Nanticoke Watershed

The Nanticoke River begins its journey in southern Delaware. It flows southwest to the Chesapeake Bay through the lower Eastern Shore of Maryland. It is one of the healthiest rivers in the Chesapeake and provides excellent habitat for many threatened and endangered species. It supports the largest concentration of bald eagles in the northeastern United States.

The Nanticoke watershed basin is approximately 370,000 acres. It drains approximately 206,692 acres in Maryland, including portions of Caroline, Dorchester and Wicomico counties. The Nanticoke River basin lies entirely within the Atlantic Coastal Plain physiographic region in the lower Eastern Shore.

Within the agricultural areas, there are approximately 355 farms. The average farm size is 250 acres. Major agricultural crops produced are barley, wheat, vegetables, soybeans and corn for grain. Broilers are the most important livestock or poultry product produced in the watershed followed by beef and hogs.

The following are approximate acres in the watershed based on land use:

Map of the Watershed

The following document requires Adobe Acrobat.

Nanticoke watershed (PDF; 384 KB)

Additional Information

More information can be found at the EPA's Surf Your Watershed website.

Local Contacts

Caroline County Field Service Center
Terry Heinard
Phone: 410-479-1202 ext. 3
Email: terry.heinard@md.usda.gov

Dorchester County Field Service Center
Gene Skinner
Phone: 410-228-5640 ext. 3
Email: eugene.skinner@md.usda.gov

Wicomico County Field Service Center
Michael Sigrist
Phone: 410-546-4777 ext. 3
Email: michael.sigrist@md.usda.gov

Program Contacts - Maryland

Patty Engler
Resource Conservationist
Phone: 410-489-7987
Email: patricia.engler@md.usda.gov

Mark Rose
Assistant State Conservationist for Programs
Phone: 443-482-2910
Email: mark.rose@md.usda.gov

Program Contacts - Delaware

Paul Petrichenko
Assistant State Conservationist for Programs
Phone: 302-678-4180
Email: Paul.Petrichenko@de.usda.gov

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