Pages Categorized With: "Watershed Stewardship"
Indian River Near Millsboro Beneficial Use Dredging Project
Work is set to begin in the fall of 2023 on dredging the navigational channel along the Indian River, near Millsboro. The material dredged from the channel will be used in a marsh enhancement project to restore a local wetland area.Contact Us
Watershed Photo Contest: Official Rules and Entry Form
The DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship is looking for striking photographic images taken throughout Delaware’s watersheds. The following are the rules for this contest. Please read the entire set of rules of the Delaware Watersheds Photo Contest before submitting an entry. The entry form is found at the bottom of this page.Delaware Wetlands Conference Registration
Registration for the Delaware Wetlands Conference is now open. Register by Nov. 29 for Early Bird pricing. The 2024 Delaware Wetlands Conference offers two days of exploration into a variety of wetland presentations, networking opportunities and hands-on activities. Registration is available online or by sending in aSponsors and Exhibitors
Sponsors and exhibitors at the Delaware Wetlands Conference gain visibility across many sectors of the mid-Atlantic. From government organizations to engineering companies, from non-profits to private business professionals, the conference attracts attendees and presenters from throughout the region. Information Sponsors Non-profit Exhibitors
Wetland Assessment Map
The Wetland Monitoring and Assessment program publishes wetland health assessments of the health of Delaware’s wetlands at a watershed level. The map below provides basic information about the health of the wetlands in Delaware watersheds for which assessments are complete. Watersheds are shown in colors reflecting the overall health of the wetlandsVibrio Control Plans
Vibrio is a naturally occurring bacteria present in high levels in seawater when temperatures are warm. It can cause serious illness in humans. The National Shellfish Sanitation Program requires Delaware to implement plans to reduce the risk of Vibrio illnesses from oysters harvested in Delaware. Vibrio — Vibrio parahaemolyticus (V.p.) — canDesigner Training Modules
The following resources from the DNREC Sediment and Stormwater Program are provided to assist Sediment and Stormwater Management Plan designers in use of the Delaware Urban Runoff Management Model (DURMM) and the design of post construction stormwater best management practices.Contact Us
Forest Buffer Incentive Program in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) offers incentives for urban and agricultural landowners to install forest buffers along waterways within Delaware’s Chesapeake Bay watershed. Eligible landowners that qualify will receive an incentive payment for land they enroll in the program. A forest buffer is aCommunity Conservation Assistance Program
The Delaware Community Conservation Assistance Program (DeCAP) is a cost-share program that provides financial incentives, technical and educational assistance to property owners for installing eligible Best Management Practices (BMPs) in Delaware’s Chesapeake Bay Watershed.Contact Us
Delaware Inland Bay and Delaware Bay Coast Coastal Storm Risk Management Study
The Coastal Storm Risk Management Study of the Delaware Inland Bays and Delaware Bay Coast (known as the Back Bay Study) will explore potential storm risk management problems and flood risk reduction solutions. It will recommend risk reduction solutions that increase community resilience to coastal storms. The Delaware Inland BaysLiving Shoreline Cost Share Program
Living shorelines can protect and enhance the beauty of shoreline properties. The DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship provides cost share assistance for installing living shorelines and stabilization projects. Living shorelines use natural materials like native plants, oyster shells and biodegradable coconut-fiber logs as a barrier to defend againstWaterway Section Comment Form
This form is for comments on projects undertaken by the DNREC Waterway Management Section. Please include your name and contact information and select the project you are commenting on from the dropdown menu. Your NameDelaware Watersheds Photo Contest
DNREC’s Delaware Watersheds Photo Contest is open to photographers of all ages and skill levels. They will share their photos of Delaware’s natural beauty and remind us that everything that happens on land directly affects what happens in our waterways.Contact Us
Murderkill Inlet Jetty Rehabilitation
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) has begun a project to replace and rehabilitate the jetties at the entrance of the Murderkill River.Contact Us
Shoreline and Waterway Management 302-739-9921
Emergency Murderkill River Inlet Dredging
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) has completed an emergency dredging project at the mouth of the Murderkill River. The goal of the project was to restore navigability and increase boating safety while strengthening shoreline resiliency.Contact Us
Pilottown Road Mitigation Study
The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) has undertaken an investigation of flood mitigation options for the section of Pilottown Road, in Lewes, that crosses Canary Creek near its confluence with the Broadkill River. The section of Pilottown Road leading to the Canary Creek bridge is frequently inundatedSwimming Advisory Caution
The DNREC Shellfish and Recreational Water Program has issued a permanent swimming advisory caution for Delaware’s Inland Bays (Rehoboth Bay, Indian River and Bay, Little Assawoman Bay and the portion of Assawoman Bay located in Delaware) and for Delaware Bay beaches north of, but not including, Lewes Beach.Blue-Green Algae in Delaware
Blue-green algae blooms occur each year on Delaware ponds, lakes and some tidal freshwater areas. Because they can have harmful effects on people and animals, the state has posted warning signs at water bodies which historically have had blooms.Contact Us
Brandywine Watershed Wetland Assessment
The Brandywine watershed is located within New Castle County, where it encompasses 72,969 acres of land. This is the northernmost watershed in Delaware and is part of the Piedmont region. Though most of the Brandywine watershed is developed, this area contains Category One wetlands, which are unique and ecologically significant freshwater areas.Delaware Wetland Restoration Strategies
Wetlands across the state of Delaware face many challenges. However, there are opportunities to combat specific issues and to restore and protect Delaware’s wetland resources. The DNREC Wetland Monitoring and Assessment Program is developing strategies, specific to Delaware’s different watersheds, to identify and pursue those opportunities. The wetland restoration strategies will help guide stateReal Estate Professionals and Wetlands
Delaware real estate professionals can help their clients buy and build wisely when it comes to wetlands. Those who stay up to date on wetland issues in the state can help their clients avoid problems, and costs, when they buy land or homes in Delaware. As the landowner’s first contact, real estate professionals can educateLocal Government Guide to the Chesapeake Bay
The Local Government Guide to the Chesapeake Bay is a seven-module series created to support decision-making by local officials. A Local Government Guide to the Chesapeake Bay, a video introduction from the Chesapeake Bay Program.
