FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 13, 2023
Friends of Roland Run and Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay Establish Partnership to Monitor River Water Quality
Lutherville, MD — Friends of Roland Run (FORR) and Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay today announced a new partnership to collaboratively monitor and assess river quality in Roland Run. Roland Run flows southeast from just north of Timonium Road through Lutherville-Timonium, Old Lutherville, Country Club Park, the Fields at Seminary Park, Riderwood, and Ruxton, before feeding into Lake Roland and flowing into Jones Falls. “We are committed to preserving the water quality of the Roland Run and supporting policies that will have a positive impact on the communities surrounding the Run,” said Allen Hicks, President of FORR. “We are honored to work with the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay to gather and provide data essential to preserving the health of our local waterways for future generations.”
The partnership follows a fish kill incident in March, reported by the Baltimore Brew, when an illegal discharge of chlorinated water into the river resulted in the death of hundreds of fish. Prior to the news report, FORR had reported an unknown source of pollution contaminating the river to the Maryland Department of the Environment. “The recent incident of illegal dumping into Roland Run highlights the importance of tracking water quality in our local communities,” said Hicks.
The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay’s RiverTrends Water Quality Monitoring program provides training, equipment, and technical support for organizations wanting to conduct chemical and physical water quality testing within their own communities. The water quality data provides valuable baseline conditions on waterways flowing into the Chesapeake Bay, while simultaneously encouraging communities to protect the health of their rivers. FORR will be taking monthly water samples, sharing the results publicly as well as with the Baltimore County of Environment and Sustainability and the Maryland Department of Environment.
“We are looking forward to partnering with Friends of Roland Run to monitor the quality of their local waterway,” said Sophie Stern, Alliance for the Chesapeake’s Water Quality Monitoring Projects Coordinator. “This valuable data can be used to track trends over time and inform policy and decision makers about the health of the Chesapeake Bay. We value this new partnership and will support environmental stewardship in the community.”
ABOUT FRIENDS OF ROLAND RUN
FORR is a Lutherville-based organization committed to preserving and protecting its neighborhood stream, Roland Run. FORR provides an organized framework for local community members to promote, preserve and enhance the quality of its local waterway and the neighborhoods it impacts. This new partnership will provide transparency and visibility of the water quality in waterways affecting major water sources like Lake Roland and the Chesapeake Bay.
ABOUT ALLIANCE FOR THE CHESAPEAKE BAY
The Alliance restores the lands and waters of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Its collaborative and action-oriented approach delivers on-the-ground solutions, technical assistance, and builds capacity to achieve healthier lands and cleaner water. FORR and the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay are committed to protecting local waterways and look forward to working collaboratively to safeguard future water quality.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Laura Toraldo
lt@kopublicaffairs.com
302-858-3727