Good Eats from Nature’s Bounty

Looking for something different on your plate? We asked DNREC folks to share their most wildly delicious recipes for harvested game.

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A Season for Giving: Delaware Hunters Against Hunger Program Helps People in Need

The Delaware Hunters Against Hunger program is once again providing venison to people in need, an annual tradition during the holidays. The initiative has distributed almost 328 tons of venison to local food banks since 1996, totaling about 2.62 million meals.

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Great Blue Heron Steals the Show

A photo of the iconic great blue heron took first prize in the Watersheds Photos Contest, sponsored by the DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship.

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Delaware Recycles!

America Recycles Day, November 15, is a reminder to reduce, reuse and recycle. We have some tips to help you remember how to recycle right in Delaware.

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What We Do About Animal Strandings in Delaware

An endangered fin whale was spotted struggling in the waters of Cape Henlopen State Park. Both the Delaware Natural Resources Police and the Marine Education, Research & Rehabilitation Institute responded. Learn what happened and how we respond to animal strandings in Delaware.

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Salt in Our Water — Saltwater Intrusion and Inundation in Delaware

“Ghost forests.” Salty-tasting well water. Saltwater intrusion is a growing issue in Delaware due to sea level rise and climate change. Here’s what DNREC is doing about it.

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The Nitty-Gritty of the Estuary

As we mark National Estuaries Week on September 18, learn more about estuaries of Delaware – unique ecosystems that many people, plants and animals call home.

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Our Not So Secretive Marsh Birds

DNREC scientists are unlocking some of the mysteries of Delaware’s secretive marsh birds. Clapper rails, saltmarsh sparrows and other species are facing many challenges. How are they faring?

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Success 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 and

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Success 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 agricultural

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Snakes to Watch Out For

There are 19 species of snakes slithering around Delaware. Which ones should you watch out for and what are the best ways to avoid them?

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How to Prevent Backyard Mosquitos

zzzzz … slap. Sound familiar? The whine of buzzing mosquitoes followed by swats is a tell-tale sign of summer in Delaware. There’s plenty you can do in your backyard to reduce populations of these pests. Our Mosquito Control Section has tips to share, along with the mosquitos to watch out for.

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On the Move – Delmarva Fox Squirrels in Delaware

Delmarva fox squirrels are rare in Delaware, but just because you haven’t seen one of these large, silver-gray, fluffy-tailed squirrels yet doesn’t mean you won’t, especially if you live in Sussex County. The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife has moved 123 squirrels into the area over the past few years as part of a translocation program aimed at bolstering the formerly endangered species’ numbers.

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Meet the Lemurs (and More!) at The Brandywine Zoo

They have long striped tails, intense eyes and they’re full of antics. Meet the lemurs – and the other animals – at the Brandywine Zoo’s new Madagascar Exhibit.

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Our Planet, Our Responsibility

Most of us do the best we can to reduce our carbon footprint by recycling more, taking more public transportation, or using less electricity to heat and cool our homes. But what else can we do? Outdoor Delaware asked our experts for a list of the best ways we can help our planet.

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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?  

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Spring – It’s Bird TV

Now is a great time to grab your binoculars to witness the spectacle of the return of our migrant bird species throughout the state. Outdoor Delaware sat down with our staff birders to talk about spring birding and what makes it so special.

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Shopping in Delaware? Here are Four Alternatives for Plastic Carryout Bags

Delaware’s recent plastic bag ban may have you looking for other ways to take your groceries home. Here are four alternatives to single-use carryout plastic bags that are better for you and the environment.

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The Transformers

You may not have heard about them, but there are brownfields all over Delaware. They’re neither pretty nor healthy. That is, until we step in to clean them up and make way for redevelopment.

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Snow Goose Conservation Order

The Snow Goose Conservation Order is a separate season only for snow geese that occurs when Delaware’s regular waterfowl hunting seasons are closed. Liberal harvest methods are allowed during the Conservation Order to help reduce the large snow goose population that is damaging its Arctic nesting grounds, as well as wetlands and agricultural lands on

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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.

