ANNAPOLIS (Sept. 12, 2019) -- We're sad to report, that despite some great clarity, a bountiful crop of forage fish and underwater grasses this year, there is an extensive dead zone in the Severn River.
A special report from the Annapolis-based Severn River Association (SRA) has used data collected by the group's water quality monitoring team to reveal the extent of the dead zone this summer.
Note: In Figure 1 above, the green area is the size of the dead zone in early June. The red outline is how big it had grown by late-August.
This vast stretch of water with very low-oxygen content stretches from just above the Rt. 50 Bridge all the way up the river, into the creeks, through Round Bay and up to The Narrows.
It's more than 5 square miles, which is roughly the size of Denton, Md.
SRA's Mid-Summer 2019 Report tracking the size of the dead zone is available here.
For More Information:
Thomas Guay, SRA Program Officer, 443-716-6776,TAGuay@severnriver.org
Founded in 1911, the Severn River Association (SRA) is the oldest river group in the nation. SRA is a membership organization working to preserve and protect the Severn River. Find out more at severnriver.org