Estuary News, Issue 2, 2023

Thank you, EPA

Partnership for the Delaware Estuary Receives $1.8 Million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funds

Partnership for the Delaware Estuary (PDE) extends a huge thank you to the Environmental Protection Agency for its recent receipt of the first two years of funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). Each of the 28 National Estuary Programs (NEPs) will receive $909,800 a year for the next five years to support projects that address climate resilience, prioritize equity, and manage other essential water quality and habitat challenges. PDE recently received its first two years of funding — $1.8 million — as the host of the Delaware Estuary Program.

“This funding is a valuable investment in equity, clean water, and resilience for the Delaware River’s sensitive coastal shoreline,” said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz.

PDE’s portion of the BIL funding will go toward environmental and community restoration goals listed in the Delaware Estuary Program’s Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP). For the first two years of funding $650,000 will go toward constructing a freshwater mussel hatchery on the grounds of Bartam’s Garden in Philadelphia. The Partnership for the Delaware Estuary is raising funds needed to complete this project so the BIL funding accelerates the timeline. PDE plans to produce up to 500,000 freshwater mussels per year for placement in regional waterways to support water quality and biodiversity.

Several other BIL-funded projects will focus on:

• Preventing wetland loss in places like Matt’s Landing, New Jersey, and other locations in the Estuary.

• Researching the filtration capacity that freshwater mussels could have in stormwater ponds.

• Purchasing PDE’s first research boat to aid with field work throughout the Estuary.

“We are very grateful for the opportunity to receive this funding and have begun to implement projects that are being supported through the BIL,” said Kathy Klein, Executive Director of PDE. “A minimum of 45 percent of the funding over the five years will be used to support work that will benefit underserved communities in the Delaware Estuary region.”

COMMITTEES CONTACT LIST

Meetings conducted by the Delaware Estuary Program’s implementation and advisory committees occur on a regular basis and are open to the public. For meeting dates and times, please contact the individuals listed below:

Estuary Implementation Committee

Kathy Klein Partnership for the Delaware Estuary Executive Director (Chair) (800) 445-4935, ext. 102 kklein@DelawareEstuary.org

Monitoring Advisory & Coordination Committee

Elaine Panuccio

Water Restoration Scientist, Water Quality Assessment

Delaware River Basin Commission (609) 883-9500, ext. 307 elaine.panuccio@drbc.gov

Toxics Advisory Committee

Jeremy Conkle

Senior Toxicologist

Delaware River Basin Commission (609) 883-9500 Jeremy.Conkle@drbc.gov

Science and Technical Advisory Committee

Danielle Kreeger, Ph.D. Partnership for the Delaware Estuary Senior Science Director (800) 445-4935, ext. 104 dkreeger@DelawareEstuary.org

Water Quality Advisory Committee

John Yagecic, P.E.

Manager, Water Quality Assessment

Delaware River Basin Commission (609) 883-9500, ext. 271 john.yagecic@drbc.nj.gov

ON THE COVER

Tiny pieces of microplastics show up under a magnifying glass. Microplastics and how to keep them out of our waterways are the focus of Ph.D. student Meghana Parameswarappa

Jayalakshmamma’s research at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. Earlier this year, Jayalakshmamma gave a talk on her microplastics research and won Best Oral Presentation at the Delaware Estuary Science & Environmental Summit.

Photo courtesy of Meghana Parameswarappa Jayalakshmamma.

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SUBMERGE YOURSELF IN ART AT FAIRMOUNT WATER WORKS

Exhibition Explores History of Flooding in Philadelphia and Global Climate Change

The Fairmount Water Works was originally designed to flood. Built in the late 1700s along the Schuylkill River, the premises was a pumping station for the municipal water supply. Today, due to increasingly heavy rains, a symptom of climate change, the Schuylkill and Fairmount Water Works still occasionally see their share of flooding. The most recent incident was during Hurricane Ida in 2021.

Now through July 29, Water Works patrons can be visually immersed when they visit Submerged: A Changing Global Climate. This art show displays more than 30 selected works by 19 contemporary artists and two antique paintings. Photographs, prints, drawings, and paintings invite viewers to meditate and focus on the reality of global climate change.

