The significance of the meeting was that it represented the first organized public airing of the issue of floating debris. Arthur Ray, MDE, indicated that Maryland considers debris to be an issue of serious concern and recognizes the importance of the issue to Bay users and residents.
Wooded land is the main contributor to the debris that enters the watershed.
The basin has a high drainage density of 27,500 square miles and nearly 40,000 miles of streams. Debris starts to flow when flow at Safe Harbor reaches 200,000 cfs. Debris movement in streams occurs when storms come, water rises and lifts debris off the banks. With regard to time transport at flood levels, it is estimated that water moves 100 miles per day. It would take a piece of debris 3 or 4 days to travel from the headwaters to the Bay during a high flow.