Sewage backups and overflows in Baltimore have been a major concern for years. The COVID-19 pandemic has made this issue that much more apparent. Many residents who experience backups can’t afford the up-front cost of cleanup and disinfection, so they do the job themselves. But we know that COVID-19 – or SARS-CoV-2 – is potentially…
We’ve seen lots of rainfall this April, and these April showers don’t just bring flowers. Baltimoreans may be experiencing flooding, sewage backups, and other effects of wet weather. At Blue Water Baltimore, stormwater is always on our mind. We want to share more about what stormwater is and how you can help mitigate its effects. …
In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22nd, Blue Water Baltimore held our second annual Afternoon With Your Waterkeeper event to release our 2019 water quality data. In response to current global events, we took the event online and held our very first large-scale webinar! Our water quality monitoring program hit…
When people think about things that pollute Baltimore’s streams and rivers, chances are they think about sewage, trash, and legacy toxins. Drinking water? Not so much. It’s hard to think of drinking water as a pollutant. After all, it is clean water, right? It doesn’t have the pungent smell that sewage does. It’s not unsightly…
I was grateful to see front page coverage of a critical and growing issue in Baltimore — how we effectively deal with urban stormwater (“As Maryland pours millions of dollars into its ailing streams, research shows some projects don’t help clean Chesapeake Bay,” Jan 2). As we enter a new decade, we must think more holistically…
Blue Water Baltimore is pleased to announce that our lead water quality scientist Alice Volpitta has been appointed as our new Baltimore Harbor Waterkeeper! A Maryland native and resident of Baltimore City, Volpitta has served as Blue Water Baltimore’s lead water quality scientist for nearly six years. Her areas of expertise include water quality monitoring,…
It’s not often that you hear of drones being used to measure water quality. That’s exactly what former Blue Water Baltimore intern Matt Stocker (’11) is doing. A Research Associate at the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS), Matt Stocker is part of a team of researchers testing drones as tools for water quality monitoring efforts….
Last week, a powerful storm flooded Baltimore’s most popular neighborhoods. Our waterways took a hit, too. On August 6, 2019, the storm dropped almost a half foot of rain in a two-hour span. Flash floods overtook many neighborhoods at the foot of the Jones Falls watershed. Some people posted dramatic photos of stranded cars and flooded…
How’s the Water, Hon? Blue Water Baltimore is thrilled to announce the launch of our new water quality mapping platform: www.baltimorewaterwatch.org! We worked with the experts at Chesapeake Commons for our new innovative approach to data visualization. For the first time ever, we are able share in-depth information about the specific measurements of water health…
A federal district court in Maryland ruled last week that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) wrongfully denied our petition to regulate stormwater runoff from commercial, industrial, and institutional sites in the Back River watershed. Blue Water Baltimore and its allies took this fight against dangerous stormwater discharges to court so that polluters who contribute…