View source for Mallows Bay–Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary

{{Short description|Marine sanctuary in the Potomac River}}
{{Organization 
|OrganizationName= Mallows Bay–Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary
|OrganizationType= Independent Agencies (Sub-organization)
|Mission= The sanctuary protects and interprets the remnants of over 100 World War I-era wooden steamships, known as the "Ghost Fleet," while preserving the area's rich maritime, cultural, and natural history, and providing educational and recreational opportunities.
|OrganizationExecutive= Superintendent
|Employees= 
|Budget= 
|Website= https://mallowsbay.noaa.gov
|Services= Historic Preservation; Education; Research; Recreational Activities like Kayaking; Habitat Conservation
|ParentOrganization= National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Department of Commerce
|CreationLegislation= 
|Regulations= 15 CFR Part 922 (National Marine Sanctuary Program Regulations)
|HeadquartersLocation= 38.470106, -77.271829
|HeadquartersAddress= 1440 Wilson Landing Road, Nanjemoy, MD 20662
}}
The '''Mallows Bay–Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary'''<ref name="mallowsbay">{{Cite web |title=Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary |url=https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-potomac/ |access-date=October 18, 2024 |website=sanctuaries.noaa.gov|publisher=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]}}</ref> is a [[National Marine Sanctuary]] in the [[United States]] located in the [[Potomac River]] in [[Charles County, Maryland]].<ref name="pressrelease20190708">{{Cite web |title=NOAA designates new national marine sanctuary in Maryland |url=https://www.noaa.gov/media-release/noaa-designates-new-national-marine-sanctuary-in-maryland |date=July 8, 2019 |access-date=October 18, 2024 |website=noaa.gov|publisher=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]}}</ref> It is best known for the "Ghost Fleet," 118 historic [[shipwreck]]s in [[Mallows Bay]] in the sanctuary's northeast corner which is the largest shipwreck fleet in the [[Western Hemisphere]].<ref name="mallowsbay" /><ref name="chesapeakeconservancyaboutmallowsbay" /><ref name="conservancyvideo">{{Cite web |title=Mallows Bay-Potomac|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXaCyk_hjGk |access-date=December 30, 2016 |website=youtube.com| date=30 December 2016 |publisher=[[Chesapeake Conservancy]]}} (video)</ref> They are among more than 200 shipwrecks in the sanctuary, some of which date as far back as the [[American Revolutionary War]] and others to the [[American Civil War]].<ref name="mallowsbay" /><ref name="pressrelease20190708" /><ref name="chesapeakeconservancyaboutmallowsbay" />

In addition to shipwrecks, the sanctuary preserves historical sites related to [[Native Americans in the United States|Native Americans]], some of them as much as 12,000 years old, as well as a lengthy span of [[United States history]], including the [[American Revolutionary War]], the [[American Civil War]], [[steamboat]] and [[steamship]] actvity during the [[Industrial Era]], and what was once an important Potomac River [[fishing industry]].<ref name=pressrelease20190708/><ref name=chesapeakeconservancyaboutmallowsbay>{{Cite web |title=Community Partners Celebrate Designation of Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary |url=https://www.chesapeakeconservancy.org/2019/07/08/community-partners-celebrate-designation-of-mallows-bay-potomac-river-national-marine-sanctuary/ |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=July 8, 2018 |access-date=October 18, 2024 |website=chesapeakeconservancy.org|publisher=[[Chesapeake Conservancy]]}}</ref> It also protects sites dating as far back as the [[17th century]] related to [[African-American history]], as well as an [[Ecology|ecologically]] and [[Biology|biologically]] important area of the Potomac River and its Maryland shoreline that supports many [[species]] of plants and animals.<ref name=mallowsbay/>

