Watershed Assessment Section makes "bank deposit" as environmental interest statement

The banks of the St. Jones River in Dover’s Silver Lake Park should soon be abloom after a recent planting by DNREC’s Division of Water Resources environmental scientists and City of Dover grounds staff.

On a warm late May morning, Jennifer Volk, John Kirby and John Martin of DWR’s Watershed Assessment Section joined City of Dover Grounds Superintendent Bill Cooper and groundskeepers Mickey Hand and Chris Morris planted about 700 plants in two test plots along the riverbank.

The three species of native flowering plants – swamp milkweed, swamp rosemallow (a member of the hibiscus family) and black-eyed susan or orange coneflower – were grown from seed by Polytech High School students.

The planting is part of a two-year joint watershed restoration project in which the City of Dover is working with DNREC to plant trees, flowers and shrubs along the St. Jones River in order to improve water quality and protect the stream banks. Earlier this year, nearly 50 native trees were planted along the riverbanks, including maples, riverbirch, sweet bay magnolia and willow oaks. The City is applying for a grant to purchase 600 shrubs to plant this fall as well as more native trees.

Photo by Joanna Wilson