From its headwaters in Crofton, the River enters the Chesapeake Bay south of the City of Annapolis, hence the name South River. The iconic Thomas Point Lighthouse marks the River’s entrance.
The drainage area of the South River Watershed is approximately 36,433 acres and supports approximately 66,000 residents. Roof tops and roads and other impervious surfaces comprise approximately 4,432 acres or 12%. Biologists start to see impairments to wildlife when the stormwater producing impervious surfaces reach above 5%. Learn more about the the South River Watershed.
Forest 16,669 acres (46%)
Urban 14,251 acres (39%)
Agriculture 5,472 acres (15%),
Wetlands 132 acres (<1%)
Barren land 4 acres (<1%)
South River Monitoring
The Federation operates an array of water quality monitoring programs from tidal and non-tidal to bacteria and biological monitoring.