State, local and federal agencies within the Deep Creek Lake (DCL) watershed convened the fourth DCL Collaborative Management/Restoration group meeting on Monday, March 21, 2022. The focus of the group is to identify and prioritize areas of concern and evaluate where monitoring and restoration efforts could better serve the needs of the Lake and watershed. Representatives from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Resource Assessment Service, Wildlife and Heritage Service, and Forest Service, the US Department of Agriculture, the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Service Appalachian Laboratory, the University of Maryland Extension Service, the Maryland Department of Health, and Garrett County Department of Planning were in attendance.
Prior to the meeting, participants were requested to identify their top three DCL areas of concern and the potential stressors contributing to their concerns such as excess sediments and nutrients, algal growth, invasive species, declines in submerged aquatic vegetation, and/or failing septic systems. This information was populated on a GIS map. The group hopes to share this information with stakeholders and gather feedback for future monitoring, protection, and restoration activities later this year.
