River conservancy schedules fundraiser

Friday, July 18, 2008

‘‘We have gone from a small group of around 10 or 20 people trying to save a watershed, to around 160 members and families which has evolved into a large nonprofit organization,” said Debra Murphey, executive director of the Port Tobacco River Conservancy. ‘‘We need funding to be around.”

Port Tobacco River Conservancy will hold its first fundraiser Aug. 14 at the Port Tobacco Marina, which will feature live music and a silent auction.

‘‘We need funding to make sure we have the money to match the grants that we receive,” Murphey said.

The conservancy is currently involved in many projects which will benefit the Charles County watershed.

One of their projects is to educate the homeowners around the Port Tobacco River about the effects of nitrogen.

‘‘When you have nitrogen in the river, you nourish algae which will thrive and create an algae bloom. An algae bloom will cut off the oxygen supply to the fish and the aquatic plants,” Murphey said. ‘‘One of the best ways to control algae is to replace aging septic systems near the river with new ones that contain a nitrogen removal system.”

The conservancy has replaced 22 units in the county, with four more permitted to go. There are 41 pre-applications in the works, according to Rosie Lewis of the Charles County Health Department

Dave Gardiner of Port Tobacco lives on the river and had a nitrogen removal system installed in his yard.

‘‘It is working great,” Gardiner said. ‘‘I was worried about the disruption in my yard, but I just mulched around it, and put some plantings in.”

Gardiner also added an ultraviolet light to remove any additional bacteria from his septic system. The grant did not cover the $800 to $1,000 cost of the ultraviolet add-on.

Another project the conservancy is working on is the education component.

‘‘We want to teach people that the watershed that surrounds the river needs to be protected. Anything that goes into a creek or stream will eventually go into the river,” Murphey said.

The conservancy has recently updated its Web site , http:⁄⁄porttobaccoriver.org⁄, and it includes information about projects, along with eco-friendly information.

The conservancy also has a grant from the Bay Restoration Fund, which was used to plant a rain garden at Maurice J. McDonough High School. The rain garden will filter any water and run-off that could potentially pollute the river.

The conservancy plans to use a portion of the grant money to restore eroded stream beds in the middle of the Port Tobacco watershed.

The grant will also fund part of a project with a local farmer on Route 225 past Valley Road. The farmer has a herd of cows, which are currently using a tributary of the Port Tobacco River for their drinking water.

Since the cows have access to the stream, they are putting potentially harmful bacteria in the water through their manure. The project will provide fencing for the tributary that the cattle are currently using for water and put in a well for their use. The project is a partnership between the farmer, landowners, the Charles County Soil Conservation District and the conservancy.

Murphey is excited about her group’s fundraiser.

‘‘I think this will attract an eclectic group of people,” she said.

‘‘We will have environmentalists and business owners. And we will have pastries! One of our members is studying to be a pastry chef, and her pastries are works of art.”

Maury Tobin, co-chairman of the fundraising committee for PTRC, wants everyone to come.

‘‘It’s on a Thursday night, and what else do you have to do?” Tobin said.