433 acres and supports approximately 66,000 residents. Roof tops and roads and other impervious surfaces comprise approximately 4,432 acres or 12%. At present, 16,669 acres of forest, or 46% of the watershed remain.
In contrast, the drainage area of the West River watershed, located in the southeastern part of the county, is approximately 7,809 acres. It includes the communities of Galesville, Chalk Point, Cedarlea, Avalon Shores, and Shady Side with the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center on its northeast border. Land covered with woods makes up the greatest portion of the West River watershed, approximately 44%. Other significant land use/land cover categories are row crop and residential.
Smaller than the South River, the West River has a number of inlets. 
Land covered with woods makes up much of the West River watershed.
The even smaller Rhode River empties into the West River, which drains directly into the Chesapeake Bay. Forests comprise 54% of the watershed. Other significant land use/land cover categories are row crop and 2-acre residential.
The Rhode River is the smallest of the three. 
However, a higher percentage of the watershed is forested.
For Riverkeeper Bassett and Watershed Analyst Mallory Box, monitoring the health of 34 tidal sights twice a month for dissolved oxygen and clarity, PH, temperature and salinity is all important. Box spearheads water quality data management and analysis. Her data collection will expand this year to include nitrogen, phosphorus and algae.
Bassett patrols the local waterways, tracks down sources of pollution, responds to citizen complaints, attempts to identify problems that impact water quality, and advocates for new policies that protect the waterways.
Johnston and the Arundel Rivers Federation believe two primary problems need to be dealt with by the public. The first is excessive nitrogen pollution in stormwater runoff from fertilized turf plantings (lawns) and the second is runoff from septic systems.
To inform and educate South County citizens about measures they can take to limit pollution of our waterways, Outreach Coordinator Mairin Corasaniti and Community Outreach Assistant Lily Hariton are spreading the word. Both are participating in Arundel Rivers and YMCA Camp Letts’ partnership to provide children hands-on environmental science sessions as part of the camp’s day program during its 10-week summer season. The program is made possible by a generous donation from The Brick Companies and a grant from The Chesapeake Bay Trust.
For more information about the work being done by the Arundel Rivers Federation, visit Homepage – Arundel Rivers Federation.
Chamber’s TGIF Cookout being hosted by Kinder Farms Park on May 31st
The Greater Severna Park & Arnold Chamber of Commerce announced that its TGIF Cookout will be hosted by Kinder Farm Park on Friday, May 31 from noon till 2 pm. There will be fun for all with tours, hayrides, animals and more. Register at https://www.gspacc.com/.
Orphan Grain Train completes shipment to Appalachia
Millersville-based Orphan Grain Train had lots of good news to report this Spring. On April 18th, the volunteer organization loaded a 53- foot container headed for the Christian Appalachian Project in Paintsville, Kentucky. The shipment contained 22,600 lbs. of clothing, blankets, shoes, coats, hygiene items, medical bed frames and mattresses, medical mobility equipment, and three hospital infant warmers. Included in the load were 17 beautiful hand-crafted quilts from Ladies Ministries at Heritage Community Church in Severn, Maryland.
Closer to home, in early May Orphan Grain Train delivered eleven 7 ft. slate-topped science tables to Annapolis Area Christian School (AACS), K-12. AACS plans to incorporate these specialized tables into their STEM program and renovation over the summer. The science tables were acquired from a High School in Indianapolis through IRN – The Reuse Network.
The Around The Park Again column is brought to you this week by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi at 1195 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd. – For over two decades providing martial arts training that improves cardio-vascular health, strength and flexibility while reducing stress. Jing Ying is again bringing Tai Chi to the Severna Park Community Center.)
and by Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services at 815 Ritchie Hwy., Suite 206 – When you need someone to lean on, Lean On Dee. Their experienced team of personal care management specialists and friendly companions provide high quality consistent care.
