Waterway Improvements Committee Updates 2007

Current Creek Dredging Status - February 2007

Congratulations to the northern branch Podickory Creek waterfront property owners on their success in bringing about their dredging contract. Their dredging is slated for Spring 2007. This should give quite a nice boost to the property values along that branch, and bring quite a long awaited morale boost to the homeowners who are boating out of that branch of the creek. No more waiting for high tide to disembark from your boat lift!

Disposition of Southern Branch of Creek Is Uncertain

Private MD Dept. of Environment Permits for the lower Podickory Creek branch has been obtained for maintenance dredging, thanks to the efforts of The Wilson's and The Joneses on Harbor Drive. Application was acknowledged and the permits issued December, 2006 by Army Corp. of Engineers and MDE.

If reasonable financial participation can be coordinated with the other 4 property owners along the southern branch of the creek, much the way the burden of the expense has been shared by the 10 north creek homeowners, it is hopeful that the southern branch project will be able to occur in the late Spring 2007, immediately following the completion of the north creek dredging. If the Permit Holders on the southern branch are unable to obtain full financial participation by all 6 waterfront property owners in a dredging contract, then some re-assessment of how to accomplish the much needed dredging work on the southern branch will have to be investigated.

Regretfully, in Anne Arundel County, waterview properties do not carry the premium in the real estate market that navigable waterfront properties can expect.

The silt in of the head of the creek from the Tydings Road location, is tantamount to an uncontrolled mudslide pushing it's way toward the junction of the two creek branches. The culvert storm drainage system has not been maintained properly, we believe, and is bringing in the silt and debris from the Corcoran Woods on the other side of Tydings. The material is overflowing the gabion walls and distributing a continuous flow of the mud and silt downstream. There are ongoing efforts by the PPCA Waterway Improvements Committee, currently led by Jeff Wilson, in communicating with AA County DPW on this neglected storm drain and requesting repair efforts to stop the downstream damage. This Committee hopes that we can get corrective action in time!

Where Do We Stand with State Funding Today?

AACo DPW has indicated that they will still consider a Waterway Improvement District possible for the southern branch of Podickory Creek, albeit a 3 year process to await it's establishment.

Because the northern branch of the creek has contracted privately for the eminent maintenance dredging for Spring 2007, for that segment of the creek, the County’s Waterway Improvements project system will not continue to consider the northern branch under the request made by the Community Association last year for a State interest free loan project for the entire creek.

The County’s position is that if the dredging has been completed privately, why would that section of waterway require consideration on the County Priorities List for the State funding or public dredging service.

Regretfully, that is the Catch 22 that we all have to work with under the current system of State and County programs providing government funded dredging projects to the Maryland waterways.

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For More Detailed Information Please Follow this Link:

PPCA Waterway Improvements Committee Page
Maryland Waterway Improvement Program
DNR Shore Erosion Control Grants
Tidal Wetland Permits, Licenses and Certifications - MD Dept of
Small Creeks and Estuaries Restoration Program - MDE
Anne Arundel County Budget 2006 Waterway Improvements