Corps Seeks Restoration Project Candidates for the Chesapeake Bay
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Baltimore and Norfolk Districts, in partnership with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), have released the main report of the draft Chesapeake Bay Comprehensive Water Resources and Restoration Plan.
This plan informs government and non-government of the problems, needs and opportunities within the 64,000-square-mile Chesapeake Bay Watershed and assists with implementation of the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement’s goals to advance restoration and protection of the watershed.
Within the draft report, the Corps and NFWF identify project opportunities related to aquatic ecosystem restoration, enhancement or conservation. Candidate projects may include wetland or stream restoration, beneficial use of dredged material, fish passage, living shorelines, shoreline protection, emergency streambank protection, riparian buffers, acid mine drainage abatement, and ecosystem resilience. Opportunities may exist on public, private or government property. Opportunities for Corps technical assistance may include analyses, modeling, data collection or mapping related to coastal, riverine, stormwater flooding or other water-related issues.
In mid-June draft appendices for each state in the Bay watershed and District of Columbia will be released detailing existing watershed conditions and Watershed Action Plans for these areas. In addition, a Master Plan Results Database and a Candidate Restoration Projects Database will be available to show candidate restoration projects that stakeholders have submitted for consideration and implementation by the Corps and other partners.
The Corps is seeking feedback until July 16 on how the results of the analyses will provide value and be used by stakeholders, and any additional projects that should be included in the Candidate Restoration Projects Database. The final report, which is anticipated to be submitted to Congress in summer 2019, will identify at least one project in each state and the District of Columbia that can be considered for implementation or technical assistance by the Corps or local jurisdictions.