Directed by Karen Young of Fairmount Water Works and curated by Thom Duffy, Submerged focuses on the historical and current extreme weather events impacting our region and the planet’s struggle for survival. The exhibition space is in a section of the Water Works that has been entirely under water due to flooding at one time or another. Works selected for this exhibition speak to the history of the Water Works and the flooding of the Schuylkill River to spark discussions about the causes and effects of climate change.

Contributing galleries and artists for this exhibition are:

Independent Artists: Loren Berckey, Diane Burko, Rhea Cutillo, Andrea Krupp, Anabelle Rodríguez, Laura Storck and Maura Williams. Cerulean Arts Gallery: Pia De Girolamo, Richard Estell, Susan B. Howard, Frederic C. Kaplan, Michael Rossman and Jill A. Rupinski. Thom Duffy Fine Art: Thom Duffy and Andrés Tavárez. Bridgette Mayer Gallery: Arden Bendler Browning, Tim McFarlane and Rebecca Rutstein. Schwarz Gallery: Antique painting by Arthur Melzer. Hollis Taggart: Bill Scott.

The exhibition is brought to you in part by the Fund for the Water Works and the Ed F. Grusheski Water Literacy Foundation. Submerged closes July 29, so don’t miss your chance to see it.

STRONG

IF YOU GO

WHEN

Now through July 29th

WHERE Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center, Philadelphia Building Hours: Wednesday - Saturday 11am - 5pm

COST Free

Top: “Tenacity” by Jill Rupinski is one of the artworks on display at Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center. Background: “Veil” by Rebecca Rutstein is another work on display at the Submerged exhibition.

COMMUNITIES, GOAL 2: IMPROVE PUBLIC AWARENESS AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT

Best in Show

Partnership for the Delaware Estuary gave prizes for three student presentations at this year’s Delaware Estuary Science & Environmental Summit. Meghana Parameswarappa Jayalakshmamma won in the category of Best Oral Presentation. Sam Solomon and Matt Gentry tied as winners in the Best Poster Presentation category. PDE would like to congratulate all three winners again, and thanks all the students who gave presentations at the Summit.

BEST ORAL PRESENTATION

Microplastics Are Forever: Let’s Keep Them Out of Our Water

By

In 1869, John Wesley Hyatt invented celluloid, the first synthetic plastic, as an ivory alternative to save elephants.

Not only could plastic mimic ivory and other rare materials, but it had other benefits. Plastic was strong, flexible, lightweight, and cheap. Before long, many industries mass-produced everyday items such as combs and shirt collars with plastic instead of tortoise shell and linen. Plastic production especially boomed during World War II when natural resources were difficult to obtain.

Now, however, this once-beneficial substance has become an environmental burden. Today, every single piece of plastic ever produced is still around in some fashion, as a whole, or in fragmented microplastics and nanoplastics. They don’t degrade completely. They can only be recycled or reused. Microplastics are tiny plastic particles less than 5mm, which is about the size of an ant, a grain of rice, or the tip of a new crayon. They can come from various sources, including clothing fibers, tires, cosmetics, and packing materials. Nanoplastics are any plastic less than one micron (can only be seen with a microscope).

During storms, microplastics and nanoplastics wash away with runoff into our rivers, lakes, and oceans. Once they’re there, they pollute the water and become an unwitting member of the food chain. Fish and other species eat and drink the tiny particles, which humans, in turn, ingest by eating them and drinking through the public water supply.

To better understand the impacts of microplastics in stormwater and the environment, I am analyzing microplastics in stormwater runoff and their accumulation in natural and engineered stormwater control systems. My research is through the New Jersey Institute of Technology’s Center for Natural Resources, under the supervision of Michel Boufadel, Ph.D. My research focuses on collecting road runoff from various land uses (urban areas and commercial locations) that enter drainage sewer systems and then quantifying and characterizing the type of microplastics I find in the samples through advanced techniques such as a DXR Raman microscope and a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer. These devices allow me to get a spectrum of the polymer type from each microplastic.

So far, the most prevalent type of plastic I’ve found is tire rubber which comes off during regular wear and tear, followed by polypropylene and polyethylene from single-use plastics found in items such as plastic bags.

continued on page 5

Meghana Parameswarappa Jayalakshmamma views microplastics through a DXR Raman microscope, which allows her to determine the type of polymer from which each microplastic is made..

