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Save the Bay News: Freshwater Mussels, Oyster Gardening, and the Trouble with Stormwater

May 29, 2026

Will Parson/Chesapeake Bay Program

In this month’s newsletter, we discuss stormwater, freshwater mussels, oyster gardening, and so much more.

When it rains, it pours. Especially if it’s Memorial Day weekend. Some parts of Maryland saw five inches of rain over the past week, more than the state gets in a month in an average year. Where all that water goes in such a short span of time is increasingly worrisome for both residents and the health of the Chesapeake Bay. This month we kicked off a special blog series about the rising challenge of stormwater in Maryland, where it is the fastest growing source of pollution. The dual pressures of climate change and development mean there is need to enter a new “resiliency era” of stormwater management, says Diandre’ Richie, who spent the past year researching how states handle stormwater across the Chesapeake Bay region. They also mean actions like the recent Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision on stormwater fees and Maryland’s issuance of an inadequate industrial stormwater permit are all the more worrying.

Taking care of pollution upstream, whether it’s by slowing down stormwater in cities or planting trees on farms, is incredibly important for the creatures who live downstream. That includes vulnerable freshwater mussels. Surveys in the Pamunkey River in eastern Virginia this spring discovered five species of mussels, which was exciting news as CBF and many other partners in the new Pamunkey Freshwater Mussel Alliance work to return native mussels to the region’s rivers. Restoration of the Bay’s more well-known bivalve also continued as young oysters found[CY9.1] new homes on sanctuary reefs, thanks to CBF’s dedicated volunteer oyster gardeners. They need your help right now, too. A U.S. House committee recently passed a bill that would be devastating for oyster restoration, cutting funding and allowing harvest on restored reefs. You can urge Congress to keep the Bay’s oyster sanctuaries protected. Also, this month: A slight bump for blue crabs, delayed action on menhaden, and 31,000 pounds of litter removed from Virginia waters.

A flooded street, with water up to the top of a parked car's tires. — Flood conditions in Annapolis following Hurricane Isabel in 2003.

When It Rains, It Pours

“The first flood was really scary,” remembers Jonah Hessels, who lives with his family in Baltimore. Their story is just one example of the threats from stormwater, the fastest growing source of pollution in Maryland and a serious safety and health concern. We kicked off a new blog series that will look at the challenge and what can be done about it.

A car drives through floodwater on a city street, with a fire hydrant partially submerged at the intersection. — Flooding is becoming a larger issue for many neighborhoods due to more intense rainfall from climate change, adding to the problem of pollution running off roadways into rivers and streams.

A Closer Look at Stormwater

Diandré Richie, the Dr. Beth McGee Science Fellow at CBF in 2025-2026, spent the past nine months researching how stormwater is managed and regulated in the Chesapeake Bay region. We asked him to talk about the big takeaways, including progress to date and the need he sees for a new “resiliency era” of stormwater management.

Four dark mussels of various sizes lie on a person's outstretched arm. — Freshwater mussels, like these from the Pamunkey River, are considered the most imperiled class of organisms in the country.

Showing Off Our Mussels

Pigtoe. Pocketbook. Muckets. Some of their names might sound like animal body parts, places to keep loose change, or errant sounds, but freshwater mussels are truly a class unto their own. Surveys in the Pamunkey River in eastern Virginia this spring documented five species, an exciting discovery for these imperiled creatures as restoration efforts gain steam.

A worker wearing a camo cap, blue shirt, and yellow gloves stands at a dock beside colorful plastic baskets overflowing with oysters, with a pickup truck visible in the background. — CBF Maryland Oyster Restoration Specialist Kellie Fiala transfers young oysters from the cages where they’ve been growing for the past ten months to bushel baskets in order to transport them to the boat they’ll take to a sanctuary reef.

Graduation Day for Oysters

It’s mid-May. The sun is warm but not too hot. The water is a brilliant summer blue. After months of careful tending by CBF’s intrepid volunteer oyster gardeners, hundreds of young oysters are ready to graduate and find their permanent home in the Bay. Take a look at the final leg of their journey from oyster garden to sanctuary reef.

Rows of white and brown stakes in a field bordered by trees hold up electric fencing that will protect young saplings from grazing sheep. — Electric fencing installed by Trees for Graziers will protect young saplings from grazing sheep.

Shade for Sheep

What do you get when you plant 20 acres of silvopasture, adding 400 native trees to the landscape of a working grazing farm in Harford County, Maryland? A deeper understanding of the connection between agriculture, clean water, and community action, writes Tyler Walker, CBF’s 2026 Maryland Restoration Intern. You also get shade for sheep, which is pretty cool.

In the News

Blue crabs see bump after years of struggle: The number of crabs in the Chesapeake Bay increased this year, but still remain below average, according to the annual survey.

House committee passes disastrous bill for oyster reefs: Provisions in a funding bill for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration would strip funds for restoration and allow harvest on restored reefs.

Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s stormwater decision is a gut-punch to clean water efforts: The decision could open the door to allowing all Commonwealth properties to be exempt from any stormwater utility fees, a major setback in reducing polluted runoff and flooding.

The Potomac challenge: The sewage spill in our nation’s capital should be a wake-up call across the country, CBF President Hilary Harp Falk writes in a Letter to the Editor published in The New York Times.

Thousands clean up waterways across Virginia: Volunteers picked up at least 31,000 pounds of litter as part of CBF’s annual Clean the Bay Day, Virginia’s largest and longest-running litter cleanup.

Environmental groups go to court against Maryland’s inadequate industrial stormwater permit: The permit fails to address climate change, allows toxic pollutants to reach waterways, and threatens the most vulnerable Marylanders.

Fisheries commission delays consideration of Chesapeake Bay menhaden protections: The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission has been weighing reforms that could cut the Chesapeake Bay reduction fishery cap by up to 50 percent, among others, but it did not yet advance the measures for public comment.

Gov. Spanberger signs pro-environment bills into law: A number of measures will improve the environment by cutting wastewater pollution, shoring up wetlands, and promoting climate resilience and environmental justice.

Environmental groups voice concern with South Baltimore landfill air pollution permit: The state’s latest air pollution permit for the Quarantine Road Sanitary Landfill in Baltimore puts people’s health and the environment at risk.

Shop the CBF Store

A woman stands with her back to the camera, looking out over the Bay. She is wearing a salmon-color t-shirt with a white map of the Chesapeake Bay on the back.

The Colors of Summer

Whether your summer plans involve time out on the Bay or day trips around town, the CBF Store has fresh new designs for the season.

What You Can Do

CBF is continuing to host menhaden-focused events across Virginia. Join us to learn more about these critical fish, the growing pressures they face, and how you can take action to safeguard their future in the Bay. Additional events will be announced soon via email (make sure your email preferences are up-to-date)!

From the halls of Congress to state houses across the watershed, we’re fighting for clean water—and you can, too. Join us in speaking up for clean water investments in Virginia, calling on Pennsylvania legislators to fight unchecked data center growth, urging Congress to keep the Bay’s oyster sanctuaries protected, and secure critical investments in environmental programs here and around the country!

Match Alert: Our biggest matching gift of the year is here! Your Bay-saving donation is now worth DOUBLE until June 30 thanks to our generous friends at The Orokawa Foundation.

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