Baltimore area waterways rated poorly for water quality, report shows
The water quality in several parts of the Baltimore region was extremely poor in 2024, according to a yearly report from Blue Water Baltimore.
The water quality monitoring program uses samples from 51 stations in Baltimore-area waterways to determine water health.
Monitoring water quality in the Baltimore region
Blue Water Baltimore measures different components of water health and uses those samples to determine water quality based on a scoring method created by the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science.
This year, for the first time since 2014, the organization chose not to assign letter grades to the scores.
The organization categorizes the region's waterways into four sections: Baltimore Harbor, Gwynns Falls, Jones Falls and Tidal Patapsco.
The 2024 water quality report shows that most of the waterways in the Baltimore region had an overall score between 0% and 39%.
A score of 0% to 19% indicates that water quality is very poor, leading to poor conditions for fish and shellfish. A score of 20% to 39% means that some health indicators are being met, though conditions for animals are still considered poor.
Report shows declines in ecological health
According to the data, all of the waterways in the Baltimore region have slightly declined in ecological health since 2023.
Water quality at the Baltimore Harbor, Gwynn Falls and Patapsco River regions has continued to decline between 2013 and 2024, while the quality in the Jones Falls region has slightly improved, data shows.
Water quality at the Baltimore Harbor, Gwynn Falls and Patapsco River regions has continued to decline between 2013 and 2024, while the quality in the Jones Falls region has slightly improved, data shows.
Blue Water Baltimore
According to the report, chlorophyll levels were poor in most of the waterways, with a score of 18% in the category.
The levels of chlorophyll can indicate different types of algae in the water. While algae provides food for fish and other animals, too much of it can kill fish and become toxic to people and wildlife, Blue Water Baltimore explains.
The organization describes the category of conductivity as a "humanity was here stamp," as it shows if a waterway has been damaged by pollutants that were introduced into the water by rain.
In 2024, the average conductivity score was 9%, according to the report.
"The long-term data trends are telling us that these problems are getting worse over time," Blue Water Baltimore said.
Recommendations to improve water quality
Blue Water Baltimore shared several recommendations in its 2024 report, saying, "Our streams should be fishable and swimmable, capable of sustaining thriving natural ecosystems for generations to come."
The organization is pushing to reach water quality goals that were outlined in the federal Clean Water Act (CWA), which was enacted in 1972.
The CWA aims to control water pollution levels and "restore and maintain the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the Nation's waters," according to the U.S. Department of the Interior.
The law outlines how much pollution can enter waterways across the country and allows the Environmental Protection Agency to implement control programs and water quality standards.
The Blue Water Baltimore report offers the following suggestions to improve ecosystem health in the region:
Increase investments in environmentally friendly stormwater infrastructure
Fund sewer infrastructure projects and maintenance for systems
Continue tracking water health with long-term monitoring projects
Pass legislation to eliminate trash pollution and allow the community to hold polluters accountable
Low air quality in Baltimore region
In April, a pollution report from the American Lung Association provided a similarly low score for air quality in the Baltimore region.
The report, which monitors smog levels and pollution, gave Baltimore County an "F" grade and named the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington metro region as the 36th worst in the country for ozone smog.
According to the report, Baltimore City has maintained several years of "A" grades for low particle pollution.
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