The Murderkill Tributary Action Team
A Little History

Delaware State Park Interpreter Angela Wood is responsible for the starting the Murderkill Tributary Action Team. In the spring of 2001-2008, she began organizing meetings at Killens Pond State Park, with the help of DNREC. The Murderkill watershed encompasses the towns of Viola, Felton, Frederica and Harrington as well as the Kent County Wastewater Treatment plant. Members of the Team include private citizens and government employees, including those from DelDOT, DNREC, the Kent County Wastewater Treatment Plant and the Kent County Planning Office. Several months were taken to look closely at the issues in the watershed and determine the best method of communicating these issues to the public.

As the youngest Tributary Action Team, the Murderkill was able draw on the experience of the older Teams and begin public education forums in the Summer of 2002. A video was produced by one of the team members to distribute to local officials and citizens as an additional learning resource. It was designed to describe the problems in the watershed, outline the purpose of the Tributary Action Teams and explain what is needed to improve the watershed.

Through these public forums, the Team members hear community concerns and ideas regarding the various approaches that can be used in developing a comprehensive Pollution Control Strategy (PCS). During one forum, community members raised concerns about failing septic systems and their impact on drinking water in the Walnut Shade area. DNREC investigated and discovered that septic failing septic systems were contributing to elevated bacteria counts in local drinking water. DNREC partnered with Kent County, DHSS, and First State, a nonprofit community action agency. As a result, the community has been added to the planned Walnut Shade sewer expansion, garbage collection will be provided, and First State will work with the community in testing drinking water for bacterial contamination and septic systems for failure. These groups will then work to remedy situations as needed. This serves as an example as to how Tributary Action Team activities contribute to improved environmental conditions for the people of Delaware.

After gathering public opinion, the Team identified areas of concern. These include stormwater, wastewater, buffers, behavior changes of watershed residents, agricultural practices, development, and the incentives which can be offered to improve behavior and practices. These topics will be addressed in accordance with the Team's guiding principles; to acknowledge the consequences of any strategy, both positive and negative, to be fair and equitable and consider all aspects of enforcement, to consider the changing conditions in science and technology and to include incentives to change for everyone.

The team is currently building a Pollution Control Strategy to address stormwater concerns. A representative from the Kent Conservation District discussed storm water management and Best Management Practices (BMPs) affecting nutrient discharge in one recent meeting. He also informed the Team that ongoing maintenance of Pollution Control Strategies is necessary to prevent excess nutrient runoff. Several Team members attended the Sediment and Stormwater Control Regulations Revision Meeting on October 2, 2002. Attendees was got a feel for the regulatory process and brought back more suggestions for the Pollution Control Strategy development process.

People join the Team for many reasons. Wendy Aycoth has lived in the Murderkill watershed since 1972 and attributes her active involvement to her experience in the watershed. Although she lives close to Killens Pond, she was reluctant to let her children play in the water because they often had to visit the doctor later in the week with ear infections or other general illnesses. She remembers how the smell from the chicken factory and its effluent in the 1970s permeated the area until it burnt down. Wendy is a Master Gardner and a four year veteran of the Stream Watch program, as well as one of the founding members of the Tributary Action Team. She agrees with other Teams that the primary challenge facing them is getting the public to understand and homeowners to care enough to make changes in their behavior. She used fertilizers as an example. “If they read that 2 tablespoons (of fertilizer) is recommended, they think 3 tablespoons is even better… They don’t realize the consequences of those added nutrients.” But she has hope for the future and for the Murderkill River and its tributaries. That’s why she’s involved.