Presentations and Posters
The call for abstracts for the 2024 Delaware Wetlands Conference is now open. Abstracts for oral presentations are accepted until October 17, 2023. Poster proposals are accepted until December 19, 2023.Chester-Choptank Watershed Wetland Assessment
The Chester-Choptank watershed is located partially in Kent County and partially in New Castle County, where it encompasses 113,944 acres of land. Unlike most of Delaware’s watersheds, the Chester-Choptank drains to the Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay drainage basin in Delaware, including the Chester-Choptank watershed, provides an estimated $3.4 billion in ecosystem goods and services.Questions and Answers: White Creek Dredging
This page contains questions from the July 28 Public Information Session on the 2022 White Creek Dredging Project and answers to those questions from DNREC staff. The July 28Floodplain Mapping for Bundicks Branch
DNREC and the federal government are working on an update of the floodplain maps for Bundicks Branch, located west of Lewes, in Sussex County. The study involves new data and engineering models. The floodplain map update will occur through a process called a Letter of Map Revision (LOMR). TheSuccess Stories: Tappahanna Ditch
Runoff from agricultural areas caused high bacteria levels in Delaware’s Tappahanna Ditch of the Choptank River. As a result, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) added the watershed to the 1996 Clean Water Act (CWA) section 303(d) list of impaired waters for bacteria and nutrients. Watershed stakeholders provided technical assistance andSuccess Stories: Iron Branch
Runoff from agricultural areas caused high bacteria levels in Delaware’s Iron Branch of Indian River Bay. As a result, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) added the watershed to the 1996 Clean Water Act (CWA) section 303(d) list of impaired waters for bacteria. Watershed stakeholders provided technical assistance and installed agriculturalWhite Creek and Assawoman Canal Dredging Project
Preparation work for a dredging project in White Creek and the Assawoman Canal is set to begin before the start of 2024. Both waterways are important navigation channels in the Inland Bays. Comments and Questions ReadCoastal Construction Permits
A listing of permit applications and related documents for the regulatory programs that govern coastal construction.Contact Us
Jennifer Luoma Pongratz 302-608-5502
Drainage Concern Reporting Form
You can get advice or technical assistance with drainage issues on your property. The first step is reporting the issue, using the form below. What is your name? How can we contact you?Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program
DNREC is part of a state and federal partnership with the USDA Commodity Credit Corporation, that aims to add up to 10,000 acres of Delaware agricultural land to the USDA Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). Landowners in the CREP receive funding to support land conservation practices.Wetlands Education Opportunities
There are multiple opportunities for wetland education and field trips in Delaware. They include opportunities within the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) and among our conservation partners. DNREC Opportunities The Division of Fish and Wildlife’s Aquatic Research Education Center (AREC) offers extensive wetland education materials for teachers, a fieldWetlands Protect
Wetlands protect us against flooding and erosion of our shores.Library: Wetland Health Reports
A collection of wetland health reports from the DNREC Watershed Assessment Section. Wetland Publications LibraryLibrary: Long-Term Wetlands Monitoring
A collection of long-term wetlands monitoring documents from the DNREC Watershed Assessment Section. Wetland Publications LibraryYou Can Help Wetlands and Watersheds
Whether your property is in a suburban, urban, or rural landscape you can adopt several watershed and wetland friendly behaviors that will reduce your impact on the waters and land downstream of you. Here are some of the simple changes, and the more dedicated changes, you can make each dayWhat’s at Risk?
Even with numerous federal and state level protection efforts, many nontidal (e.g., headwater tributaries) and isolated (e.g., flooded forests, seasonal ponds) wetlands are threatened because of gaps in existing regulations or are being impacted illegally due to limited enforcement activity. Legally, wetlands are permitted to be impacted on a small scale with blanketWater Family Fest and Native Plant Sale
DNREC and the Delaware Center for the Inland Bays host an annual Water Family Fest and Native Plant Sale at the James Farm Ecological Preserve, in Ocean View. The event highlights the work of each organization to improve Delaware’s wetlands, water, and recreational shorelines. The 2023 Water Family Fest and Native Plant Sale,Wetland Plant Field Guide
Plants are a key factor for identifying wetlands. The Delaware Wetland Plant Field Guide aims to make distinguishing wetlands easier by providing a transportable plant guide for use by the public, scientists, and practitioners alike.Contact Us
Library: Education and Outreach Materials
A collection of wetlands education and outreach materials from the DNREC Watershed Assessment Section. Wetland Publications LibraryWetland Monitoring and Assessment
By understanding the health of our wetlands, we also can better understand how to restore them and protect them from actions that cause damage..Contact Us
Alison Rogerson Delaware Wetlands 302-739-9939
