Panel To Study How To Reduce Bay Pollution At Conowingo Dam

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — A Maryland panel has been formed to study ways to reduce Chesapeake Bay pollution that comes by way of the Conowingo Dam.

Gov. Larry Hogan announced the multi-agency work group Thursday.

The Hogan administration announced it will be looking to determine whether dredging the dam and re-use of dredged materials can be done efficiently.

The dam is on the Susquehanna River, the largest tributary to the bay. It provides about half of its fresh water. It also accounts for about half of the bay's nitrogen pollution, as well as about a quarter of its phosphorous and sediment pollution.

A study this year by the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed Assessment found the dam's reservoir has reached capacity and is no longer capable of trapping sediment and nutrients over the long term.