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PATUXENT RIVER COMMISSION
Patuxent River Commission, envision a Patuxent River ecosystem as vital and productive in 2050 as it was in the 1950s. We therefore committ to be stewards and as for the Patuxent River and to lead and inspire actions to protect, enhance, and restore living resources and the natural, cultural, economic, and recreational values of the Patuxent River and its watershed. |
Patuxent River Policy Plan Update
The Chair of the Patuxent River Commission has created a workgroup to update the Patuxent River Policy Plan. This workgroup is made up of commission members representing the seven counties and a municipality in the watershed (Laurel), along with planners from the seven counties. They have been working on the update for several months and are aiming to have a draft version completed close to the end of 2009.
County resolutions approving the Patuxent River Policy plan addendum
24th Annual Bernie Fowler Wade-in
Senator Fowler's Wade-In, and our "Guess The Depth" contest, return
For the second year, MDP is holding an online "Guess-the-Depth" contest on its website leading up to Sunday's (June 12, 2011) Wade-In with Senator Bernie Fowler on the Patuxent River at 1 p.m. at Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum, 10515 Mackall Road, St. Leonard, MD 20685. (Sorry, no prizes, but bragging rights for getting closest to the mark.)
As a young man in the 1950s, Bernie Fowler stood chest-deep in the Patuxent and was able to see his feet on the river bottom while netting blue crabs. Senator Fowler held the first Patuxent "wade-in" in 1988 to assess whether he could still see his feet while wading into the river. His white sneakers disappeared from view in a disappointing 10 inches of water. Bernie Fowler, who served as Maryland State Senator from 1983-1994 and Calvert County Commissioner from 1970-1982, last year joined more than 100 attendees at the 23rd annual Bernie Fowler Patuxent River Wade-In. His sneakers were visible until reaching a depth of 34.5 inches.
The Wade-In has evolved into a symbol of the need for stewardship of the State's precious water resources.
Twenty-one people entered the "Guess The Depth" contest last year with guesses ranging from 20 to 41.5 inches. A complete list of last year's entries, and of the event results year by year, are below
Name |
County |
Depth Guess (in.) |
| Cindy | Baltimore County | 20.00 |
| Tim | Baltimore County | 21.20 |
| Sandy | Harford | 21.40 |
| Doug | Baltimore City | 22.20 |
| Hilary | Anne Arundel | 23.10 |
| Anonymous | Howard | 23.40 |
| Jeff | Calvert | 24.00 |
| Jason | Baltimore City | 25.20 |
| Jim | Calvert | 25.30 |
| Andy | Harford | 25.50 |
| Erin | Worcester | 26.40 |
| Jan | Anne Arundel | 27.20 |
| Janet | Baltimore County | 29.90 |
| Betty | Calvert | 30.30 |
| Anonymous | Harford | 30.30 |
| Tom | Worcester | 33.40 |
| Senator Fowler’s actual depth reading | 34.50 | |
| John | Harford | 35.50 |
| John | Saint Mary's | 38.50 |
| Shelia | Calvert | 39.70 |
| Rich | Baltimore City | 40.00 |
| Janet | Carroll | 41.50 |
We welcome your participation in the "Guess The Depth" contest and the Wade-In on Sunday. Also visit our "Bernie's Feet" page on Facebook.
Bernie Fowler Wade-In 2010
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Bernie Fowler Wade-In
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Bernie's "depth" over the years
Click on chart for larger view
Photos from Past "Wade-ins"
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Commission Members
C J Lammers, MD-National Capital Park & Planning Commission, Prince George’s County
Councilman Michael Leszcz, City of Laurel
Dan Baldwin, MD Dept. of Planning*
Dave Brownlee, Calvert County
David Bourdon, Vice Chairman, Prince George’s Soil Conservation District
Dr. Barbara Sollner-Webb, Citizen
Dr. Kelton Clark, Chairman, Academic
Dr. Mohammad T. Habibian, Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission
Dr. Walter Boynton, Academic
F. Hamer Campbell, Jr., MD-National Capital Building Industry Association
Fred Tutman, Farmer & Patuxent River Riverkeeper
Ginger Klingelhoefer-Ellis, Anne Arundel Planning & code Enforcement
Herb Sachs, MD Dept. of the Environment
Henry Turner Jr., Developer
Hon. C. Bernie Fowler, Citizen
Hon. Mary Kay Sigaty, Howard County
Hon. Rueben Collins – Charles County
Jack Fringer, Waterman
Jackie Takacs, MD Cooperative Extension
John Rhoderick, MD Dept. of Agriculture*
Kate O'Mara, US Army Corp of Engineers*
Ken Yetman, MD Dept. of Natural Resources*
Kevin Bruening, Business Interest
Luis Dieguez, Soil Conservation District
Mark Symborski, MD-National Capital Park & Planning Commission, Montgomery County
Mary Conway, Prince George’s Dept. of Environmental Resources
Mary Kilbourne, Citizen
Meg Andrews, MD Dept. of Transportation*
Meosotis Curtis, Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection
President Jack Russell -- St Mary's County Council
Wayne Clark - Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland
Sec. Richard E. Hall, MD Dept. of Planning
Sec. Roger L. Richardson, MD Dept. of Agriculture
Sec. Shari Wilson, MD Dept. of the Environment
Sec. John D. Porcari, MD Dept. of Transportation
Sec. John Griffin, MD Dept. of Natural Resources
Robert Pace, US Army Corps of Engineers
Vacant – Farmer
Vacant – Citizen
Vacant - Citizen
Commission Staff
Daniel Baldwin, MD Dept. of Planning
Jason Dubow, MD Dept. of Planning
* Designee for Ex-Officio Member
Resources
- Patuxent Riverkeeper
- DNR's Tributary Strategies Home Page
- Patuxent Wildlife Research Center This is the home page for the center. As the name suggests, the center focuses on wildlife issues with a national and Patuxent scope.
- Chesapeake Bay Program This is the home page for the EPA's Chesapeake Bay Program.
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Surf Your Watershed - This page contains a variety of information on the Patuxent. It also provides links to other sources of related information (e.g., U.S. Geological Survey information on the Patuxent).
- University of Maryland, Institute for Ecological Economics at Solomons This site describes a spatial dynamic modeling project which aims to better our understanding of watershed ecosystems in general and the Patuxent in particular. The model examines the impact of changes in land use and management on terrestrial and aquatic systems.
Agendas, Minutes, Staff Information
For minutes, agendas, or any information regarding the Commission please contact commission staff.
- Dan Baldwin, Maryland Department of Planning, dbaldwin@mdp.state.md.us, 410-767-4558.
- Jason Dubow, Maryland Department of Planning, jdubow@mdp.state.md.us, 410-767-3370.