Atlantic coast joint venture waterfowl implementation plan
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Ownership/Protection:Much of the Atlantic Coastal Bays Focus Area is in private ownership. The State of Maryland and National Park Service own and manage Assateague Island National Seashore, Assateague State Park, and E.A. Vaughn Wildlife Management Area. Waterfowl: The Atlantic Coastal Bays Focus Area is an important area for breeding and wintering waterfowl, containing some of the best habitat within the state. The bays and associated wetlands within the focus area support approximately 9,500 American Black Duck, 3,700 American Wigeon, 1,300 Atlantic Brant, 1,700 Bufflehead, 500 Canada Goose, 300 Canvasback, 1,100 Gadwall, 1100 scaup, 5,000 Greater Snow Goose, 2,200 Mallard, 2,400 Northern Pintail, and 40 Red-breasted Merganser. Table 1. Waterfowl species occurring in the Atlantic Coastal Bays Focus Area.
Other Migratory Birds: The Atlantic Coastal Bays Focus Area is important to many migratory birds during spring and fall migration, in addition to providing valuable breeding habitat for waterbirds, shorebirds, and saltmarsh associates, including terns, herons, egrets, American Oystercatcher, Black Skimmer, Willet, Piping Plover, and Saltmarsh Sparrow.
Degraded water quality is a large threat to the Atlantic Coastal Bays Focus Area. Maryland’s Coastal Bays display differences in water quality ranging from generally degraded conditions within or close to tributaries to better conditions in the more open, well-flushed bay regions. Nutrient enrichment and high nitrite levels in the freshwater reaches of streams, in addition to excess algae, chronic brown tide blooms, macroalgae blooms, and incidents of low dissolved oxygen are all symptoms of degraded water quality resulting from increased pressures on the system from agriculture and human development, including poultry litter. The Atlantic Coastal Bays have experienced outbreaks of Pfiesteria as a result of high nutrient inputs. Degraded water quality has also resulted in loss of submerged aquatic vegetation. Other threats include development, sedimentation, streambank erosion, dredging, filling, channelization, storm water discharge, wastewater outfalls, and septic and groundwater discharge (Wasniak et. al, 2004). An overabundance of Greater Snow Goose is leading to saltmarsh degradation in Newport Bay. Conservation Recommendations: Protection, restoration and enhancement of wetlands and associated uplands should occur whenever possible. Projects providing protection in perpetuity are most desirable, but shorter-term conservation agreement private landowners need to be incorporated into planning and implementation efforts. Natural ponds degraded by mosquito control actions should be restored to historic conditions. Reduce the Mute Swan population to protect critical bay living resources. References: Wazniak, C., M. Hall, C. Cain, D. Wilson, R. Jesien, J. Thomas, T. Carruthers, and W. Dennison. 2004. State of the Maryland Coastal Bays. Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Maryland Coastal Bays Program, and University of Maryland Center for Environmental Sciences. F  ocus Area: Blackwater – Nanticoke River
Sub-Focus Area: None
Area Description: The Blackwater – Nanticoke River Focus Area is approximately 162,352 hectares (401,179 acres) on the Delmarva Peninsula in southeast Maryland, and encompasses the Nanticoke River, its associated watershed, and Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), whose most prominent feature is the Blackwater River and watershed. The Nanticoke River watershed covers approximately 50,585 hectares (125,000 acres) in Dorchester and Wicomico Counties. A large portion of the watershed is forested (approximately 38 %) and supports the largest continuous pine forest left on the Delmarva Peninsula. Freshwater wetlands border nearly all the major streams and these wetlands account for 22 % of the land surface, including wooded swamp along Marshyhope Creek. The Nanticoke is also listed on the Nationwide Rivers Inventory because of its undeveloped nature and is one of the least spoiled rivers in the Chesapeake Bay. Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) was established in 1933 as a refuge for migratory birds and includes over 10,926 hectares (27,000 acres), composed mainly of rich tidal marsh characterized by fluctuating water levels and varying salinity. The focus area supports many forest species, including loblolly pine, sweetgum, red maple, Atlantic white cedar and a variety of oaks and significant numbers of rare and endangered plant species including box huckleberry, Parker's pipewort, seaside alder and reversed bladderwort. Historically, the Nanticoke River supported a thriving shipbuilding industry; the towns of Vienna, Sharptown, and Bethel were major shipbuilding centers. Today, the area remains rural with agriculture as the primary land use, utilizing approximately 43 % of the land in the watershed. The majority of agricultural lands are used for animal production, with poultry being the most common. In fact, the Nanticoke has more animal production units than any other river basin in Maryland. Other agricultural uses include corn, soybean, and winter wheat. Timber harvest is the second largest land use in the focus area and amounts to well over 121,406 hectares (300,000 acres) across the lower Delmarva Peninsula. |