New Antietam Creek Watershed
Group in Washington County

-Submitted by Sally Hatch

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The founders of Antietam Creek Watershed Alliance (ACWA) hope that 2007 will be remembered as the year when ACWA began to be recognized as a viable organization “dedicated to the promotion, protection and restoration of the Antietam Creek Watershed in cooperation with volunteers, civic groups, and local, state, and federal agencies”.

Early in the spring of 2006 Sally and Bob Hatch while participating in a tree planting activity of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) and Beaver Creek Watershed Association (BCWA) began talking with Emilie Cooper, a watershed forester with Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR).  They expressed the overwhelming need for a volunteer group to be initiated in the greater Antietam Creek watershed and agreed to work together for that result.  Emilie was instrumental in obtaining support help from ICPRB, and Adam Griggs is currently on assignment to ACWA as a part-time technical adviser as is Emilie.

From that chance meeting until today, progress toward realization of the above-stated mission statement continues to be made.  ACWA is incorporated and will be seeking non profit and tax exempt status early in 2008.  A Board of Directors, with some of its members also serving as officers, has been formed.
Informative and educational public meetings have been held.  Successful Rubbish Round-Ups in cooperation with River & Trail Outfitters, Cub and Boy Scouts, students at St. James’ School, alternative sanctions participants, and other volunteers and sponsors have taken place at various sites along Antietam Creek.  Some ACWA members have also presented power point discussion programs about the state of the Antietam watershed to Hagerstown City Council, Washington County Board of Commissioners, Kiwanis Club, and Citizens for the Protection of Washington County (CPWC).  Future plans include continued trash clean-ups, tree plantings, capacity building, fund raising, paddle outings, and educational meetings plus publication of a brochure.

Exemplary watershed groups such as Antietam Watershed Association (AWA) BCWA, Potomac Riverkeeper (PRK), and CBF have been excellent role models for this fledging group.  Hopefully, through funding by Chesapeake Bay Trust (CBT) and in-kind and other support from Washington County Soil Conservation District (WCSCD) a Washington County watershed specialist will be contracted for a 3-year period of employment to serve the watershed organizations within Washington County.  An application for this position has been submitted to CBT, with a similar one already approved for the other two western Maryland counties.

A website, acwamd.org, has been established with the help of John Brognard.  For other information about ACWA, please contact Sally Hatch, secretary, at acwa.us@verizon.net, or 301.790.0378.  Thanks for reading about ACWA!