The DNREC Nonpoint Source Program hosts a Biennial Partnership Meeting in the spring of every odd-numbered year, sharing the work and achievements of the program and its partners.

The most recent partnership meeting was held in Lewes, on May 7, 2025. The next will be (tentatively) in May of 2027.

The goal of the partnership meeting is to bring together scientists, engineers, managers and policy makers who are actively involved in and/or affected by all aspects of water quality and nonpoint sources of pollution. This includes federal, state and local agency personnel; nonprofit personnel; water resource engineers; water resource managers; environmental consultants; environmental policy managers; ecological scientists and researchers; hydrological modelers; students and environmental interest groups.

For more information about the Biennial Partnership Meeting, please contact Catie Soriano, at Cathryn.Soriano@delaware.gov or 302-608-5495.

The 2025 Partnership Meeting

The meeting started with a welcome, introductions and general program updates from the leadership of the DNREC Nonpoint Source Program and Chesapeake Implementation Program.

The first morning session included:

• Green infrastructure in the Nanticoke watershed, from Lisa Wool of the Nanticoke Watershed Alliance
• Using green stormwater practices to reduce community nuisance flooding and improve drainage in northeast Wilmington, from Kerry Wilson, of the Delaware Nature Society
• Delaware’s Urban and Community Forestry Program, from Taryn Davidson, of the Delaware Department of Agriculture
• Establishing wildflowers in residential open space, from Burr Monroe, of Tributaries Ecological Restoration

After a break, the morning continued with:

• The Tree for Every Delawarean Initiative and reflections on the First Delaware Tree and Climate Workshop from Beth Krumrine and Scott Blaier, of the DNREC Division of Climate, Coastal and Energy
• Delaware’s transect survey of cover crops, residue and GIS and the freshwater mussel survey from George Doumit, of the DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship
• Building submerged aquatic vegetation and wetland restoration work groups to strengthen collaboration and management, from Alison Rogerson and Kayla Clauson, of the DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship
• Understanding concepts behind assessment and listing in water quality monitoring and data, from Bhanu Paudel, of the DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship

After a networking lunch, the first afternoon session included:

• Stream and wetland habitat restoration projects in Delaware from Brian Jennings, of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
• A case study of restoring farmland to forest at Wiggins Mill from Mike Clendaniel, of the New Castle County Department of Public Works
• The Delaware Irrigation Management System (DIMS), from Dr. Kevin Brinson, of the University of Delaware
• Monitoring the effects of agricultural conservation practices on water quality in the Bucks Branch Watershed, in Sussex County, from Josh Kasper and Alex Soroka, of the U.S. Geological Survey

After a break, the afternoon continued with:

• Water quality improvement in the Appoquinimink Watershed, from Brigham Whitman, of Delaware Wild Lands
• Holistic watershed solutions for water quality and ecosystem service restoration, from Meghan Noe Fellows, of the Center for the Inland Bays
• Successes and challenges of tree planting on the Ward Property, from Kerri Batrowny, of the DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation
• Using green technologies at the Delaware Botanic Gardens, from Stephen Pryce-Lea and Carol Bason, of the Delaware Botanic Gardens

At the end of the meeting, Ben Coverdale, of the DNREC Nonpoint Source Program, provided closing remarks.

Related Topics:  conservation, meeting, nonpoint source, partnership, training, water quality, watershed, watershed stewardship