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More Than a Drink of WATAR

Safer water for us, less flooding and shad returning to their spawning grounds in the Brandywine River. Our WATAR team is making it happen.

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Answering the Call 24/7 – Our Emergency Response Team

Our Emergency Response Team is the state’s designated first responder for environmental emergencies. The team is on call 24/7 to respond to emergencies from oil spills to clandestine drug labs, chemical leaks, radiological incidents and many more that may occur.

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Plastic Carryout Bags in Delaware – Their End is Here

As of January 1, we no longer use plastic carryout bags from many places like convenience, grocery or other retail stores. Most retailers don’t distribute point-of-sale plastic carryout bags anymore. You’ve got questions? We’ve got answers.

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Tax Ditch Program

DNREC provides administrative and technical assistance and support to tax ditch organizations and landowners across the State. Tax Ditch Law Questions and Answers

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Tax Ditch Questions and Answers

The DNREC Tax Ditch Program has collected questions often asked by landowners about tax ditches. If you have additional questions, please contact the Tax Ditch Program at 302-855-1930 or by email. Tax ditch channels range in size from six to 80

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Drainage and Stormwater Assistance

Each year thousands of Delawareans express concerns about drainage and stormwater. In many cases, residents don’t know who to contact if they have a problem. Several state and local agencies, including DNREC, DelDOT, conservation districts and municipal public works programs can help resolve drainage and flooding related problems.

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Drainage Programs

The Drainage Programs work with landowners, tax ditch organizations and federal, state and local agencies to improve drainage, stormwater management and water quality in Delaware. Drainage Program 302-855-1930 Report Drainage Concerns 302-855-1955

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Wetland And Channel Restoration

The Drainage Program is responsible for over 45 wetland and stream restoration projects, resulting in approximately 180 acres of total restoration and habitat creation. Restoration activities are put into practice in a variety of locations, including local schools (creating an outdoor classroom), backyards of private landowners (Smith and Battista), marginal agricultural fields,

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Success Stories: Pike Creek

Pike Creek is in northern New Castle County and is a tributary of White Clay Creek within the White Clay Creek subbasin. The lower portions of the White Clay Creek are tidally influenced. In 2000, the President signed a law adding 190 miles of the White Clay Creek and its tributaries to the National Wild

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Success Stories: Trap Pond

Southern Delaware’s Trap Pond is a tributary of Broad Creek, which drains to the Nanticoke River and flows to the Chesapeake Bay. This area has a unique ecology, as it is home to the northernmost natural stand of bald cypress in the United States. The area also contains a 2,000-acre wetland, one of the largest

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Success Stories: Gravelly Branch

Southern Delaware’s Gravelly Branch watershed drains into the Nanticoke River, which flows into the Chesapeake Bay. Gravelly Branch begins in the town of Ellendale and flows toward the city of Seaford. The major land use in the 24,423-acre Gravelly Branch watershed is agriculture.

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Success Stories: Cow Bridge Branch

Stockley Branch flows into Cow Bridge Branch watershed, which spans 28,676 acres and is located in the Indian River watershed in southeastern Sussex County. The Indian River Bay watershed makes up one of three of Delaware’s interconnected Inland Bays (Rehoboth Bay, Indian River Bay, and Little Assawoman Bay). [button

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Success Stories: Upper Marshyhope Creek

The Delaware portion of the Marshyhope Creek watershed (Upper Marshyhope Creek) lies within Kent and Sussex counties on the western edge of Delaware. The creek flows into Maryland before eventually discharging into the Nanticoke River, which in turn empties into the Chesapeake Bay. The drainage area of the Marshyhope Creek watershed within Delaware is approximately

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Success Stories: Little Assawoman Bay

Little Assawoman Bay — the smallest of Delaware’s Inland Bays — is connected to Indian River Bay on the north by the Assawoman Canal and to Assawoman Bay on the south via a narrow channel. The Little Assawoman Bay watershed is an agriculture-dominated watershed covering three square miles with no influencing point sources. The area

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Success Stories: Noxontown Pond