Meghana Parameswarappa Jayalakshmamma, Ph.D., student at the New Jersey Institute of Technology

Microplastics are not a single contaminant but consist of different chemical structures of polymers, co-polymers, additives, sizes, and shapes. Thus, their toxicity and behavior in the environment varies with these parameters along with the concentration.

My research includes developing environmental models to understand the path microplastics take to our rivers and oceans. From this information, I can devise alternatives to stop many microplastics in their tracks by understanding their direction. “Green infrastructure,” such as stormwater ponds or green roofs, are two examples, as these structures can act as a “sink” for collecting and absorbing microplastics and keep them from going into waterways. By staying informed and taking action to reduce plastic waste, we can all play a role in protecting our waterways and the creatures that inhabit them and promoting a healthy planet for future generations.

BEST POSTER PRESENTATION

Meghana Parameswarappa Jayalakshmamma is a Ph.D. candidate in Civil Environmental Engineering at NJIT with expertise in water quality, water, and wastewater treatment. Her current research focuses on microplastics in stormwater, specifically on their fate and transport in the urban environment. Additionally, Meghana has 2.5 years of industry experience in designing wastewater and water treatment plant units, investigating stormwater flooding, and providing turnkey solutions to these problems.

STRONG COMMUNITIES/STRATEGY C2.5: PUBLISH AND SHARE OUTREACH MATERIALS AND SCIENTIFIC RESULTS

CLEAN WATERS/GOAL 2, REDUCE OTHER POLLUTANTS AND THEIR IMPACTS

Impact of Climate Change on the Salinization of Coastal Wetlands

By Sam Solomon, New Jersey Institute of Technology

For thousands of years, wetlands have captured carbon from the atmosphere through photosynthesis and by acting as sediment traps for runoff.

Sea level rise, however, is loosening wetlands’ hold on carbon. As their ability to hold onto carbon weakens, potential consequences increase. This means more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which can lead to hotter temperatures, changes in weather patterns, ocean acidification, and all of the detrimental effects that come with these negative consequences.

As a student at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, I am collecting data to be used in predicting how climate change will impact social ecosystems. I chose to research this issue because wetlands and coastal ecosystems play an integral role in mitigating the impact of climate change. As an environmental engineer who focuses on sustainability and water resources, I find this research is critical to understand how these problems will affect us in the future, and potentially develop solutions to prevent worst case scenarios.

Sea level rise causes the water table and the saltwater wedge to rise closer to the ground surface. This, combined with evaporation, is likely to increase the salinity in the topsoil (inverted saline wedge).

My study focuses on wetlands with brackish water, which is a combination of fresh and salt water. This research involves installing underground sensors in two separate New Jersey coastal wetlands, which monitor temperature, conductivity, and depth.

These sensors take readings every 15 minutes and upload the data to a cloud-based web portal where data can be monitored in real time. As my research continues, my research team and I will take measurements of water table levels, the salinity of pore

continued on page 6

water (water contained in the pores of soil or rock), and temperature at each location for six months to evaluate the change in salinity over time, and to calibrate their surface water/groundwater/evaporation models. They will then use these models to predict the conditions at the same locations due to climate change from the years 2030 through 2050 and from the years 2080 through 2100.

BEST POSTER PRESENTATION

STRONG COMMUNITIES/STRATEGY C2.5: PUBLISH AND SHARE OUTREACH MATERIALS AND SCIENTIFIC RESULTS

HEALTHY HABITATS/GOAL 1, PREVENT WETLAND LOSS

When it Comes to Food and Freshwater Mussels, Quality Beats Quantity

By Matt Gentry, PDE’s Shellfish Coordinator

What diet is best for a child’s nutritional needs? Will a high-quality diet of fruits and vegetables and smaller portions help a little one grow and develop, or should you go with hefty

amounts of hamburgers and French fries? Most likely, you lean toward the high-quality choice. The same principle applies to all sorts of lifeforms, including freshwater mussels.

Freshwater mussels are one of North America’s most imperiled groups of organisms, and mussel restoration is gaining importance in our region for the ecological services they provide. Mussel beds guard against erosion by keeping river, creek, and stream beds in place. They also serve as nature’s water filters by perpetually filtering out dirt, pollution, and other impurities as they feed from particles in the water around them.

