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Written on: September 24th, 2025 in Natural Resources, Wetland Research
By Alison Rogerson, DNREC’s Wetland Monitoring and Assessment Program
Introducing Tidal Freshwater
Most people are familiar with tidal wetlands that line the Delaware Bay coast and the Inland Bays. Likewise, most of us can recognize a freshwater wetland along a stream or in a forest. But what about tidal freshwater wetlands? That’s not a typo. Tidal freshwater wetlands are a small, lesser known but unique and valuable type of wetland.
Where Are They?
Tidal fresh wetlands are both tidal and freshwater, the best of both worlds. They occur in coastal systems, primarily up rivers where fresh water and saltwater meet. You can find them at the uppermost portion of the estuarine, or salt, zone where the inflow of salt water is diluted by upstream freshwater flowing out. Salinity in these areas range from 0.5-2.0 parts per thousand (ppt). For reference, salinity in coastal wetlands is typically around 15-20 ppt.
How Many Are There?
Wetlands of this type exist from New York to North Carolina. In Delaware, there are an estimated 13,000 acres total as of 2017 which made up about 8% of our statewide wetland total. So they are a small but interesting wetland class. You can find them up every major coastal river such as the Saint Jones, Murderkill, Leipsic, and Smyrna Rivers. Further up the Delaware River, tidal freshwater wetlands become more common along major tributaries such as the Appoquinimink, Blackbird and Christina Rivers.
Why Are They Important or Special?
Tidal freshwater wetlands offer a rich and diverse plant community. Some typical species you’ll find includes wild rice, arrow arum, water hemp, pickerelweed and spatterdock, to name a few. They provide flood and storm protection and are beautiful and scenic to kayak through. Tidal freshwater wetlands also serve as great habitat for wildlife such as muskrats, turtles, wading birds, fish, and wood ducks.
What Threatens Them?
Tidal freshwater wetlands are threatened naturally and by human actions. As sea levels rise and saltwater lines advance higher and higher upstream, water and salinity levels increase to the point where plants can no longer survive. In Delaware, and other states, many freshwater streams were historically dammed to create freshwater lakes, usually for lumber mills. This artificial barrier created a hard stop where tidal waters coming upstream cannot mix with freshwater outflows freely. Over time, tidal fresh wetlands are feeling the ‘pinch’ between rising saltwaters and dam structures.
What Can Be Done?
Human impacts in tidal fresh wetlands should be permitted by state and federal offices, which helps to avoid and minimize permanent degradation. Always check with regulatory offices if you plan to construct or make changes in these areas – good contacts to have are the DNREC Wetlands and Waterways Section and the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers.
Landowners can check our Delaware Wetland Toolbox mapper to see if they are near tidal freshwater wetlands. Small steps can make a big difference over time such as removing invasive species such as Phragmites, purple loosestrife and reed canary grass. Replacing with native wetland plants improves habitat quality. Reducing pollution from lawn fertilizers, herbicides, and excess road salt helps improve wetland health.
On a state level, dam removal is an ongoing and long-term process. Dam removal is complex but offers many benefits for migrating fish species, water quality, reduced flooding as well as for tidal freshwater wetlands. Landowners can become informed and support DNREC and partner non-profit organization efforts to remove dams.
Written on: September 24th, 2025 in Education and Outreach, Natural Resources
By Kathryn Lienhard, Delaware Sea Grant
Did you know that in 2022, more than 10% of the electricity generated in the U.S. came from wind energy? Humans have harnessed the power of the wind for thousands of years – most iconically, through traditional windmills – while modern wind turbines continue to advance in design and capacity to maximize the efficiency of wind farms we know today.
“Offshore wind energy” refers to the capturing of energy by wind turbines over a body of water, such as an ocean where winds are generally stronger and less turbulent than over land. Offshore wind energy development spans the globe: while the industry is relatively novel to the U.S., other regions such as the UK and China account for a large share of new development in recent years. Coastal regions of the mid-Atlantic U.S. have been analyzed for offshore wind energy suitability, with some projects already operating or under construction. Waters off the coast of Delaware, and the broader Delmarva region, are among those identified as suitable locations for developing offshore wind farms.
