Buffering field ditches with natural vegetation is an important and effective practice promoted by resource conservation agencies to reduce water pollution. However, over time, some buffers can become saturated with phosphorus, a major pollutant in the Inland Bays.
At 9 a.m., Friday, Dec. 4, at the Biden Center in Cape Henlopen State Park, the Center for the Inland Bays will hold its Science and Technical Advisory Committee meeting and will welcome Dr. Jennifer Gilbert-Jenkins of Villanova University to present her research showing how the effectiveness of buffers can be improved.
Also on the agenda is new information on changes in pollution loads to the Inland Bays over the last few decades. Scientists Hassan Mirsajahdi and Xia Xie of the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) will present this work and answer questions.
“Pollution loads are the primary way we can gauge the effectiveness of actions to clean up the Bays,” says Chris Bason, science coordinator with the Center for the Inland Bays. “DNREC does an outstanding job of estimating these loads and it will be exciting to see the results.” The public is welcome to attend the meeting.
For more information, contact Sally Boswell, education and outreach coordinator, at 302-226-8105.
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