Designated on September 3, 2019,<ref>{{cite web |date=9 September 2019 |url=https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/09/26/2019-20608/designation-of-mallows-bay-potomac-river-national-marine-sanctuary-notification-of-effective-date|title=Designation of Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary|website=www.federalregister.gov}}</ref><ref name=mallowsbayabout>{{Cite web |title=About |url=https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-potomac/about/ |access-date=October 18, 2024 |website=sanctuaries.noaa.gov|publisher=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]}}</ref> the Mallows Bay–Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary was the 14th national marine sanctuary, the first in the [[Chesapeake Bay]] [[Drainage basin|watershed]],<ref name=chesapeakeconservancyaboutmallowsbay/> and the first one designated since the [[Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary]] in 2000.<ref name=pressrelease20190708/><ref name=chesapeakeconservancyaboutmallowsbay/>

==Description==
The Mallows Bay–Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary is located in an {{convert|18|sqmi|km2|adj=on}} portion of the [[Potomac River]] in [[Charles County, Maryland|Charles County]], [[Maryland]]. It lies off the [[Nanjemoy Peninsula]], about {{convert|40|mi|0}} south of [[Washington, D.C.]]<ref name=pressrelease20190708/><ref name=chesapeakeconservancyaboutmallowsbay/><ref name=finalrule>{{Cite web |title="Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary Designation," ''Federal Register'', Vol. 84, No. 30, pp. 32586–32606 |url=https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/media/docs/84fr32586.pdf |date=July 8, 2019 |access-date=October 18, 2024 |website=sanctuaries.noaa.org|publisher=[[Federal Register]]}}</ref>

The sanctuary stretches from the Charles Country shoreline on the eastern side of the river to the border between Maryland and [[Virginia]] on the western side. The sanctuary's eastern boundary starts at a point just north of Sandy Point in Charles County and follows the Maryland shoreline of the Potomac River south around [[Mallows Bay]], Blue Banks, and Wades Bay, cutting across the mouths of creeks and streams until it reaches a point just south of Smith Point. From there, the sanctuary's southern boundary crosses the Potomac River to the west in a straight line until it reaches a point just north of the mouth of [[Aquia Creek]] in [[Stafford County, Virginia|Stafford County]], Virginia, near Brent Point. The western boundary of the sanctuary approximates the border between the Commonwealth of Virginia and the State of Maryland along the western side of the Potomac River, continuing to the north and cutting across the mouths of streams and creeks until it reaches a point north of Tank Creek. The sanctuary's northern boundary then runs east across the Potomac River in a straight line until it intersects with the Maryland shoreline just north of Sandy Point.<ref name=finalrule/> The Maryland-Virginia border, which also serves as both the boundary between Charles County and Virginia's Stafford County and the western boundary of the sanctuary, is demarcated by the mean low tide mark on the Virginia shoreline, placing nearly the entire river in Maryland<ref>{{Cite web |title=Virginia-Maryland Boundary |url=http://www.virginiaplaces.org/boundaries/mdboundary.html |date=<!--Not stated--> |access-date=October 18, 2024 |website=virginiaplaces.org|publisher=Virginia Places}}</ref> and the entire sanctuary in Maryland waters in Charles County.<ref name=finalrule/>

Public access to the sanctuary is primarily through Mallows Bay Park, a Charles County park adjacent to the sanctuary which offers direct access to the river, including Mallows Bay. Access is also possible from the Maryland shoreline via [[Smallwood State Park]]. Because the sanctuary's western boundary runs along the Virginia shoreline, visitors to [[Widewater State Park]] in Stafford County, Virginia, have easy access to the western edge of the sanctuary's Potomac River waters.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Parks Providing Access |url=https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-potomac/visit/maps.html |date=<!--Not stated--> |access-date=October 18, 2024 |website=sanctuaries.noaa.org|publisher=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]}}</ref>

Mallows Bay was listed in the [[National Register of Historic Places]]<ref name=mallowsbay/><ref name=finalrule/> on April 24, 2015,<ref name=finalrule/> and the [[National Trust for Historic Preservation]] lists the area as a "National Treasure."<ref name=mallowsbay/> The sanctuary is a part of the [[Southern Maryland National Heritage Area]], and it lies along the [[Chesapeake Trail]].<ref name=chesapeakeconservancydiscovermallowsbay>{{Cite web |title=Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary: Discover Mallows Bay, Designated as the Chesapeake's First National Marine Sanctuary |url=https://www.chesapeakeconservancy.org/mallows-bay/ |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=<!--Not stated--> |access-date=October 18, 2024 |website=chesapeakeconservancy.org|publisher=[[Chesapeake Conservancy]]}}</ref>