A map of annual average wind speeds at 100 meters above surface level in the U.S. Darker areas indicate higher wind speeds, while lighter areas indicate lower wind speeds. The dark regions of the mid- and northern-Atlantic coastlines demonstrate the suitable conditions for offshore wind energy development (Photo Credit: National Renewable Energy Laboratory)
Offshore wind in the U.S.
Commercial offshore wind energy projects in the U.S. are leased and permitted by a federal agency, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM). These projects are built in federal waters, which includes waters from 3 nautical miles (0-3 nm is state jurisdiction) to 200 nautical miles off of a state’s shoreline. Private wind development companies obtain leases by paying an initial purchase amount and annual rent for an offshore wind area pre-determined by BOEM.
Before building a wind farm, a proposed offshore wind project must undergo review and requires collaboration with various federal, state, and local entities throughout the planning process. The combined scoping, siting, leasing, construction, and commissioning of a project typically takes up to ten years due to the extensive technical, environmental, and economic processes required.
As of 2024, there were more than a dozen offshore wind energy projects planned or partially built in U.S. waters of the mid-Atlantic. As many of these projects were in early development phases, and therefore in need of federal permits prior to construction, presidential orders and subsequent agency actions in 2025 have prevented these projects from proceeding in the development process.
Offshore wind energy development pipeline in the Mid-Atlantic United States as of May 2024. Many of these projects have faced delays or removed approvals from federal agencies in 2025 (Map created by John Frenzl, National Renewable Energy Laboratory; Derived from the NREL Offshore Wind Market Report, 2024 Edition).
Delaware Sea Grant’s Role
Delaware Sea Grant, hosted by the University of Delaware, is one of 34 Sea Grant College Programs across U.S. coastal and Great Lakes states, Puerto Rico, and Guam. Sea Grant is a federal-university partnership, funded primarily by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), with the goal of supporting healthy coastal environments and economies. We fund research, conduct extension efforts, and deliver education programs to support Delaware communities.
Delaware Sea Grant is a non-advocacy organization: this means our mission is not to advocate for any particular viewpoint, but rather, to use the best-available science when sharing information for decision-makers and the broader public. We support responsible energy decision-making by:
Current Initiatives and Programs on Offshore Wind
When offshore wind development was first proposed in the Delmarva region more than a decade ago, Delaware Sea Grant responded by convening experts and members of the public to participate in knowledge exchanges. As offshore wind development has progressed in recent years, we continue to adapt to the needs of local leaders and residents in discussions of responsible offshore wind development. Our efforts include:
The Future of Offshore wind in Delmarva
Since the offshore wind energy industry in the U.S. is largely leased and managed by the federal government, the future of the industry depends partly on the goals of the federal administration. Several projects, including the Maryland Offshore Wind Project off the Delmarva coast, received federal approvals in 2024 which would allow the developer to begin construction. However, rescissions of federal permit authorizations may delay or halt these projects. Whether a particular project proceeds may depend on the outcome of relevant litigation and the economic feasibility of building turbines offshore in a changing market.
Written on: September 24th, 2025 in Education and Outreach, Wetland Animals
By Olivia Allread, DNREC’s Wetland Monitoring and Assessment Program
Anything new certainly can be intimidating. Sports, art mediums, cooking, recreational activities, you name it, they all have their own culture and lingo that some spend a lifetime mastering. Particularly in the natural resource world, certain topics or hobbies can sometimes come off as an exclusive club, only open to those who can earn their invitation. But in our modern environmental age, as we face a global climate crisis, it’s critical for us to even the playing field and make the outdoors more user-friendly to all. For someone to care about a resource or know its importance they need to find it accessible. So, for this blog installment we want to set you up for success for birdwatching. Anyone who enjoys birds – wherever, however – should be able to call themselves a birder. With 25% of Delaware’s land area made up of wetlands, these habitats make birding easy, reachable, and exciting. No matter your skill level, here is our simple guide to birding in wetlands.
