Delaware.gov logo
Listen to this page using ReadSpeaker

 Pages Tagged With: "assessment"

Plan de Restauración Avanzado para la Cuenca del Canal C&D

DNREC ha desarrollado un plan integral para abordar los contaminantes tóxicos en la cuenca del canal C&D.


Advance Restoration Plan for the C&D Canal Watershed

DNREC has developed a comprehensive plan to address toxic contaminant impairments in the C&D Canal watershed.


Total Maximum Daily Loads and Advance Restoration Plans

When monitoring reveals that waterways do not meet Delaware’s water quality standards for their intended uses, as defined in Delaware’s Surface Water Quality Standards, they are added to a list of impaired waterways (Delaware’s 303(d) List). For each impaired waterway, the Federal Clean Water Act (CWA) requires states to develop Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs)


Swimming Advisory Caution

The DNREC Recreational Water Program monitors bacterial water quality at established sampling sites throughout the state from May through September. If bacterial sampling results exceed state standards, DNREC issues swimming advisories for Atlantic Ocean beaches, as well as for Delaware Bay beaches south of and including Lewes Beach and for Lake Como in Smyrna.


Source Water Assessment and Protection

The Source Water Assessment and Protection Program provides for the assessment and protection of sources of public drinking water from both surface water and groundwater sources in Delaware.

Contact Us

Doug Rambo 302-739-9948
   Water Supply and Allocations     


Delaware’s Draft 305(b) and 303(d) Waters Assessment Methodologies and Data Solicitation

The Department is asking for public comment on Draft Assessment and Listing Methodologies for the next Combined Watershed Assessment Report.


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 wetlands


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

Recreational


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


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.


PFAS Investigation Sites

This page contains a list of sites being investigated by DNREC for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water, groundwater or surface water in Delaware.

Contact Us

DNREC Division of Waste and Hazardous Substances Todd Keyser 302-395-2600


Exposure Assessment Near New Castle Air National Guard Base

In 2019, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) initiated an exposure assessment for perf- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the community near the New Castle Air National Guard Base in New Castle County.
[panel


Wetland 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
Wetland Health Assessments


Delaware Wetlands

The DNREC Wetland Monitoring and Assessment Program, known as Delaware Wetlands, provides quality reports on the status, health and function of Delaware’s wetlands. It collaborates with other government agencies, businesses, non-profits and universities to further wetland research.

Contact Us

Alison Rogerson Delaware


Appoquinimink River Watershed Wetland Assessment

The Appoquinimink River watershed is located within New Castle County and contains the Towns of Odessa, Middletown and Townsend. It drains into the Delaware Bay, encompassing 58,591 acres of land.
Wetland Assessment Reports
  • Wetland Assessments Home



  • Mispillion Wetland Assessment

    The Mispillion and Cedar Creek watersheds are located in southeastern Kent County and northeastern Sussex County. In Delaware this watershed includes the cities and towns of Milford, Houston, Lincoln and Slaughter Beach.
    Wetland Assessment Reports
  • Wetland Assessments


    Broadkill Watershed Wetland Assessment

    The Broadkill River watershed in Sussex County encompasses 68,500 acres within the Delaware Bay and Estuary Basin. Twenty percent of the watershed is covered in wetlands.
    Wetland Assessment Reports
  • Wetland Assessments Home
  • Appoquinimink Watershed


    Inland Bays Watershed Wetland Assessment

    Unique and rare wetland communities surrounding the Inland Bays include Atlantic White Cedar swamps, sea-level fens, and interdunal swales providing habitat for numerous rare plants and animals.
    Wetland Assessment Reports
  • Wetland Assessments Home
  • Appoquinimink


    Murderkill Watershed Wetland Assessment

    Located in Kent County, the Murderkill watershed covers 28,000 hectares (69,000 acres) within the Delaware Bay and Estuary Basin. This watershed contains many key natural heritage and wildlife habitats such as coastal plain streams and ponds, impoundments, wetlands and beach dunes. Rare wetland habitats including coastal plain ponds and bald cypress riverine patches are located


    Nanticoke Watershed Wetland Assessment

    Located in the Coastal Plain physiographic region, the Nanticoke River watershed historically was very rich in wetland resources which covered an estimated 46 percent of the land area.
    Wetland Assessment Reports
  • Wetland Assessments Home



  • St. Jones Watershed Wetland Assessment

    Located in Kent County, the St. Jones River watershed covers 57,643 acres of the Delaware Bay Basin. The St. Jones River is dammed at Silver Lake in Dover and then winds 10 miles through residential and commercially developed areas, the Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve, and the Ted Harvey Wildlife Area, before emptying into Delaware


    Wetland Health Assessments

    The Wetland Monitoring and Assessment program is tasked with the job of assessing the health of Delaware’s wetlands.

    Contact Us

    Alison Rogerson Watershed Assessment 302-739-9939
    Wetland Assessment Reports



  • Christina Watershed Wetland Assessment

    The Christina Watershed is located in New Castle County, extending north and west into Maryland and Pennsylvania. In Delaware this watershed includes the cities and towns of Wilmington, Elsmere, Newark, and Christiana.
    Wetland Assessment Reports
  • Wetland Assessments


    Smyrna Watershed Wetland Assessment

    The Smyrna River watershed encompasses 71 square miles and is composed of three sub-watersheds: Smyrna River, Duck Creek, and Cedar Swamp-Delaware Bay. It is located partially in Kent County and partially in New Castle County. The watershed is within the Delaware Bay and Estuary Basin, so all of its waters drain into the Delaware Bay.


