The water in Baltimore’s harbor is still dirty and got an F on its 2014 report card, but there are signs of improvement. Gwynns Falls even managed to eek out a D-.
While it wouldn’t be a good sign in school, this is Baltimore water we’re talking about. The Gwynns Falls grade marked the first time a Baltimore waterway didn’t get an F on the Healthy Harbor Report Card since the grades started being given out in 2012. Along with the Gwynns Falls, the Harbor and Tidal Patapsco also improved improved in their overall scores over the past couple of years. The Jones Falls, however, is dirtier than it was in 2013.
Gwynns Falls’ score followed a stream restoration project in Baltimore County, and the report card issuers at the Waterfront Partnership and Blue Water Baltimore also noted that projects like the Trash Wheel are helping the Harbor.
Nevertheless, the real changes that an A would bring are a long way off. The Healthy Harbor groups set a goal of making the harbor swimmable and fishable by 2020, but admitted on Thursday that’s not gonna happen.