My poster presentation for this year’s Delaware Estuary Science and Environmental Summit focused on a component of my broader research into the physiological functions of freshwater mussels native to the Delaware Estuary.

One of the essential components of freshwater mussel restoration is propagating these animals in hatcheries to increase their numbers. Partnership for the Delaware Estuary plans to build a freshwater mussel hatchery in Philadelphia and eventually produce up to 500,000 mussels per year.

Young hatchery-produced mussels finish their growth in ponds. These ponds may be very nutrient-rich, which can encourage high growth rates of juvenile mussels. Water quality in other sites, however, might be low in nutrients. To better understand how mussels handle the transition from high-nutrient

continued on page 9

Sam Solomon is pursuing a master’s degree in Environmental Engineering at NJIT and will graduate in 2024.

Freshwater mussels that start life in a hatchery finish their development in ponds. Matt Gentry, PDE’s Shellfish Coordinator, ran an experiment to find out if other water bodies, such as streams, have the nutrients mussels need to grow.

THINKING FARM FORWARD

PDE’s Partners Focus on Better Agriculture Practices

By Meghan Rogalus, PDE’s Schuylkill Action Network Manager

What can we do together that none of us can do alone? This question lies at the heart of PDE’s collaborative work with source water protection in Pennsylvania. The answer: think “Farm Forward.”

Farm Forward is a newly formed agricultural working group for the Lower Delaware River Watershed. In collaboration with the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD), PDE hosted the group’s inaugural meeting on February 24.

The group’s primary objectives are to leverage funds, enhance outreach and training opportunities, and facilitate mutual support among its diverse member organizations. Recognizing the significance of nurturing relationships with farmers and meeting community outreach needs, the group aims to address challenges that arise from limited funding and increasing development pressure. Farm Forward additionally seeks to pave the way for impactful change by fostering more robust stakeholder connections.

Farm Forward is comprised of dedicated professionals from

county conservation districts, state and federal agencies, water utilities, and local and regional non-profits for the purpose of improving farm conservation in the Lehigh Valley/Lower Delaware River watershed. Currently, the group does not include farmers, but farmers are welcome to join if they’re interested.

Promoting sound farm management protects our waterways and sustains our communities by reducing soil erosion and minimizing the transport of nutrients and bacteria to water sources. For example, proper manure storage and timing of field application protects the health of local waterways, improves a farm’s economic viability, and protects our drinking water.

Farm Forward is seeking members! Environmental organizations, utilities, nonprofits, or farmers in Philadelphia, Bucks, Montgomery, Lehigh, or Northampton counties are welcome to join and work with PDE and other partners to improve agricultural conservation in the Delaware River Watershed.

For more information, contact Meghan Rogalus at mrogalus@delawareestuary.org.

CLEAN WATERS/ STRATEGY W1.2 SUPPORT INNOVATIVE PLANNING AND DESIGN PRACTICES TO REDUCE NUTRIENTS FROM STORMWATER AND AGRICULTURAL RUNOFF THROUGH PROMOTION, EDUCATION, AND IMPLEMENTATION

STRATEGY W3.4: PROVIDE OUTREACH AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO PROMOTE WATER CONSERVATION AND INFILTRATION BY RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL USERS AND COMMUNITIES

TRASH AND TREASURE: Volunteers Collect 13 Tons of

at the Christina River Watershed Cleanup

dented antique hubcap, a broken canoe, a washing machine crank, a rolled-up carpet, a nearly intact chair, a cooler, construction debris, a vase, toys, gas cans, and literally tons of miscellaneous litter found their way to the dump and recycling centers this spring after sitting for an untold amount of time in parks and near waterways in Delaware.

These items would still be in the mud if it weren’t for nearly 750 volunteers who pitched in during this year’s Christina River Watershed Cleanup on April 22 (Earth Day). This year, volunteers at 13 sites collected

ART MADE WITH HEART:

PDE Sponsors Upcycled Art Contest

Vincent Van Gogh once said, “great things are done by a series of small things brought together.”

Van Gogh’s quote inspired Delaware artist Christina Holubinka who created a three-panel art series from recycled materials for this year’s Christina River Watershed Cleanup.

Partnership for the Delaware Estuary (PDE) and the Christina Conservancy sponsored the contest, whose goal was to teach people about trash in their waterways and help promote the cleanup.

