Carroll Environment

08/17/2026

The Water Resources Office performs various water quality monitoring throughout the County, with one of the program initiatives being the Watershed Assessment and Trends monitoring. This component measures bacteria concentrations, biological communities and stream salinity overtime. Bacteria monitoring is performed at the same locations once per month, whereas biological monitoring is done randomly each spring at a minimum of 25 locations. Salinity data is collected using an instream sensor that takes a reading once every 30 minutes. The locations associated with the County’s Watershed and Assessment Trend monitoring are shown on the map.

08/13/2026

Filter washwater, chlorine, and other chemicals used for pool maintenance can impact local waterways. Here are three simple tips from MDE to help protect local streams while maintaining your system: 1) Keep filtration systems in good condition to minimize draining. 2) Dispose of filter backwash onto wooded or well-vegetated ground on your property. 3) Avoid draining and back-washing following shock treatments until the chlorine or disinfectant level has returned to normal.
https://mde.maryland.gov/programs/Permits/WaterManagementPermits/Documents/GDP%20-%20Swimming%20Pools/MD_Swimming_Pool_Guidance.pdf

08/12/2026

Many of the most dangerous dams are not the massive concrete structures people often picture when thinking of dams. Many are low-head dams, also called run-of-the-river dams or "drowning machines". Low-head dams are characterized by their low height that allows water to flow over the top of the dam. Below the surface, the water falling over the dam creates highly aerated, circulating currents that trap people and objects underwater against the face of the dam. These forces are a practically inescapable trap for even the strongest life jacket-clad swimmers. Boats and kayak are commonly capsized in such conditions as well.
Low-head dams have a variety of purposes, including hydroelectric power generation, irrigation control, and historically, powering mills. While some dams no longer are needed to serve their original purposes, many others across the United States are still important components of our national water infrastructure.
The Association of State Dam Safety Officials has an outreach program that aims to raise awareness of Low-Head dams and is working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to add more low-head dams to the national inventory of dams.

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08/11/2026

Kidz Funfest will now be here before you know it! This event was so much fun last year, with tons of kid-friendly (many are free) activities from our playground to live entertainment, face painting, vendors, artisans, and so much more!

08/10/2026

Carroll County is proud to recognize our Floodplain Administrator, Patrick Varga, as one of just ten mentors nationwide recognized by the Association of State Floodplain Managers for his dedication to mentoring and supporting the floodplain management profession.

🎉 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐫: 𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐕𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐚! We're excited to welcome Patrick Varga, CFM as one of the newest mentors in 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐙𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢....

08/08/2026

Celebrating National Farmer’s Market Week is easy in Carroll!
This list of local farms is impressive! Here is Carroll County, you can get locally grown produce, meats, specialty items, and more!

Promoting local agriculture and farms in Carroll County, Maryland.

08/07/2026

Japanese Knotweed Webinar
Today (8/7) from 1 to 2:15pm, join PSU Extension for a free webinar on the aggressive invasive species, Japanese knotweed. Learn how Japanese knotweed spreads, how to identify it, and which control strategies work best.
https://extension.psu.edu/pennsylvania-invasive-species-japanese-knotweed

08/06/2026

Native Plants Webinar
Join Assistant Professor, Dan Buonaiuto, in the department of Plant Science & Landscape Architecture at UMD College Park to watch their webinar titled, “Timing is everything: The phenology of native plants in a changing world”. Phenology is the timing of new growth in plants that is usually measured by leaf out or flower budburst in the spring. Learn about the current shifts between regions and species and even dig into what might be occurring in your own garden. Register below to watch the presentation on Zoom.

Zoom unifies cloud video conferencing, simple online meetings, and cross platform group chat into one easy-to-use platform. Our solution offers the best video, audio, and screen-sharing experience across Zoom Rooms, Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and H.323/SIP room systems.

08/05/2026

Water Explorations: Forested Headwaters and Drinking Water
Today (8/5) from 1-2pm, join PSU Extension for a free webinar on the link between forests and water. Learn how forests protect drinking water quality, support reliable water supplies, and why maintaining healthy forested landscapes is critical for communities and watersheds.

Learn how forests protect drinking water quality, support reliable water supplies, and why maintaining healthy forested landscapes is critical for communities and watersheds.

08/04/2026

Today is Great American Outdoors Day!
Did you know that you can access national parks and public lands for FREE today? Do you know why? Watch this GREAT video to gain a better appreciation of what today stands for! Without routine maintenance of our beautiful landscapes, people like you and me may never have the chance to visit the incredible views our nation has to share!

As we mark the fourth anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Ac...