Trash-Choked Wicomico River Poses Massive Cleanup Challenge in Salisbury

Local environmentalists say water quality is improving, but visible pollution remains a major issue

Apr. 3, 2026 at 4:03pm

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A bold, highly structured abstract painting in muted tones of green, brown, and blue, featuring sweeping geometric arcs, concentric circles, and precise botanical spirals, conceptually representing the complex challenges of restoring the health of the Wicomico River.An abstract illustration captures the intricate web of pollution sources and environmental factors impacting the troubled Wicomico River in Salisbury, Maryland.Salisbury Today

The Wicomico River in Salisbury, Maryland is plagued by trash, syringes, dead birds, and medical waste, posing a 'Herculean' cleanup challenge for city officials. While local environmentalists say water quality is improving, the visible pollution in the river remains a major concern, with reports of potential toxic contaminants that are not being tested for.

Why it matters

The Wicomico River is a vital natural resource for the Salisbury community, but its degradation due to pollution and trash threatens the local ecosystem and raises public health concerns. Addressing this issue requires collaboration between the city, county, and environmental groups to find sustainable solutions.

The details

The roughly 25-mile Wicomico River flows through urban Salisbury, where development often runs up to the water's edge. Trash, syringes, dead birds, and medical waste are visible on the surface of the river, particularly near downtown. While the city has taken some measures to address the issue, such as installing trash skimmer boats and debris curtains, the problem persists due to the large number of storm drains and outfalls along the river. The Wicomico Environmental Trust's water quality testing shows improvements in bacteria levels since the opening of the city's new wastewater treatment plant in 2018, but the group is concerned about potential toxic contaminants like Trichloroethylene and PFAS that are not being monitored.

  • The Salisbury Wastewater Treatment Plant opened in 2018.
  • The Wicomico Environmental Trust has been testing water quality in the river from 2018 to 2024.

The players

Bruce Wootten

A professional bass fishing guide who has led tours along the Wicomico River for more than three decades.

Jennifer Nyland

A board member of the Wicomico Environmental Trust and an associate professor of biological sciences at Salisbury University.

Adam Corry

The deputy director of public works for Wicomico County.

Randy Taylor

The mayor of Salisbury.

Wicomico Environmental Trust

A local organization that studies water quality and the health of the Wicomico River ecosystem.

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What they’re saying

“The river has been abused to death.”

— Bruce Wootten, Professional bass fishing guide

“What's exciting about our data is that we can show with these long-term trends that — while there might be a lot of trash that people are seeing in the river and there might be times when we see lots of algal blooms — the health of the water is actually good, and it's moving in the right direction.”

— Jennifer Nyland, Board member, Wicomico Environmental Trust

“There have been reports of releases or of documented measurable amounts of things like Trichloroethylene and PFAS in our water – and we're not testing for those things.”

— Jennifer Nyland, Board member, Wicomico Environmental Trust

What’s next

The Wicomico Environmental Trust plans to continue monitoring water quality in the river, including tracking potential increases in bacteria levels due to failing septic systems. The city of Salisbury is exploring additional measures to address the visible trash and pollution, such as installing more storm drain grates and nets to capture debris.

The takeaway

The Wicomico River's pollution challenges highlight the need for a comprehensive, collaborative approach to address both visible trash and potential toxic contaminants in the waterway. Improving the river's health will require sustained efforts from local government, environmental groups, and the community to find sustainable solutions and protect this vital natural resource.