Earlier this year, PDE asked Delaware artists to submit design concepts for art projects made from recycled materials. The artwork needed to be movable for easy display around Delaware for different purposes/ events. Holubinka’s mixed medium designs feature the PDE and Christina River Cleanup logos and a boater.

Items

Aapproximately 13 tons of trash, which is about the same as 30 grand pianos or 30 horses.

PDE had 52 volunteers helping along the Wilmington Riverfront, and removed nearly 5 tons of trash (about the weight of an ambulance) from all City of Wilmington cleanup sites.

The Cleanup, funded by the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, is an annual volunteer event held throughout the Christina River Watershed in Wilmington and northern New Castle County, Delaware. The mission is to remove trash from the Christina River Watershed while raising awareness for pollution prevention. At the end of this year’s cleanup, some called what was found trash, others called it treasure, but everyone agreed it didn’t belong in our rivers.

STRONG COMMUNITIES/C2.4: DEVELOP AND PROMOTE PROGRAMS WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND PARTNERS THAT FOSTER VOLUNTEER STEWARDSHIP AND EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

Holubinka composed the three images on three separate canvas panels from recycled materials, including packaging paper, a torn reusable bag, plastic bags, food boxes, food bags and wrappers, water bottle wrappers, a zip tie, balloons, a ribbon, bottle caps, and more. Holubinka, her daughters Ava and Sienna, and friends from the Delaware Forest Friends Homeschool group, worked together to collect trash and recycled materials while running errands and on nature walks at playgrounds and parks.

STRONG COMMUNITIES/C2.2: UTILIZE EVENTS TO INCREASE STEWARDSHIP AND ENGAGE NEW PEOPLE

Christina Holubinka, left, with her family pose with the artwork she created through a design contest to help promote the Christina River Watershed Cleanup.

Volunteers take a selfie on the banks of the Christina River during the Christina River Watershed Cleanup. Photo courtesy of Haritha Malladi.

Proster Presentation continued from page 6

ponds to streams, I designed and conducted an experiment using two species of native freshwater mussels – eastern pond mussels (Sagittunio nasutus) and alewife floaters (Utterbackiana implicata) – and transferred them between a pond and stream at Winterthur Museum, Garden, and Library in New Castle County, Delaware, to see how they responded to the changes.

I found that mussels grew better in the stream with higher quality food (i.e., a higher proportion of organic particulate matter) than in the pond, which had higher bulk organic material (i.e., a higher quantity of food). Mussels in the stream also had more tissue mass than those in the pond, although their outer shells measured the same length. I am analyzing preliminary data alongside other findings to help inform how best to grow and reintroduce native freshwater mussels within the Delaware Estuary.

Chester River Festival Makes a Splash

Mere steps away from the Delaware River, hundreds of people gathered on May 6 at Subaru Park in Chester, Pennsylvania, for a day of family fun and to celebrate the waterway that provides drinking water, beauty, and recreation to millions of people.

STRONG COMMUNITIES/ STRATEGY C2.5: PUBLISH AND SHARE OUTREACH MATERIALS AND SCIENTIFIC RESULTS

HEALTHY HABITATS/STRATEGY

H3.3: INVENTORY, RESTORE, AND MANAGE MUSSEL POPULATIONS

The Chester River Festival is one of a few events that PDE holds annually to celebrate the Delaware River and Bay. In addition to a scavenger hunt, PDE also offered craft activities, giveaways, and its colorful trivia wheel with fun and useful information about the Delaware Estuary. People could also witness the filtering power of freshwater mussels via PDE’s two-tank demonstration.

DJ GWoo spun some tunes while people learned bicycle safety and some fun information about the environment, sampled musical instruments, and grabbed a bite to eat from one of the food trucks standing by.

For those who enjoyed the Chester River Festival, the fun continues with the Delaware River Festival on Saturday, Sept. 9 at Penn’s Landing in Philadelphia. For more information about this event, keep checking the Delaware River Festival’s website at www.delawareriverfest.org 

STRONG COMMUNITIES/STRATEGY C2.2: UTILIZE EVENTS TO INCREASE STEWARDSHIP AND ENGAGE NEW PEOPLE

Jecy Klinkham, PDE’s Restoration Specialist, and Leah Morgan, PDE’s Assistant Coordinator of Estuary Science, show off a two-tank freshwater mussel demonstration at the Chester River Festival.

