Community members across the Eastern Shore are getting involved in ShoreRivers’ mission of clean and healthy waterways through dedicated participation in volunteer programs. Take a look below to learn more about a few current volunteer opportunities and how they directly support cleaner, healthier, swimmable waterways.
Building Reef Balls for Oysters
In partnership with the Coastal Conservation Association of Maryland, ShoreRivers is hosting multiple Oyster Reef Ball Builds as part of the Living Reef Action Campaign. Reef balls are hollow concrete structures pocketed with holes that provide essential habitat for oysters and other creatures. Building reef balls for oysters is a kid-friendly activity and is a great opportunity for local communities to learn about the importance of oysters and to contribute to the restoration of our shared waterways. Join us for one or both days of these upcoming events:
August 7-8 from 9am-Noon at Easton Point Marina in Easton
August 19-20 from 9am-Noon at Sailwinds Park in Cambridge
Monitoring and Harvesting Underwater Grasses
Underwater grasses, or submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), are an essential part of the Bay’s ecosystem and are a key indicator of the health of our rivers. SAV Watchers is a volunteer SAV monitoring program that allows volunteers to take a closer look at their rivers and monitor water quality through the presence of underwater grasses. ShoreRivers uses these essential data collected by volunteers to select new sites to plant SAV seeds in our waterways. The information is also shared with the Virginia Institute of Marine Science for their annual aerial surveys of SAV, which are used by the Chesapeake Bay Program to measure the progress of underwater grass restoration.
Monitoring Bacteria
Throughout the summer, ShoreRivers is often asked if it’s safe to swim in the water. To better answer this question and to identify pollution hotspots, ShoreRivers runs the SwimTesters, a seasonal bacteria monitoring volunteer program. SwimTester volunteers monitor multiple sites where people often come in contact with water such as marinas, yacht clubs, and popular swimming locations. The SwimTesters program provides the public with important data on bacteria levels in our rivers so community members can make safe and informed decisions about coming into contact with the water. This program is a great way for volunteers to get out on the water and contribute important information to ensure public safety.
Shore rivers are your rivers and we believe every individual has a right to clean water. We all share the same spaces to live, work, and play, and ShoreRivers’ volunteer programs help us to protect these spaces. Visit shorerivers.org/volunteer to learn more about volunteer programs and sign up. Join a dedicated team of citizen scientists and help protect and restore our shared Eastern Shore waterways and ensure the vitality of our natural water resources.
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ShoreRivers protects and restores Eastern Shore waterways through science-based advocacy, restoration, and education. shorerivers.org