The Inland Bays Tributary Action Team
A Little History

In 1998, the Center for the Inland Bays (CIB) started community involvement programs called Tributary Action Teams in each of the sub-watersheds--Rehoboth Bay, Indian River Bay, and Little Assawoman Bay. Although Maryland has a similar program, the Delaware Tributary Action Teams are completely community based and have no Governor appointed members. Consisting of local citizens, environmentalists, developers, golf course superintendents, farmers, and government officials from every level, these teams were designed to provide an opportunity for everyone to participate in our Bays' futures. Under the Center's guidance, these teams worked to develop strategies to reduce nutrient contributions to the water and restore our watersheds’ natural habitats.

The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) joined forces with the Center’s Tributary Action Teams in early 1999. The Teams’ task became developing a Pollution Control Strategy for meeting the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) requirements for nitrogen and phosphorus. This relationship shares resources and strategies to help improve water quality throughout our watershed. The Inland Bays demand increased scrutiny as they are designated as Waters of Exceptional Recreational or Ecological Significance under Delaware’s Water Quality Standards (ERES). This calls for increased monitoring and preservation efforts of the area surrounding the Inland Bays because of its unique environmental characteristics and threatened status.

Since their inception, our teams have hosted public education events, discussed ways to manage and reduce nonpoint source pollution, and developed a series of pollution control recommendations for Delaware. Our "Public Talk, Real Choices" public meetings provided many opportunities for community involvement in the process of improving our ecosystems. Held in the spring of 2000, these events educated people about the state of the Bays and gathered input for ways to reduce nutrient loading in our waters.

Working together as the Inland Bays Tributary Action Team, the three teams produced an issue book, “Saving Our Bays: Our Challenge, Our Choice” (1.49 mb PDF document), to inform citizens about the problems we face and to help guide discussion toward developing effective solutions. Using the guide during public meetings, most of the participants were very vocal about the effects of growth on the Inland Bays and taking action sooner rather than later to gain better control over pollution. Using the results of these meetings, we have developed and submitted two formal Pollution Control Strategies, the first was submitted in August of 2000 and the second in August of 2001. Most recommendations addressed nutrient management and reductions, including the need for controlled growth and increased regulations regarding developments.

The initial strategy was based on septic tank inspection and regulation and the support of the Delaware Nutrient Management Commission to control fertilizer application. After review of the Recommended Pollution Control Strategies, DNREC suggested the review of some strategies and offered some current efforts which are making progress. For instance, the Tributary Team recommended Pollution Trading be considered as a way of reducing phosphorus and nitrogen. Pollution trading requires polluters to either reduce their quantity of pollutants or convince other point sources of pollution to sell or trade their discharge allowance. In this way, reductions are made from the overall point source pollution. DNREC, the EPA and Vlasic agreed to a plan to offset the amount of pollution from the plant with a reduction in nonpoint source pollution, specifically from an adjacent spray irrigation corn field.

A second draft was submitted in August of 2001 and it was determined that an 11% reduction in Total Nitrogen and a 35% reduction in Total Phosphorus nonpoint sources could be achieved by following the recommendations. These recommendations included specific strategies for reducing nutrient loading from septic systems. After reviewing the recommendations, the State installed a pilot holding tank compliance program and is moving forward with a statewide, voluntary, pilot septic system inspection program. DNREC also will require the use of a community septic system when over 55%of the proposed individual systems require pressurization due to site conditions. The State suggested working more closely with government to mandate more stringent and costly septic system requirements.

The Inland Bays team is now focused on stormwater concerns after members attended the public revisions of DNREC’s Sediment and Stormwater Control Regulations. Upon completion of these recommendations, their Pollution Control Strategy will be complete. But the fight is not over. The recommendations need to be implemented. The Department is scheduled to work on promulgating the official Pollution Control Strategy in 2003. The Team needs to remain strong in order to assist with this task.

Ed Lewandowski, Education and Outreach Chair for the Center for the Inland Bays who also serves as a convener for the Tributary Action Team, admits that their greatest challenge has changed over the years. When the teams were first formed, their biggest challenge was repairing the relationship between the scientific community and the agricultural community. Today, their obstacle is keeping the community motivated and focused. The group still has over 30 active members, he says, but they are always looking for new members from the community. Bobby Collins is still involved after almost four years. As the representative of Cripple Creek Golf Course, located on the Indian River Bay, as well as the Delaware State Golf Association, Bobby represents an industry often used as a scapegoat for the nutrient problems. Unfortunately, most people don’t realize the impact individuals have on the condition of the Bays. Bobby agrees with Ed that keeping people interested and active in the Tributary Teams is the greatest challenge. He attributes part of that to the seasonal population of the resort areas, who are not as focused as full time residents. Also, it’s more difficult to keep them informed and educated about issues. Development is also a major concern, as the coastal area of Sussex County has been identified as one of the fastest growing areas in the state. Bobby has hope for the future, though. “There are those people who say the Inland Bays are a lost cause and an open sewer… I don’t believe that.” With the Tributary Action Team’s continued involvement and participation in the public process, nutrient reductions will be made and the Bays will serve as a reminder of nature’s wonder to future generations.