    Leipsic Watershed Wetland Assessment

    The Leipsic River watershed is composed of two sub-watersheds, Leipsic River and Little Creek, and encompasses 128 square miles. It is located in Kent County within the Delaware Bay and Estuary Basin, and all of its waters drain into the Delaware Bay. Land cover in this watershed is dominated by wetlands and agriculture.


    Red Lion Watershed Wetland Assessment

    The Red Lion watershed is located within New Castle County, where it encompasses 46,283 acres (72 square miles) of land within the Delaware Bay and Estuary Basin. It is composed of the C&D Canal East, Dragon Creek, Red Lion Creek, Army Creek, and Broad Dike Canal. Approximately 16% of the land area of the watershed


    Watershed Plans and Strategies

    Numerous documents describing plans or strategies for water quality and watershed improvements have been developed over the years. Some of these efforts originated through the Tributary Action Team process while others came through other initiatives. All of the documents below can be considered watershed management plans for the Water Quality Improvement Projects grant program


    Pollution Control Strategies and Tributary Action Teams

    A 1997 federal court case required Delaware to set pollution limits for its waterways. These limits are called Total Maximum Daily Loads or TMDLs, a term you will hear a lot in water pollution discussions. In order to meet these new pollution limits, we are identifying ways to reduce water pollution. Usually, citizens don’t get


    Integrated Report: 305(b) Report and 303(d) List

    Section 305(b) of the Federal Clean Water Act requires that states and other entities prepare and submit Watershed Assessment Reports to the US EPA on April 1 of every even-numbered year.

    Contact Us

    Watershed Assessment and Managment Section 302-739-9939



    You Can Help Protect Delaware’s Waterways

    There are always things that you can do in your everyday life, no matter where you live, to help protect the waterways that serve as our drinking water sources, habitat for wildlife, and places of recreation. Maintain a Healthy Lawn and Garden A healthy lawn and garden makes a


    Watershed Assessment and Management

    The Watershed Assessment and Management Section oversees the health of the state’s surface water resources and takes actions to protect and improve water quality for aquatic life and human use.

    Contact Us

    Michael Bott 302-739-9939



    Whole Basin Management

    Beginning in the 1990s, the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) took a different approach to assessing, managing, and protecting Delaware’s natural resources. This approach, known as Whole Basin Management, encouraged the various programs throughout DNREC to work in an integrated manner to assess different geographic areas of the state defined on the


    Protecting Our Waterways

    There are many things each of us can do to help reduce nutrient and sediment pollution entering Delaware’s waterways. Our efforts will not only help protect the environment, but in many cases, when you lend a hand to protect our waterways, you will also find that you’re adding beauty to your yard,


    Water Quality Monitoring

    Delaware’s bays, ponds, streams, and rivers are monitored on a regular basis to assess the quality of Delaware’s surface waters. Much of the monitoring is done by DNREC, though other groups, including federal agencies, academic institutions, and citizen volunteer monitoring programs, also contribute to these efforts.



    Inland Bays Pollution Control Strategy

    The Inland Bays Pollution Control Strategy (PCS) and accompanying regulations were finalized in Nov. 2008. This strategy is designed to improve the water quality of the bays (Rehoboth Bay, Indian River Bay, and Little Assawoman Bay), as well as the rivers, streams, and ponds that drain to the bays.
    ADVISORY: A


    Surface Water Quality Standards

    The National Clean Water Act of 1972 set in place a program that is intended to restore the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation’s waters. To reach these goals, a series of steps were mandated by Congress for the Environmental Protection Agency and the individual States to take. The first step was for


    Shellfish Plant Inspections

    Plant inspections of all shellfish shippers and processors are conducted routinely by certified Shellfish Program staff to ensure compliance with national food safety regulations and those specific to the shellfish industry.

    Contact Us

    Andrew Bell Environmental Scientist 302-739-9939


    Promoting Shellfish Safety

    To ensure the safety of Delaware’s shellfish growing areas, it is important that residents and visitors help maintain good water quality and limit pollution while recreating in or near shellfish growing areas.

    Contact Us

    Andrew Bell Environmental Scientist 302-739-9939



    Delaware Shellfish Program

    The DNREC Shellfish Program is responsible for protecting public health by minimizing the risk of food borne illness due to the consumption of shellfish.
    Growing Waters and Plant Inspections Andrew Bell Environmental Scientist 302-739-9939 Enforcement Natural Resources Police 302-739-9913


    Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration

    Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration (NRDAR) is the process used to determine whether natural resources have been injured, destroyed, or lost as a result of a release of hazardous substances or oil, and to identify actions and funds needed to restore such resources. NRDAR is authorized by several state and federal environmental laws.


    Delaware’s Section 303(d) Waters and Data Solicitation

    DNREC announces the availability and opportunity to comment on the Department’s Tentative Determination for Delaware’s 2020 Section 303(d) List (water quality limited segments) and the supporting Documents for the determinations.


    Information About Vibrio Bacteria

    Vibrio are bacteria that occur naturally in brackish waters such as the Delaware Bay, the Inland Bays and tributaries, especially during warm weather months. Vibrio infections are relatively rare in Delaware and nationwide. However, when Vibrio or other bacteria come into contact with an open wound, they can cause serious infections. Vibrio infections can be


    What is a Red Tide?

    “Red Tide” is the common term for a particular type of harmful algal bloom made up of large concentrations of toxic red dinoflagellates called Karenia brevis (K. Brevis). These are tiny red-colored, naturally-occurring aquatic microorganisms which, in sufficient concentrations, can cause a reddish tint to the water. At very high concentrations, they can cause toxic


    Recreational Water Monitoring

    The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control monitors recreational waters to ensure their quality for swimming and other recreational uses. The Department tests for Enterococcus bacteria, which indicate the presence of other potentially harmful bacteria and viruses. The results of these tests are available online and though an email alert system.





    +