==Historical resources==
===Shipwrecks===
[[File:Mallows Bay-Potomac River NMS shipwrecks in Mallows Bay.PNG|300px|thumb|A [[Kayaking|kayaker]] among [[shipwreck]]s in [[Mallows Bay]].]]
[[File:Mallows Bay shipwreck kayak.PNG|thumb|300px|Shipwrecks and a [[kayak]] in the sanctuary.]]
The Mallows Bay–Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary includes more than 200 historic [[shipwreck]]s, some of them dating as far back as the [[American Revolutionary War]] {{nowrap|(1775–1773)}} and others to the [[American Civil War]] {{nowrap|(1861–1865).}}<ref name=chesapeakeconservancyaboutmallowsbay/> However, it is best known for a group of 118 partially submerged shipwrecks nicknamed the "Ghost Fleet" located in Mallows Bay in the sanctuary's northeastern corner.<ref name=chesapeakeconservancyaboutmallowsbay/><ref name=shipwrecks>{{Cite web |title=Shipwrecks |url=https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-potomac/shipwrecks/ |access-date=October 18, 2024 |website=sanctuaries.noaa.gov|publisher=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]}}</ref> These wooden-[[Hull (ship)|hulled]] [[steamship]]s were among nearly 300 built at more than 40 [[shipyard]]s in 17 [[State (United States)|U.S. states]] by the [[United States Shipping Board]]'s [[Emergency Fleet Corporation]] between 1917 and 1919, intended for use in [[World War I]].<ref name=mallowsbay/><ref name=pressrelease20190708/><ref name=chesapeakeconservancyaboutmallowsbay/><ref name=shipwrecks/> None of the ships saw action during the war, which ended before the last of them was completed.<ref name=mallowsbay/><ref name=shipwrecks/>  

The [[Western Marine and Salvage Corporation]] of [[Alexandria, Virginia|Alexandria]], Virginia, bought most of the ships and [[anchor]]ed them in the Potomac River near Mallows Bay, bringing a few of them at a time up the river to Alexandria for [[Ship breaking|scrapping]] and to [[Marine salvage|salvage]] their [[steam engine]]s, [[boiler]]s, [[propeller]]s, and other metal parts for [[scrap metal]].<ref name=pressrelease20190708/><ref name=shipwrecks/> On occasion the ships anchored near Mallows Bay while awaiting scrapping burned, broke loose, or otherwise became hazards to navigation, so authorities ordered the company to secure them.<ref name=shipwrecks/> The company responded by burning many of them to the [[waterline]], then floating them into Mallows Bay and [[scuttling]] them there.<ref name=pressrelease20190708/><ref name=shipwrecks/> Western Marine and Salvage went [[Bankruptcy|bankrupt]] during the [[Great Depression in the United States|Great Depression]], and after that local communities took over the task of salvaging valuable materials from the wrecks.<ref name=shipwrecks/> After the United States entered [[World War II]] in December 1941, [[Bethlehem Steel]] began a third and final round of salvage that lasted for two years.<ref name=shipwrecks/> When this was completed, 118 shipwrecks remained in shallow water in Mallows Bay, constituting the "Ghost Fleet,"<ref name=shipwrecks/> the largest shipwreck fleet in the [[Western Hemisphere]].<ref name=conservancyvideo/><ref name=chesapeakeconservancydiscovermallowsbay/>

Largely submerged during high tide, the shipwrecks emerge above the surface during low tide, and portions of some of them always are visible above the water's surface.<ref name=pressrelease20190708/><ref name=chesapeakeconservancyaboutmallowsbay/><ref name=chesapeakeconservancydiscovermallowsbay/> Vegetation has grown on many of the shipwrecks in Mallows Bay, giving them the distinctive appearance of long, skinny islands.<ref name=pressrelease20190708/>

