Talbot County, Maryland

Waterway Improvement

Talbot County owns and maintains 28 public landing facilities with waterway access for boating and fishing activities. Funding for maintenance and upgrade of these facilities is usually a combination of state and local appropriations as available and approved by the County Council for the Capital Improvement Program. State funding generally cannot exceed $50,000/year per facility and requires that recreational use of the facility be equally available to any resident of Maryland. No reservations for commercial use of any facility are permitted with the authorization of State Waterway Improvement Program funds.

Navigational dredging is accomplished by the Army Corps of Engineers for specified federal channels waterways designated for commercial use. Dredging of non-commercial waterways used primarily for recreational boating is generally accomplished through formation of dredging districts, comprised of residents requesting the dredging improvements. A dredging district, as approved by the County Council, is responsible for reimbursement of costs to the County for design, permitting and contracting of the requested dredging project, including disposal of spoils material. State funding grants are available for dredging County owned boat ramp channels and basins.

Private construction of a pier, bulkhead, or revetment, in tidal waters of the state, requires a Zoning Certificate from the Talbot County Planning Office and a joint federal/state license from the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE).

The following contacts are available for waterway improvement inquiries:

Page last modified Wednesday, August 24, 2022 11:52:33 AM