Assateague Coastal Trust
One of Swim Guide’s oldest affiliates, Assateague Coastal Trust (ACT) has over four decades of environmental advocacy in Maryland and Virginia’s coastal bays region. The organization is now composed of 1200 active members and community partners that advocate for healthy wildlife, diverse habitats, and vibrant farming, fishing, and tourism industries.
ACT posts weekly water sample results (enterococcus) to Swim Guide for 30 sites along the Maryland & VA Eastern Shore. Ocean side beaches are sampled by Worcester County. ACT currently samples, processes, and reports results for sites in Isle of Wight Bay, Assawoman Bay, St. Martin River, Manklin Creek, Herring Creek and Turville Creek.
In addition to enterococcus sampling, ACT also monitors critical water quality indicators such as dissolved oxygen, conductivity, pH, water temperature, salinity, and clarity. These data, as well enterococcus results, are available on ACT’s Tidal Water’s Monitoring Program page.
In October 2021, ACT and Stroud Water Research Center deployed 4 data monitoring stations on the Pocomoke River. The data stations collect water quality indicators (ph, turbidity, temperature, and depth) in real time and report the data to the online portal MonitorMyWatershed.org.
ACT is also a program affiliate of the Waterkeeper Alliance. The Assateague Coastkeeper is an in-the-trenches advocate for the health of the coastal bays and the communities who depend on them; making sure existing laws to protect water quality are fully enforced, pressing for the enactment of stronger measures to safeguard our marshes, creeks and bays, and standing up to polluters and policymakers to hold them accountable for their actions.
phone: +1 410-629-1538
email: coastkeeper@actforbays.org
website: actforbays.org
facebook: Assateague Coastkeeper
facebook: Assateague Coastal Trust
address: 10959 Worcester Hwy, Berlin MD 21811
