Save the river! Many years ago, past Senator Bernie Fowler began wading into the Patuxent River in an effort to address and improve the water’s declining quality. On Sunday, June 9, Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum will host Bernie Fowler’s 26th annual Patuxent River Wade In at 1:00 P.M. The event is free and open to the public. Guests are asked to “wade” into the river with Fowler; to test the clarity of the water, the goal of the event is to increase awareness of the condition of the Patuxent River. In addition to the wade in and words from some of the area’s leading environmentalists, displays and information will be available on ways to improve the river.
Bernie Fowler is a long time Calvert County resident, and has been a chair of the Patuxent River Commission for many years. Throughout his career, Fowler worked to prevent the continued degradation of the Patuxent River, as well as the Chesapeake Bay. Fowler advocates through having a personal connection to the environment. Before his involvement in politics, Fowler was a waterman on the Patuxent. His own personal tracking mechanism for testing water clarity known as the “Bernie Fowler Sneaker Index” has been used by the USEPA as a national example. The method involves walking out into a river until losing sight of one’s feet or sneakers to determine the clarity of the water. The clearer the water, the less suspended materials and pollutants present.
A guess the depth contest is available at:
http://planning.maryland.gov/OurWork/FowlerWadeIn.shtml
The event is also on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/BerniesFeet
For more information, call 410-586-8501 or visit www.jefpat.org.
