Calvert County’s St. Leonard Creek today became the eighth creek this year in the Coastal Conservation Association Maryland’s oyster restoration project. 

Under the leadership of father-daughter Creek Captains John and Laura Kelly, 25 homeowners on St. Leonard Creek and five volunteers from CCA MD’s Patuxent River Chapter placed 100,000 oysters in 100 cages which were hung from piers on the creek.

 In addition to the homeowners and CCA volunteers, eight students from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Graduate School participated in the launch as part of their class work.

“Today’s efforts have raised the number of oysters we have distributed this summer to 750,000,” said Scott McGuire, president, Patuxent River Chapter. “These oysters will be raised to adult size of approximately three inches by the homeowners and then transferred to a protected area where they will continue to filter water and reproduce.

 “An adult oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water each and every day, so these residents on St. Leonard Creek are making a significant contribution to cleansing the Patuxent watershed.”

The CCA MD project is a joint activity between recreational anglers, local homeowners, businesses and government. Dominion Resources, which operates the Cove Point liquefied natural gas facility in Calvert County, supported the CCA project with a $25,000 grant earlier this year, and it is part of Governor O’Malley’s Marylanders Grown Oysters program. Kelly Generator and Equipment, Inc., of Owings supported today’s launch providing staff work and resources.

“We all have a responsibility to restore the health of the Bay,” said John Kelly, president, Kelly Generator and Equipment, Inc. “Businesses throughout the state can become involved in efforts such as this to make our natural resources more valuable to all Marylanders.”

Anyone wishing to participate in these oyster restoration projects can contact McGuire at patuxentriver@ccamd.org.