By Deep Creek Watershed Foundation
First, thank you to all who have supported the Deep Creek Watershed Foundation (DCWF) because you have enabled our work to continue as evidenced by the variety of projects that are current. Despite the challenges brought on by the pandemic, we had many donors who stepped forward last year and helped us purchase Five Water Quality Meters (WQM) for use in Deep Creek Lake (DCL) by Department of Natural Resources personnel. I would be remiss if I didn’t thank the POA Board and members for their donation which contributed to our success.
While the WQM campaign is still underway, the Foundation also continues to support the Zebra Mussel Detection Project for DCL, the project to neutralize Acid Mine Drainage in Cherry Creek, and provides ongoing Virtual Training Initiatives concerning watershed topics such as Storm Water Management. A companion project to this last item is the “no cost” distribution of Rain Barrels for use by watershed homeowners. We also collaborated with the US Geologic Survey and had two gages installed in DCL which measure water levels as well as lake water temperature, the data from which is publicly available.
In an effort to further educate boaters to the risks involved in launching “dirty boats” into the DCL, we have initiated our Invasive Species Prevention Campaign designed to reduce the number of boats entering DCL that are carrying invasive creatures or plants from other bodies of water to ZERO!
Our campaign will be nothing short of a full “Saturation Effort” as we reach out to all users of DCL for boating or use of Personal Watercraft that could be carrying unwanted and potentially destructive invasive species. Our target audience will be renters, property owners, guests of property owners, fishermen, or anyone who may have used their watercraft in other waters in Maryland or in neighboring states. As always, we can use your help to carry out our important work for the lake and watershed. Please visit our website at www.deepcreekwatershedfoundation.org for more information as to how you can help. Thank you very much!