Matt Gentry is a master’s student in environmental science at Drexel University in Philadelphia.

VOLUNTEER,THEN GRAB A BEER WHAT’S THAT PLANT?

Classroom Schuylkill Scrub and Pub Volunteers Show their Love for Upper Merion Township

Sixty volunteers showed they could make a difference in their community when they cleared hundreds of pounds of litter this spring from Upper Merion Township in Pennsylvania.

These volunteers participated in the annual Schuylkill Scrub and Pub Cleanup, part of the overall Schuylkill Scrub series of cleanups that takes place each year from March through May in the Schuylkill River Watershed. Event partners included Upper Merion Township, Aqua, EPA Region 3, Schuylkill River Greenways, and Partnership for the Delaware Estuary.

PDE Releases Guidebook to Native Plant Seedlings

By Sarah Bouboulis, PDE’s Habitat Projects Coordinator

Watch volunteers in action in this short video:

https://youtu.be/cm-K7bbuucs

“The importance of this cleanup is that it gets litter off the streets and engages the public about the importance of being good stewards of the watershed,” said Meghan Rogalus, PDE’s Schuylkill Action Network Manager. “Trash pollutes our recreational spaces and washes into our waterways during storms. The pollution harms plants and animals and increases the cost for water utilities that make water from the Schuylkill suitable for public consumption. When volunteers pick up litter, their actions beautify the landscape, protect our waterways, and make an economic impact.”

Groups found unusual items such as a car grill, a collapsed port-apotty, and a discarded bicycle.

After the cleanup, volunteers gathered at Puddlers Kitchen and Tap Room in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, to celebrate their labors with food and drinks. PDE and event partners would like to thank Conshohocken Brewing Company for donating beer and Frosty Falls Ice Cream and Water Ice in Bridgeport, Pennsylvania, for providing coupons for discounted ice cream. Finally, we want to thank Waste Management for donating dumpsters for the event.

STRONG COMMUNITIES/C2.4: DEVELOP AND PROMOTE PROGRAMS WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND PARTNERS THAT FOSTER VOLUNTEER STEWARDSHIP AND EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

Have you ever been gardening and noticed a small plant you couldn’t identify? Did you plant it? Is it a weed? Is it a baby from a plant elsewhere in your garden? How can you know for sure?

PDE’s new guidebook answers these vexing questions. Native Seedlings of the Delaware Estuary features more than 50 pages of common native plants used in gardens in the mid-Atlantic region. The guide identifies the plants with large pictures in their early growth stages and explains their preferred growing conditions. After reading this, you’ll have a better idea for what will grow and thrive in your garden.

Since we’re hoping to expand the entries in our booklet, we invite you to send us images and information of other seedlings that are native to this area. Contact Bouboulis at sbouboulis@delawareestuary.org. In the meantime, check out the guidebook on PDE’s website.

STRONG COMMUNITIES, GOAL 2, IMPROVE PUBLIC AWARENESS AND STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT

Volunteers from the Schuylkill Scrub and Pub demonstrate their prowess with trash pickers.

POOL: A SOCIAL HISTORY OF SEGREGATION

Wednesday — Saturday, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Cost: FREE

Now through Sept. 20 at Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center, Philadelphia

Pool is an award-winning museum exhibition about segregated swimming in America and its connection to present-day drowning issues affecting Black communities. The multi-disciplinary work weaves history, art, storytelling, and place-based learning to explore the role of public pools in our communities to deepen our understanding of the connection between water, social justice, and public health. Time is running out to experience the immersive exhibition.

Go to poolphl.com for more information.

SAVE THE DATE!

DELAWARE RIVER FESTIVAL

Sept. 9. Cost: FREE

Penn’s Landing, Philadelphia

Keep Sept. 9 free on your calendar, because you definitely want to be at Penn’s Landing for the Delaware River Festival!

Make a splash in a swan boat. Feel the breeze on your face as you take the RiverLink Ferry between Penn’s Landing and Wiggins Park. Goof around with some games. Get colorful with face painting. Learn about all the amazing plants and animals that make their home in the Delaware River Basin, and how this “lifeblood of the northeast” provides drinking water to more than 10 million people.