Notable shipwrecks include ''Accomac'' ({{coord|38|28|07.58|N|077|16|11.29|W|name=Accomac}}), a former [[Ferryboat|ferry]] abandoned at Mallows Bay in 1973 and the sanctuary's only [[steel]]-hulled wreck,<ref name=shipwrecks/><ref>{{Cite web |title=Accomac |url=https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-potomac/shipwrecks/accomac.html |access-date=October 18, 2024 |website=sanctuaries.noaa.gov|publisher=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]}}</ref> and ''Afrania'' ({{coord|38|28|23.34|N|077|15|57.378|W|name=Afrania}}),<ref name=shipwrecks/><ref name=afrania>{{Cite web |title=Afrania |url=https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-potomac/shipwrecks/afrania.html |access-date=October 18, 2024 |website=sanctuaries.noaa.gov|publisher=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]}}</ref> ''Aowa'' ({{coord|38|28|15.44|N|077|16|11.85|W|name=Aowa}}),<ref name=shipwrecks/><ref name=aowa>{{Cite web |title=Aowa |url=https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-potomac/shipwrecks/aowa.html |access-date=October 18, 2024 |website=sanctuaries.noaa.gov|publisher=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]}}</ref> ''Bayou Teche'' ({{coord|38|28|28.16|N|077|16|08.16|W|name=Bayou Teche}}),<ref name=shipwrecks/><ref name=bayouteche>{{Cite web |title=Bayou Teche |url=https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-potomac/shipwrecks/bayou-teche.html |access-date=October 18, 2024 |website=sanctuaries.noaa.gov|publisher=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]}}</ref> ''Benzonia'' ({{coord|38|28|13.94|N|077|16|11.06|W|name=Benzonia}}),<ref name=shipwrecks/><ref name=benzonia>{{Cite web |title=Benzonia |url=https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-potomac/shipwrecks/benzonia.html |access-date=October 18, 2024 |website=sanctuaries.noaa.gov|publisher=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]}}</ref> ''Boone'' ({{coord|38|28|20.28|N|077|15|59.07|W|name=Boone}}),<ref name=shipwrecks/><ref>{{Cite web |title=Boone |url=https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-potomac/shipwrecks/boone.html |access-date=October 18, 2024 |website=sanctuaries.noaa.gov|publisher=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]}}</ref> ''Dertona'' ({{coord|38|28|27.84|N|077|16|00.37|W|name=Dertona}}),<ref name=shipwrecks/><ref>{{Cite web |title=Dertona |url=https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-potomac/shipwrecks/dertona.html |access-date=October 18, 2024 |website=sanctuaries.noaa.gov|publisher=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]}}</ref> ''Mono'' ({{coord|38|28|23.95|N|077|16|13.94|W|name=Mono}}),<ref name=shipwrecks/><ref name=mono>{{Cite web |title=Mono |url=https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-potomac/shipwrecks/mono.html |access-date=October 18, 2024 |website=sanctuaries.noaa.gov|publisher=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]}}</ref> ''Moosabee'' ({{coord|38|28|28.16|N|077|16|02.89|W|name=Moosabee}}),<ref name=shipwrecks/><ref name=moosabee>{{Cite web |title=Moosabee |url=https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-potomac/shipwrecks/moosabee.html |access-date=October 18, 2024 |website=sanctuaries.noaa.gov|publisher=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]}}</ref> ''Namecki'' ({{coord|38|28|21.14|N|077|16|12.14|W|name=Namecki}}),<ref name=shipwrecks/><ref name=namecki>{{Cite web |title=Namecki |url=https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-potomac/shipwrecks/namecki.html |access-date=October 18, 2024 |website=sanctuaries.noaa.gov|publisher=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]}}</ref> and ''Yawah'' ({{coord|38|28|28.63|N|077|16|15.06|W|name=Yawah}}),<ref name=shipwrecks/><ref name=yawah>{{Cite web |title=Yawah |url=https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-potomac/shipwrecks/yawah.html |access-date=October 18, 2024 |website=sanctuaries.noaa.gov|publisher=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]}}</ref> all of which were Emergency Fleet Corporation ships, and most or all of which have been in Mallows Bay since at least 1929.<ref name=aowa/><ref name=bayouteche/><ref name=benzonia/><ref name=mono/><ref name=moosabee/><ref name=namecki/><ref name=yawah/>

