Local, State, and National Partners Celebrate Completion of Decade-Long Effort to Restore One of County’s Most Degraded Waterways

Annapolis, MD (October 24, 2024) – Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman, joined by Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary Josh Kurtz, local elected officials, and community leaders celebrated the successful completion of the Jabez Branch Coastal Resilience Project with a ribbon cutting ceremony, marking a significant achievement in environmental restoration and climate resilience. For over a decade, efforts have been underway to rehabilitate Jabez Branch, a waterway identified as one of the most degraded in the county.

A partnership between the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the Resilience Authority of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Inc., the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and the Severn RiverKeeper made the rehabilitation of this degraded coastal ecosystem possible. 

“This project shows what happens when we work together to solve big environmental challenges,” said County Executive Steuart Pittman. “With the impacts of climate change already evident in Anne Arundel County, projects like Jabez Branch help protect both our environment and our economy. I’m grateful to Governor Moore and our state and federal partners for their commitment to getting this done.”

During the event, attendees heard remarks from key partners and participated in a guided tour highlighting the restoration work completed along the waterway.

Located in Reach III of the Jabez Branch, the project addresses severe erosion and sediment pollution that had been exacerbating water quality issues in the Severn River. Unchecked erosion was destabilizing the floodplain, resulting in the continuous transfer of sediment, debris, and pollutants downstream with each storm. Climate change was expected to accelerate these effects if left unaddressed.

“The Jabez Branch restoration is a good example of the types of projects the state is interested in funding to improve shallow water habitat and reduce Chesapeake Bay pollution,” said Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary Josh Kurtz. “This stream had become so overburdened by stormwater that it was discharging noticeable sediment plumes into the much larger Severn River. By using a combination of best management practices including wetlands expansion and floodplain reconnections we can slow the flow of stormwater and pollutants that’s entering the Severn River from the Jabez and generally improve water quality in the area. The close partnership between the state, county, and city made it all possible.”

The restoration effort included filling the eroded 10-foot-deep channel with native sands, gravel, and wood chips to reconnect the stream to its floodplain. A system of riffles and pools was introduced to regulate water flow, especially during storm events, and the existing 2.6 acres of wetlands were enhanced and expanded to more than 5 acres. These improvements are designed to slow runoff, reduce pollution, and restore critical habitat.

The project was funded by the Resilience Authority of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County with $8.1 million in funding provided by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and $977,640 from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

“Climate change is a global problem with local consequences,” said County Council Member Lisa Rodvien. “By creating the Resilience Authority, our goal was not only to accelerate the pace and scale of climate action but to ensure that we are prepared to compete for substantial public and private funding, taking some of the burden off of local taxpayers while investing in the future of our county.”

“The Resilience Authority’s mission goes beyond energy projects and floodwalls,” said Teresa Sutherland, Chairperson for the Board of Directors. “What Jabez represents is an adaptation, incorporating the priority to address climate change into existing ideas about water quality and habitat restoration.”

“My take is that the Jabez experience holds important lessons for the whole Chesapeake restoration”, said Severn Riverkeeper Sara Caldes. “This reconnection — of water to watershed — will dramatically slow and spread the flow, forming multiple channels, braiding and trickling and seeping through wetlands.”

“I am proud to have played a role in delivering this project and look forward to working with my esteemed colleagues to better our environment, one policy and one project at a time,” said Matt Fleming, Executive Director, Resilience Authority of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County.