Page 44 - July 2022 Issue.indd

Shore Rivers site sponsors—including towns, FREE SERVICE offered on the Miles
marinas, homeowner’s associations, and Wye Rivers operating from May
and familie—help cover the sampling to mid-October. With your help, this
ShoreRivers Provides Critical
costs of $640 per site for one season. Th e boat will help prevent more than 20,000
Services for Water Recreation Cornell Douglas Foundation provided gallons of concentrated marine waste
funding to purchase state-of-the-art from entering our waters annually. To
Every summer, ShoreRivers deploys a
bacteria processing equipment and is schedule a pump-out, contact Captain
team of citizen scientists to monitor

supporting ShoreRivers’ efforts to reach Jim Freeman at 410-829-4352, on VHF
bacteria levels at popular swimming
more diverse communities, including Channel 9, email POBCaptJim@gmail.
and boating sites to provide important
translating bacteria information into com, or visit ShoreRivers.org/programs/
human health risk information to the

Spanish. Thank you to everyone who is pumpout-boat.
public. View the results every Friday
a part of this important eff ort!
from Memorial Day to Labor Day at
theswimguide.org and get updates Volunteer SwimTesters collect water 2022 Photo Contest
during swim season by following samples weekly, which are then Do you have a passion for photography
#SwimmableShoreRivers or your local processed according to standard or just like to capture special moments
Riverkeeper’s page on social media. scientific protocols in ShoreRivers with your phone? Do you love your local

The results from the 2021 SwimTester in-house labs. The program follows waterways and want to promote and
season show that bacteria levels vary EPA’s standard protocols for collecting protect them? ShoreRivers is running its
based on location, land use, and weather; and analyzing samples and uses a pass/ 2022 Photo Contest from June through
making systematic, scientific analysis fail system to determine if bacteria levels October, so snap a picture and send
of local water quality vital. Major rain are safe or unsafe for swimming. it our way! Your photo could be seen
events are almost always connected to Multiple years of consistent bacteria across the Eastern Shore—contest
spikes in bacteria levels, and outgoing monitoring have highlighted those sites photos are displayed in ShoreRivers’
tides have a higher probability of that frequently show elevated levels of printed publications and at our outreach
carrying bacteria pollution. In fact, our bacteria, potentially indicating a chronic events, which reach thousands of people
testing shows that almost 50% of the source of bacteria pollution. Potential annually.
samples that failed in 2021 occurred chronic sources of bacteria include We are looking for images that refl ect
after a major rain event on an outgoing failing septic systems, overflows or leaks the ShoreRivers mission of protecting

tide. Meaning, a swimming spot is more from wastewater treatment plants, waste and restoring our Eastern Shore
likely to contain bacteria levels over the from animal farms, or manure fertilizer. waterways through science-based
EPA’s threshold for safe swimming on Acute sources of bacteria pollution advocacy, restoration, and education.
an outgoing tide after a rain event— include overflows from wastewater We are particularly interested in photos
important information to know! treatment plants and pet or wild animal of people interacting with our land and
This public service provided by waste. water. Shore rivers are your rivers, and
ShoreRivers truly is a community eff ort: Additionally, the 2022 Pumpout Boat we want to see how you engage with
this summer, 54 SwimTesters will monitor season on the Miles and Wye Rivers the natural resources that we all strive
40 sites on the Choptank, Miles, Wye, begins on Memorial Day weekend. to conserve.
Chester, and Sassafras Rivers, Eastern The ShoreRivers Pumpout Boat is a Contest winners will be announced
Bay, and the Bayside Creeks. Generous
December 1 by email, social media, and
the photo contest webpage. Winners
will be chosen based on how well their

Deeply relax, and Connect with your inner guidance, images reflect the mission and values of

ShoreRivers. There will be four winners
Make the changes you want. for each watershed—Choptank; Miles,
Wye, and Eastern Bay; Sassafras and
Bayside Creeks; and Chester—for a total
R eiki in Denton of 16 winners.

Photographers will be credited for

Petrea Jacqueline, reiki master, M.Div. their photos. Images must be taken in

ShoreRivers’ geography. Photographers
can submit up to four photos. To learn
106 Market Street denton maryland 21629 more about the rules and how to submit
410 - 978 - 6322 call or text for your appointment photos, please visit shorerivers.org/
photo-contest.
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