Noxontown Pond covers approximately 158 acres near the headwaters of the Appoquinimink River watershed. This watershed contains three of the fastest developing municipalities in the state – Odessa, Townsend, and Middletown. While much of this watershed was historically agricultural, increased development has led to the conversion of farms into suburban residential communities. Less than 9%

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Success Stories: Records Pond

Records Pond, also known as Laurel Lake, was created in 1900 with the completion of the Records Pond Dam on Broad Creek. Although Records Pond is just over 90 acres, it is one of the larger lakes in Delaware. Almost at sea level, and with a maximum depth of 10 feet, the pond is relatively

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Success Stories: Coursey Pond

Coursey Pond, in southeast Kent County, is a 58-acre pond draining to the Murderkill River, a tributary to the Delaware Bay. The headwaters of the Murderkill River begin just west of Felton and flow towards Bowers Beach, with the lower 10.5-mile portion of the river influenced by tides. The Coursey Pond area is home to

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Success Stories: Abbott’s Mill Pond

Abbott’s Mill Pond was created over 200 years ago by damming Johnson Branch in order to power a grist mill. The pond covers approximately 25 acres on Johnson Branch, a tributary near the headwaters of the Mispillion River watershed. The pond is now maintained as part of the Abbott’s Mill Nature Center used for public

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Chesapeake Bay Implementation Grant Program

Chesapeake Bay Implementation Grant (CBIG) funds enable states within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed to meet the goals outlined in the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement, including the improvement of water quality and achieving Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for pollutants of concern. The DNREC Chesapeake Bay Implementation Program is soliciting proposals,

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Nonpoint Source Section 319 Grant Program

The DNREC Nonpoint Source Program administers a competitive grant program made possible through Section 319 of the Clean Water Act. The grant provides funding for projects designed to reduce nonpoint source (NPS) pollution in Delaware. The DNREC Nonpoint Source Program is soliciting proposals, through a competitive grant process, to improve

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Nonpoint Source Program

The DNREC Nonpoint Source Program provides funding for projects designed to reduce nonpoint source (NPS) pollution in Delaware. Nonpoint source pollution is pollution that originates from a diffuse source (such as an open field or a road) and is transported to surface or ground waters through leaching or runoff. The

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Nonpoint Source Success Stories

The DNREC Nonpoint Source Program is committed to addressing pollution affecting Delaware waterbodies by encouraging and supporting the use of specific best management practices that can reduce the effects of nonpoint source pollution. Success Stories

Success Stories Home

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Delaware’s Formula for Increasing Recycling – Do the Right Thing the Right Way

We celebrated America Recycles Day in November. The goal is to increase recycling efforts nationwide and in Delaware. And there are plenty of opportunities for us to make a difference, right now, through proper recycling. Our Secretary, Shawn Garvin, shares tips on how we can all recycle the right way.

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Microplastics: A Not So Tiny Tale

What happens to plastic after it fulfills its original purpose? Recycling gives many plastic items a second use but vast amounts are discarded and make their way into the environment. Some of this becomes microplastics. DNREC scientists are working on ways to clean them up.

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Conservation Districts

Delaware’s three conservation districts are involved in numerous programs and activities that help landowners become better stewards of their land, most notably the state cost-share program. New Castle Conservation District 2430 Old County Road Newark, Delaware 19702 302-365-8970 www.newcastlecd.org Kent Conservation

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Debris Pit Reporting Form

You can get advice, guidance and in some cases financial assistance to deal with sinkholes caused by old debris pits on your property. The first step is reporting the issue, using the form below. Your Contact Information Your Name Phone Number

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Debris Pits

The State of Delaware and New Castle County have dedicated funding to remediate old debris pits. If you believe you have a debris pit, both can assist you in determining the best course of action. Debris Pit Remediation 302-834-5555

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Conservation Programs

The DNREC Conservation Programs Section serves as a liaison between DNREC and the state’s three Conservation Districts and it administers a number of programs related to water quality protection, drainage, and sedimentation and stormwater. Nonpoint Source Program Drainage Program Debris Pit Remediation

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Our Weatherization Assistance Program – Helping Families Reduce Energy Costs

DNREC can help even out the potentially high costs of home heating, and make a home more energy efficient, through the Weatherization Assistance Program.

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