This is the fourth blog in a series about the great clean water work that is happening upriver in West Virginia, Delaware, and other states that don’t directly border the Bay. Much of the funding and resources for this critical work are only made possible through the landmark 40-year Bay partnership, a collaborative effort between states, the federal government, and local partners to reduce pollution and restore habitats across our remarkable watershed.
Growing up near Laurel, Delaware, Jamie Smith rarely thought about the Chesapeake Bay. In fact, she had no idea that Broad Creek, the waterway that runs through the small town, was a Bay tributary.
“I thought ok, it’s the Broad Creek. It goes into the Nanticoke River and beyond that I didn’t know. I didn’t think about ‘where’s the Nanticoke River going?’” she said.
Map of Broad Creek and the Nanticoke River.
Chesapeake Bay Foundation
Nor do most Laurel residents, she figures. But as town manager, Smith knows that Laurel’s connection to the Bay is more than geographic. It’s the foundation—and a key funding source—for the town’s ambitious waterfront redevelopment plan called The Ramble.
The sweeping initiative aims to revitalize Laurel by attracting residents, visitors, and local businesses to Broad Creek’s banks. But that wasn’t the original goal. It started as, and remains, a plan that uses green infrastructure to reduce polluted runoff into Broad Creek, the Nanticoke River, and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay.
One reason the struggling town can afford to pursue its lofty vision is its connection to the Bay. The Ramble provides a blueprint…
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