Set the scene and get yourself to a wetland. Luckily for us in Delaware, we have many fabulous birding spots that are inherently connected to or in wetland areas, plus offer year-round species. With 17 state parks and over 25,000 acres of protected recreation space, you can easily stop by one of these places with your Delaware State Parks Pass or for free in the off-season. Our shorelines along Kent and Sussex counties have been called one of the shorebird capitals of the world where hundreds of thousands of migratory shorebirds fly in during the spring and fall. Counted among Delaware’s birding hot spots are two of the most famous national wildlife refuges in the eastern United States: Prime Hook and Bombay Hook. DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife manages approximately 68,000 acres of Delaware land at 19 public wildlife areas, creating even more space for you to roam in search of wetland bird species. But the abundance doesn’t stop there; our lands owned by non-profits, county and local parks, and even our backyards become places to observe and learn about bird species.
Grab a pair of binoculars. This one is straight to the point. You don’t need fancy equipment or expensive gear to see birds; look for a pair in your particular price range and just go for it. Don’t forget to practice getting your binoculars in focus and play around with them at home before you head out the door.
As you start your birding adventures, make it easy on yourself. Do some investigating and head to wetland areas where you think you’ll have a good view with a wide range of species. A viewing platform, bench, or trail is a good start. At these places you can stay still and allow the birds to come into view while you scan the area. This also gives you the opportunity to visually explore a habitat and check for birds that are more elusive or that you initially did not see. Many wetland birds spend most of their life within a specific type of habitat, so getting to know different types of wetlands will help you home in on where birds are most likely to spend their time.
Once your feet are wet, look at more specific details. Think about the general, physical description of the bird. Is it large or small? What color is its beak? Does it have a long tail or short tail? What do their wings look like? The physical impressions of a bird could enable you to start identifying its common name or family. Bird movement and behavior also holds value to help narrow down your choices. Looking at characteristics such as flock size, if it is solitary or in a group, flight patterns, feeding behavior, or movement in water are good to keep in mind when birding. Also take into consideration the bird’s migration needs and read up on where a species would turn up and at what time of year. This is especially important for those migratory species that are more sought after or only stay in a wetland habitat for a small window of time.
Get to know the anatomy of a bird. So, you’ve narrowed choices down by looking at wetland habitat, size and color, behavior, etc., but you need a bit more information to make a successful identification. Queue in learning the parts of a bird. This may seem daunting at first but can really come in handy when in the field. For example, wing patterns are a key identifying feature on many wetland birds and can occasionally point to one common species in a group. Getting to know basic parts is an ideal starting point, as they are easy to see and relatively large. Don’t be afraid to print pictures as a cheat sheet – this will also help you when talking to other birders or when using a bird ID guide.
Use your ears. When you’re feeling more confident, focus on bird songs and calls, as they are extremely helpful to learn. Knowing them can instantly allow you to identify wetland birds even when you can’t see them. Download one of the popular apps like Merlin Bird ID, Audubon Bird Guide, or Sibley Birds that use stored audio files and AI to listen to the bird call and immediately tell you what the bird is. In addition to songs and calls, these apps provide access to maps, photos, and personal record keeping of your birding adventures.
Birdwatching Code of Conduct
Respecting our wetland habitats while still getting the most out of your birdwatching experience is of the utmost importance. With many species facing increasing pressures from environmental changes, it’s also our responsibility to make sure we protect them and the wetlands where they live. Below are some quick tips to have a safe and successful birding adventure while having bird welfare come first.
Birding in wetlands is truly a wonderful activity. It captures us, it gets us outside, helps us connect with others, and hopefully even brings us to a happier place. There is no shortage of activity to join in on – up to half of North America’s bird species rely on wetlands for survival and there are around 430 bird species in Delaware alone. One of the best parts about birding is that it is modifiable. You can enjoy birds by car, trail, home, blind, sight, or sound. This opens the doors of accessibility for different skill levels as well as varying physical or mental abilities (shoutout to Birdability). As the number of birders increases, so does the opportunity to make conservation and research efforts more impactful. Our advances in technology with apps and digital cameras have helped identifying and appreciating birds easier than ever, drawing in a broader more inclusive audience. Regardless of age, background, or location you can experience the joy and wonder of birding. Delaware’s 296,000 acres of wetlands are waiting for you, now spread your wings and fly.
A demographic and economic analysis of birding in the U.S. (Photo Credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service).
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