Our Mission and History

CRA is an advocate for the health of the Chester River and the living resources it supports. CRA strives to promote stewardship of the Chester River – its forests, marshes, fields, creeks and streams – as well as an understanding of the river’s place in the economic and cultural life of our communities. In its efforts to improve water quality, educate the public and facilitate resolution of river-related issues, CRA is a voice for the Chester River.

The CRA offices are located in Chestertown, MD, on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

CRA was founded in 1986.  It links all those who live, work, and play on the banks of the Chester River.

 The Chester River Watershed 

Both gently rolling hills and broad level plains are found within the 390-square mile Chester River basin.  The fertile land of the basin has long been cultivated by farmers; over 60 percent of the basin is agricultural.  Traditionally, those who did not farm the land worked the river as watermen, making a living pulling fish, oyster, clams, and blue crabs from the river.  Many changes came to the watershed after the Chesapeake Bay Bridge opened in 1952.  The historical division between upcountry farming communities and riverside fishing towns persists, but is being overshadowed by the influx of newcomers who neither fish nor farm.  Twenty-eight marinas help satisfy the increased demand for water-oriented recreation that has accompanied the increase in residents and visitors.

New homes and businesses are also proliferating throughout the basin, especially on Kent Island, where the Bay Bridge connects Queen Anne’s County with western metropolitan areas, and along the Route 50/301 corridor.  Between 1973 and 1981, there was a 45 percent increase in the number of developed acres in the Chester basin.  Between 1996 and 2010, Kent County’s population is not expected to dramatically increase, but Queen Anne’s County’s population is projected to increase from approximately 37,000 people to 46,500.  Urbanization has meant a decline in the size of forests and wetlands of the region.  The loss of farmland has accelerated as well.