Learn more by going to the Delaware River Festival website at www.delawareriverfest.org. You can also keep up through Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. The handle is @DelRivFest.

STRONG COMMUNITIES/STRATEGY C2.2: UTILIZE EVENTS TO INCREASE STEWARDSHIP AND ENGAGE NEW PEOPLE

SAVE THE DATE! EXPERIENCE THE ESTUARY CELEBRATION

Thursday October 12

Switch House, Philadelphia

You’re invited to PDE’s biggest celebration of the year! Save the date for an evening featuring a cocktail hour, open bar, dinner, silent auction, and the famous 90-minute raw bar with local Delaware Bay oysters. Registration will open later this summer, but we are seeking sponsors now! If you are interested in sponsoring the event, please email Elizabeth at ehorsey@delawareestuary.org or visit our website

STRONG COMMUNITIES/STRATEGY C2.2: UTILIZE EVENTS TO INCREASE STEWARDSHIP AND ENGAGE NEW PEOPLE

CALLING ALL ARTISTS IN THE DELAWARE ESTUARY!

Join the Trash Free Waters Art Contest for a Chance to See Your Work Displayed Around the Delaware Estuary

Every day, litter and debris wash into local waterways, including the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers and their tributaries. This pollution hinders fishing, swimming, boating, and other fun things we like to do, not to mention that it hurts fish and wildlife and affects the overall quality of water that more than 13 million in the Delaware River Basin depend upon for everyday use.

We’re asking regional artists to enter our Trash Free Waters Art Contest, whose goal is to raise awareness of trash in our waterways and how they can be part of the solution. Submissions can be in any medium, but must be created on a provided 12” x 9” canvas. Works should relate to the theme of Trash-Free Waters, and the overall goal of reducing the amount of trash entering local waterways.

Top voted artwork will be turned into advertisements and placed around the Delaware Estuary!

• 1st Place: $500 Art Supplies Gift Card

• 2nd Place: $250 Art Supplies Gift Card

• 3rd Place: $150 Art Supplies Gift Card

Contest entry deadline is Friday, Aug. 25. To request a canvas and for more contest and entry details, visit https://www.delawareriverfest.org/artcontest

STRONG COMMUNITIES/STRATEGY C2.2: UTILIZE EVENTS TO INCREASE STEWARDSHIP AND ENGAGE

NEW PEOPLE

THE PARTNERSHIP FOR THE DELAWARE ESTUARY CONNECTING PEOPLE, SCIENCE, AND NATURE FOR A HEALTHY DELAWARE RIVER AND BAY

The Partnership for the Delaware Estuary, host of the Delaware Estuary Program, leads collaborative, science–based efforts to improve the Delaware River and Bay, which covers portions of Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. To find out how you can become one of our partners, call PDE at (800) 445-4935 or visit our website at www.DelawareEstuary.org

Partnership for the Delaware Estuary, Inc.

Kathy Klein (800) 445-4935, ext. 102 kklein@DelawareEstuary.org

Environmental Protection Agency

Irene Purdy, EPA Region II (212) 637-3794 purdy.irene@epa.gov

Megan Mackey, EPA Region III (215) 814-5534 mackey.megan@epa.gov

Pennsylvania Sue Weaver

Department of Environmental Protection (717) 783-8055 suweaver@pa.gov

Delaware Rachael Phillos

Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (302) 735-3411

Rachael.Phillos@delaware.gov

New Jersey

Lynette Lurig

Department of Environmental Protection (609) 633-1314 lynette.lurig@dep.nj.gov

Delaware River Basin Commission

Chad Pindar (609) 883-9500, ext. 268 chad.pindar@drbc.gov

Philadelphia Water Department Will Whalon (267) 207-0937 william.whalon@phila.gov

Editor Kate Layton (800) 445-4935, ext. 113 klayton@DelawareEstuary.org

Estuary News encourages reprinting of its articles in other publications. Estuary News is produced four times annually by the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary, Inc. (PDE), under an assistance agreement (CE-99398516-0) with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The purpose of this newsletter is to provide an open, informative dialogue on issues related to PDE. The viewpoints expressed here do not necessarily represent the views of PDE or EPA, nor does mention of names, commercial products or causes constitute endorsement or recommendation for use. For information about the PDE, call (302) 655-4990.

Art by Christina Holubinka