Department Awards $10.5 Million to Enhance Boating Access and Navigation

18 Maryland Counties Receive Waterway Improvement Fund Grants

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is providing $10.5 million in Waterway Improvement Fund grants to improve public boating access and navigation throughout the state.

Passed by the Maryland General Assembly and signed by Governor Larry Hogan, this critical funding will go toward 49 projects in 18 counties from Allegany to Worcester.

“Through this grant program, we are improving the quality of life of our citizens and visitors through the development and enhancement of various water access sites throughout the state, while expanding opportunities for the public to appreciate all that the Chesapeake Bay, coastal bays and their tributaries have to offer,” Governor Larry Hogan said. “The boating industry supports thousands of jobs in Maryland and contributes billions to our economy.”

Funded projects include the dredging of local navigation channels, maintaining public boating access facilities, improving parking and upgrading existing infrastructure such as bulkheads, piers and ramps. Funding is also provided to local first responders to enhance water rescue operations.

“From cruising the Chesapeake Bay to maneuvering the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean, boating is a way of life in Maryland,” Natural Resources Secretary Mark Belton said. “The Waterway Improvement Fund is a vital state resource that ensures that residents and visitors alike will continue to benefit from Maryland’s world-class recreational boating opportunities for years to come.”

The Waterway Improvement Fund was created in 1966 to support the development, enjoyment and use of Maryland’s waters for the benefit of the general boating public. It is primarily derived from a five-percent vessel excise tax on boat purchases and titling.

County	Project Location and/or Recipient	Project Description
Allegany	Rocky Gap State Park, Flintstone	Design and construct Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant walkway leading to boat ramp
Anne Arundel	Broadwater Creek, Deale	Main channel dredging to restore boating access
Anne Arundel	Carrs Creek, Deale	Main channel dredging to restore boating access
Anne Arundel	Citywide Annapolis	Public boating facilities improvements
Anne Arundel	Parrish Creek, Shady Side	Install single lane boat ramp with floating pier and paved turnaround
Baltimore	Bird River and Railroad Creek, White Marsh	Main channel dredging to restore boating access in Bird River and Railroad Creek
Baltimore	Gunpowder Falls State Park – Dundee Creek Marina, Middle River	Dredge material placement site restoration
Baltimore	Middle River Volunteer Fire and Rescue Company	Purchase of fire/rescue boat and trailer
Baltimore City	Baltimore City Fire Department	Purchase fire/rescue boat
Baltimore City	Canton Waterfront Park	Parking lot improvements (Phase 2) including increasing green space at boat ramp facility
Baltimore City	Downtown Sailing Center	Continued improvements for the establishment of one marina and expansion of another along Key Highway
Calvert	Hallowing Point Boating Facility, Prince Frederick	Develop master plan for expanded Hallowing Point facility
Calvert	North Beach Volunteer Fire Department	Purchase of a new fire/rescue boat
Caroline	Choptank Marina, Preston	Improvements to existing pier, pump-out dock and fuel relocation
Cecil	Charlestown Volunteer Fire Company	Purchase new fire/rescue boat
Cecil	Chesapeake City Back Creek Basin	Dredging Back Creek Basin and the town dock/slips.
Cecil	Elk Neck State Park, North East	Construction of breakwaters for the Rogues Harbor boating facility
Charles	Smallwood State Park, Marbury	Re-deck the boating ramp piers and the marina concession pier at Sweden Point Marina
Charles	Smallwood State Park, Marbury	Design of bulkhead replacement along the Sweden Point Marina waterfront
Dorchester	Cambridge Municipal Marina	Marina bathhouse renovations
Dorchester	Elliott Island Marina, Vienna	Construct stone jetty
Dorchester	Tar Bay, Church Creek	Dredging Tar Bay  – local cost share for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ channel
Dorchester	Vienna Waterfront Park	Extension of North and South Piers to provide additional slips
Harford	City Yacht Basin, Havre de Grace	Dredging fairways, marina basin and approach channel
Harford	Flying Point Park, Edgewood	Engineering, permitting and renovation of the west pier to include re-decking and raising the pier
Harford	Otter Point Creek – Bush River, Edgewood	Engineering for maintenance dredging Otter Point Creek – Bush River
Kent	Chestertown Marina	Replace bulkheads and piers at Chestertown Marina
Kent	Turners Creek Public Landing, Kennedyville	Boat ramp improvements including new timber bulkhead, new concrete ramp and parking lot resurfacing
Prince George’s	Laurel Volunteer Rescue Squad	Purchase new fire/rescue boat motor
Prince George’s	Prince George’s County, Fort Washington	Purchase new high performance all-terrain airboat for water rescue
Queen Anne’s	Kent Island Volunteer Fire Department, Chester	Purchase of fire/rescue boat motors and equipment
Queen Anne’s	Kent Narrows, Grasonville	Maintenance dredge the north side Kent Narrows, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ channel
Queen Anne’s	Matapeake Terminal Gas Dock, Stevensville	Replacement of gas dock and fuel system
Somerset	Brick Kiln Pier, Crisfield	Removal of pilings at Brick Kiln pier and beach that impede navigation
Somerset	Webster’s Cove Marina, Princess Anne	Replacement of 190 feet of deteriorating bulkhead at Webster’s Cove Harbor
St. Mary’s	Countywide	Public boating facilities improvement
St. Mary’s	Point Lookout State Park, Scotland	Re-deck marina boardwalk and piers
St. Mary’s	St. Clements Island, Coltons Point	Re-deck the north and south light house piers
Statewide	Federal Sport Fish Restoration Boating Projects Match	State match for proposed federal sport fish restoration boating projects
Statewide	General Repairs	Complete dredging, navigation, and storm damage repair as needed in designated public shallow water navigation channels or publicly owned boating facilities
Statewide	Living Shoreline Projects	Design and construction of living shoreline projects by the department’s Shoreline Conservation Service
Statewide	Replace Ice-breaker	Replace M/V Tawes ice-breaking buoy tender
Talbot	Back Creek Park, St. Michaels	Construction of waterman’s pier, and small boat access, including electric and water connection for facility
Talbot	Dogwood Harbor, Tilghman	Maintenance dredging of Dogwood Harbor and the inlet to the harbor
Talbot	Townwide – Oxford	Maintenance and repairs to public boating facilities, including installation of floating dock
Wicomico	Mardela Springs Boat Ramp	Boat ramp improvements
Wicomico	Riverside Boat Ramp, Salisbury	Replace existing boat ramp
Worcester	64th Street Boat Ramp, Ocean City	Engineering and construction to dredge channel at 64th Street boat ramp
Worcester	Public Landing Marina, Snow Hill	Resurface and overlay parking lot