[[Flood]]s and storms occasionally move the shipwrecks, some of which lie in different places from their scuttling positions in the 1920s.<ref name=afrania/><ref name=moosabee/><ref name=yawah/> In 2003, the [[storm surge]] from [[Hurricane Isabel]] lifted ''Benzonia''{{'}}s wreck off the bottom of Mallows Bay and deposited it on top of the wreck of SS ''Caribou'', making ''Benzonia''{{'}}s wreck the most easily visible one in the Ghost Fleet as well as an important habitat for birds.<ref name=climatechange>{{Cite web |title=Climate Change Impacts Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary |url=https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/media/docs/20201214-mbprnms-climate-impacts-profile.pdf |date=November 2020 |access-date=October 21, 2024 |website=sanctuaries.noaa.gov|publisher=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]}}</ref> ''Benzonia''{{'}}s wreck caught fire in 2013 and was extinguished by a vessel from the [[Prince William County, Virginia|Prince William County]], Virginia, fire department.<ref name=benzonia/> In 2016 it burned again, with the fire smoldering for a over a week and substantially damaging the wreck, destroying much of its [[stern]].<ref name=benzonia/>

{{gallery
|title="Ghost Fleet" shipwrecks in Mallows Bay
|width=160 | height=170
|mode=packed
|perrow=4
|File:SS Accomac wreck.PNG|SS ''Accomac''|alt1=Starboard bow view of a shipwreck in shallow water
|File:SS Accomac wreck 2.PNG|SS ''Accomac''with [[osprey]] nest at&nbsp;right|alt2=Close-up view of the bow of a shipwreck
|File:SS Accomac wreck bow view.PNG|[[Bow (ship)|Bow]] view of SS&nbsp;''Accomac'' with [[osprey]] nest at&nbsp;left|alt3=Bow view of a shipwreck with a bird's nest on it
|File:SS Accomac wreck starboard bow with osprey on nest.PNG|[[Port and starboard|Starboard]] bow of SS&nbsp;''Accomac'' with osprey on nest|alt4=The bow of a shipwreck with a bird's nest on it and an osprey standing on the nest
|File:SS Accomac wreck osprey approaching nest on stern.PNG|An osprey approaches its nest on the [[stern]] of SS&nbsp;''Accomac''|alt5= Stern view of a shipwreck with an osprey about to land on a nest the wreck
|File:SS Aowa wreck.PNG|SS ''Aowa'' (circled in red); SS&nbsp;''Benzonia'' (right) atop SS&nbsp;''Caribou''|alt6=Various submerged shipwrecks and one shipwreck looking like a plant-covered island
|File:SS Bayou Teche wreck.PNG|SS&nbsp;''Bayou Teche'' (at&nbsp;left)|alt7=Dark blue outline of submarged shipwreck next to two small peninsulas
|File:SS Benzonia and SS Caribou wrecks.PNG|SS ''Benzonia'' (center, appearance of vegetation-covered island) atop SS&nbsp;''Caribou''; SS&nbsp;''Aowa'' at&nbsp;left|alt8=  Various submerged shipwrecks and one shipwreck looking like a plant-covered island 
|File:SS Benzonia and SS Caribou wrecks 2.PNG|SS ''Benzonia'' (center, appearance of vegetation-covered island) atop SS&nbsp;''Caribou''|alt9= Various submerged shipwrecks and one shipwreck looking like a plant-covered island
|File:SS Boone wreck.PNG|SS ''Boone'' (upper distance, circled in red)|alt10=A bay containing several shipwrecks looking like small plant-covered islands
|File:SS Dertona and SS Moosabee wrecks.PNG|SS&nbsp;''Dertona'' and SS&nbsp;''Moosabee'' (both at lower left)|alt11=A bay containing several shipwrecks looking like small plant-covered islands
}}

