LAUREL – The Nanticoke Watershed Alliance and Delaware’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control invite the public to join the 2018 Nanticoke Wade In and learn about the Nanticoke River Ten-Year Report Card, which will be released Saturday, June 9 at Trap Pond State Park in Laurel. Sponsored by DNREC and the Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation, the event takes place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and features free programs for children and adults, exhibitors, and the Wade In’s signature “sneaker index.” Park entry at Trap Pond is free by mentioning the “Wade In” at the fee booth.
The highlight will be the Nanticoke River Ten-Year Report Card, which examines water quality results and trends from the first 10 years of the Nanticoke Creekwatchers program. The Nanticoke Watershed Alliance also will provide free native plants and shrubs to program attendees, and Nanticoke Creekwatchers will demonstrate water quality equipment and talk about what they measure in the river and why.
Following the report card announcement in conjunction with DNREC’s Division of Watershed Stewardship, everyone is invited to join the Wade In and get their feet wet to help evaluate the river’s condition using the “sneaker index,” a tradition originated by Maryland State Senator C. Bernard “Bernie” Fowler. Participants will measure how deep they can wade into the water and still see their feet. This is a casual indicator of water clarity – the ability of sunlight to reach the river bottom, which is crucial for supporting high dissolved oxygen levels, bottom-dwelling species, and submerged aquatic vegetation.
Throughout the event, programs will be offered on a variety of topics, including composting, native plants, wildlife, water quality, and pollinators. Among the exhibitors at the event, the Seed Exchange will open at 10 a.m. and