Volunteers Needed for April 5 Cleanup at Concord Pond

Volunteers celebrate a successful cleanup at Seaford’s Concord Pond in 2024 – the state’s southernmost volunteer cleanup sponsored by DNREC ./DNREC Photo

Earth Month Event Hosted by DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship

As part of a month-long celebration of Earth Day in April 2025, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control is seeking volunteers to join this year’s cleanup event at Concord Pond, a popular fishing and boating destination near Seaford. Volunteers are asked to pre-register for the event to be held from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 5.

The DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship, in partnership with Nanticoke Watershed Alliance, will host the annual cleanup organized to help improve local water quality and support wildlife habitat. Volunteers will arrive in the parking area at the intersection of Concord Pond Road (Road 516) and Henry Drive in Seaford, where supplies, drinking water, and light snacks will be available. Trash bags, gloves and trash grabbers will be provided, though participants are encouraged to bring their own trash grabbers. Volunteers will remove trash from both the tidal and nontidal areas around the pond and creek.

Concord Pond is located in the Deep Creek Watershed and drains directly into the creek at the cleanup site. The Deep Creek watershed is within the larger Nanticoke River Watershed and Chesapeake Bay Basin. Participating in voluntary activities such as cleanups and plantings benefits the health of local waterways and ecosystems, as well as the larger waterbodies they drain into.

The Deep Creek Watershed has been able to support underwater grasses known as submerged aquatic vegetation, which fish use for spawning, cover, and nurseries. The watershed has also been impacted by nonpoint source pollution, which can make it difficult for vegetation and other aquatic species to thrive. Nonpoint source pollution originates from a variety of places and can be from fertilizers, animal waste, septic systems, litter, and other sources. Planting buffers of trees and plants along waterways can help catch, absorb and filter pollutants.

DNREC’s Nonpoint Source Program and Chesapeake Implementation Program offer funding for projects that reduce nutrient and sediment pollution. Also, within the Chesapeake Bay watershed, the Delaware Community Conservation Assistance Program provides financial and technical assistance to homeowners for implementing eligible conservation practices. The DNREC Buffer Incentive Program offers financial incentives to landowners for installing buffers along waterways within Delaware’s Chesapeake Bay watershed. The Nanticoke Watershed Alliance assists with plantings of native vegetation within the Nanticoke River Watershed and monitors water quality through the volunteer Creek Watchers Program.

Visit Delaware Watersheds to identify and learn more about local watersheds. To join DNREC in celebrating Earth Day throughout the month of April, visit de.gov/earthday. Upcoming DNREC activities are posted on the DNREC Calendar of Events and Division of Watershed Stewardship Facebook page.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship develops and implements innovative watershed assessment, monitoring and implementation activities.   For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn. 

Media contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov