The SAV Is Back! How’s It Doing?

It’s that time of year again, a time when fresh grass is growing, but not in your yard, but just below the surface of the Severn River. We're is talking about our submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV). They’re back! How are they doing? Join the Severn River Association Tuesday, April 16, at Union Jack’s of Annapolis to find out during the next John Wright Educational Series presentation sponsored by the SRA.

What:    The SAV is Back! How’s It Doing?
When:   Tuesday, April 16, from 7:00pm to 9:00pm
Where:  Union Jack’s of Annapolis, 2072 Sumerville Rd., Annapolis, MD 21401.

Arrive early and enjoy half-priced hamburgers! $10 donations are welcome.

During the meeting, you’ll have an opportunity to learn about SAV. The special guest speaker will be Brooke Landry with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

Brooke is DNR’s commander-in-chief of efforts throughout the Chesapeake Bay to map, monitor and identify the return of underwater grasses, a.k.a., SAV.

Brooke will explain why SAV is so important to the ecology of our watersheds and how they: provide habitat for fish, crabs and other critters, help filter the water, and protect shorelines from erosion caused by storms and power boats.

It’s Time To Enlist In the SAV ‘Navy’

And, you can enlist in SRA’s famous SAV ‘Navy’ and get an introduction to the types of equipment we use to map our grasses.

You can see from the picture of SRA's 2018 college intern, Colin, that joining the SAV ‘Navy’ is a great way to explore our river and chronicle the return of our crucial grasses.

Guests will also hear from SRA’s Skipper of the SAV ‘Navy,’ Tom Guay, who will give a history of the grasses’ advance and decline since the 1980’s.

Tom will also offer an explanation of the gear you’ll use to map and monitor our grasses.

Basic gear: data sheet, SAV ID sheet, GPS locator, Seechi disk and your paddle-powered vessel.

Joining the SAV ‘Navy’ is for volunteers of all ages.

All it takes is a desire to enjoy your river from a small boat, kayak or other paddle-powered vessel so you can nose in and out of the shallows.

In the Severn River, all our SAV is in 3 feet of water or less.

In the past two years, SRA volunteers have mapped what’s known as the summer grasses that thrive from July through October. This year the organization will start mapping spring grasses, as well. They flourish from late April through late June.

Signup sheets will be on hand to pick which areas of the Severn River you can monitor for the return of SAV in 2019.

Info: Thomas Guay, TAGuay@severnriver.org