===Native American history and culture===

The stretch of the Potomac River in the Mallows Bay–Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary is part of the traditional homelands of the [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] [[Piscataway people]] of the [[Piscataway Conoy Tribe]] in Maryland and the [[Patawomeck]] people of the [[Patawomeck Indian Tribe of Virginia]], to both of whom the area is of important cultural, historical, and spiritual significance.<ref name=mallowsbay/><ref name=indigenouspeople>{{Cite web |title=Indigenous History & Culture |url=https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-potomac/education/indigenous-history.html |access-date=October 18, 2024 |website=sanctuaries.noaa.gov|publisher=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]}}</ref><ref name=chesapeakeconservancyaboutmallowsbay>{{Cite web |title=Community Partners Celebrate Designation of Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary |url=https://www.chesapeakeconservancy.org/2019/07/08/community-partners-celebrate-designation-of-mallows-bay-potomac-river-national-marine-sanctuary/ |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=July 8, 2018 |access-date=October 18, 2024 |website=chesapeakeconservancy.org|publisher=[[Chesapeake Conservancy]]}}</ref> Historical artifacts dating as far back as 12,000 years have been discovered within the sanctuary.<ref name=pressrelease20190708/> The Piscataway have identified Mallows Bay and Liverpool Point on the coast of Charles County as of particular cultural importance, and it is very likely that [[Nussamek]], one of the villages the explorer [[John Smith (explorer)|John Smith]] visited during the summer of 1608, is that area, although no submerged archaeological sites have been identified in the sanctuary's waters.<ref name=indigenouspeople/>

===African-American history===

The Mallows Bay–Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary includes sites important to [[African-American history]].<ref name=chesapeakeconservancydiscovermallowsbay/> [[African Americans]] arrived on the sanctuary's shores as [[Slavery in the United States|slaves]] centuries ago and have lived in the area ever since, fighting in the American Civil War and building some of the steamships now lying in Mallows Bay.<ref name=chesapeakeconservancydiscovermallowsbay/>

==Flora and fauna==
[[File:Mallows Bay-Potomac River NMS osprey on shipwreck.PNG|300px|thumb|An [[osprey]] on a [[shipwreck]] in [[Mallows Bay]].]]
[[File:Mallows Bay Park creek tidal marsh.PNG|300px|thumb|A creek runs through a [[tidal marsh]] in Mallows Bay Park.]]
[[File:Mallows Bay-Potomac River NMS Hibiscus moscheutos blooming.PNG|thumb|300px|A swamp rose-mallow (''[[Hibiscus moscheutos]]'') in the sanctuary.]]
[[File:Mallows Bay Park wetlands.PNG|thumb|300px|A [[wetland]] in Mallows Bay Park.]]
The Mallows Bay–Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary lies in an [[ecotone]], a transition zone in the Potomac River where [[tide]]s fluctuate between {{convert|1|and|2|ft|1}} each day, mixing [[fresh water]] flowing into the sanctuary from farther up the river with [[salt water]] drawn northwards by the tides from the Chesapeake Bay.<ref name=habitats>{{Cite web |title=Habitats |url=https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-potomac/science/ecology/habitats.html |access-date=October 18, 2024 |website=sanctuaries.noaa.gov|publisher=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]}}</ref> The water in the sanctuary is mostly fresh, and typically has a [[salinity]]  level ranging from 0.1 to 0.5 [[parts per thousand]].<ref name=habitats/> [[Fish]] found in the river's waters in the sanctuary include [[channel catfish]], [[blue catfish]], [[largemouth bass]], [[river herring]], [[striped bass]], [[American shad]], and [[Atlantic sturgeon]].<ref name=habitats/>

Shallow waters near the sanctuary's shoreline contain large beds of submerged [[aquatic plant]]s which grow each year from late spring through early fall.<ref name=habitats/> These weed beds include approximately ten different [[species]] of plant —  including coontail of the [[genus]] ''[[Ceratophyllum]]'', water stargrass (''[[Heteranthera dubia]]''), [[wild celery]], and several species of naiad of the genus ''[[Najas]]'' — and are important [[spawning]], nursery, and feeding grounds for juvenile fish, [[crustacean]]s, [[mollusk]]s, and other animals.<ref name=habitats/>

