The Growing Increase of Impervious Surfaces and its Adverse Effect on Waterways and Wetlands

Meeting Date/Time: Tuesday November 27th, 7PM

Location: Southern Maryland Higher Education Center, 44219 Airport Road, California, Maryland

The Potomac River Association invites the public to its annual meeting featuring a special presentation from Andrew Becker of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Mr. Becker is in the Monitoring and Non-Tidal Monitoring division and he travels the state sampling and assessing the health and diversity of non-tidal habitats. He will speak about how the growing increase of impervious surfaces in urban and suburban areas can adversely effect our waterways and wetlands. He will focus on Southern Maryland waters.

"The Potomac River basin contains some of the most ecologically diverse and important watersheds in the state of Maryland. Several Federally and State listed rare and endangered aquatic species call these watersheds home. A recent ranking of biodiversity within the watersheds of Maryland identified the Zekiah Swamp as the number one watershed for biological diversity. These unique aquatic resources are threatened by the rate of development as more people move into the Potomac basin. Impervious surfaces affect the physical and chemical make up of our streams, causing changes that can result in the loss of these rare and unique resources. These resources, the effect of impervious surfaces, and the recent development of management tools that will help protect our streams will be discussed."

For More Information or to Join the PRA: Bob Elwood, 301-769-3840, belwoods@verizon.net or Erik at 301-475-8366

The Potomac River Association has worked for 40 years to preserve and protect the land and waters of St. Mary's County and is the oldest environmental advocacy group in Southern Maryland. Anyone interested is encouraged to attend.