Over time, the shipwrecks of the "Ghost Fleet' have transformed into distinctive, skinny, vegetation-covered artificial [[island]]s which provide island, [[Intertidal zone|intertidal]], and underwater habitats that support a diversity of coastal and marine life, including an abundance of fish, [[American beaver]]s, and [[bird]]s such as [[osprey]]s, [[great blue heron]]s, and [[bald eagle]]s.<ref name=chesapeakeconservancydiscovermallowsbay/><ref name=shipwrecks/> [[Sediment]] and [[seed]]s deposited inside the [[Hull (ship)|hulls]] of the wrecks have turned some of them into islands often referred to as "[[flowerpot]]" wrecks,<ref name=habitats/> while others have fused to the shore and form artificial [[peninsula]]s which stabilize the shoreline and have a lush covering of plant life.<ref name=habitats/> Eastern redcedar (''[[Juniperus virginiana]]''), paw paws of the genus ''[[Asimina]]'', [[persimmon]] trees, marsh tickseed (''[[Bidens trichosperma]]''), and pickerel weed of the genus ''[[Pontederia]]'' grow on the wrecks, providing a home for various animal species including ospreys, who visit the sanctuary each spring and summer and build their [[nest]]s on the wrecks.<ref name=habitats/><ref name=creaturefeatures>{{cite web|url=https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-potomac/science/ecology/creature-features.html|title=Creature Features|author=<!--Not stated--> |publisher=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]|date=<!--Not stated--> |access-date=October 18, 2019}}</ref> At least one [[beaver lodge]] has been noted on a wreck.<ref name=habitats/> Vegetation on the wreck of SS&nbsp;''Afrania'' includes swamp&nbsp;dogwood {{nowrap|(''[[Cornus amomum]]''),}} yellow&nbsp;iris {{nowrap|(''[[Iris pseudacorus]]''),}} drooping star of Bethlehem {{nowrap|(''[[Ornithogalum nutans]]''),}} false&nbsp;indigo {{nowrap|(''[[Amorpha fruticosa]]''),}} and a {{convert|33|ft|adj=on}} tall American&nbsp;elm {{nowrap|(''[[Ulmus americana]]'').}}<ref name=afrania/>

A great variety of freshwater aquatic plants grows in the [[tidal marsh]]es at the mouths of streams that flow into the Potomac River along the sanctuary's Maryland shoreline, where they absorb nutrients from [[Runoff (hydrology)|runoff]] water, provide feeding grounds for many animal species, and prevent [[erosion]] of the shore.<ref name=habitats/> Broad-leaved [[emergent plant]]s dominate these habitats, including green arrow arum (''[[Peltandra virginica]]''), pickerel weed, and spatterdock (''[[Nuphar advena]]'') at lower elevations and jewelweed of the genus ''[[Impatiens]]'' and [[wild rice]] at higher ones. Swamp rose-mallow (''[[Hibiscus moscheutos]]''), which may have inspired the name of Mallows Bay, and later a part of the name of the sanctuary as a whole, also grows in the tidal marshes.<ref name=habitats/>

[[American beaver]]s are active along the shoreline and just inland from it in Mallows Bay Park just outside the sanctuary, where their multi-year cyclic pattern of constructing lodges and [[Beaver dam|dams]] on streams flowing into the sanctuary create and maintain [[wetland]]s that prevent [[flooding]] and erosion in and around the sanctuary.<ref name=habitats/> In [[beaver pond]]s in these wetlands, floating plants such as duckweed of the [[subfamily]] [[Lemnoideae]], [[pondweed]], spatterdock, and white water lily (''[[Nymphaea odorata]]'') grow in open water and cattails of the genus ''[[Typha]]'', pickerel weed, rice cutgrass (''[[Leersia oryzoides]]''), and sedges of the [[Family (biology)|family]] [[Cyperaceae]] border the ponds.<ref name=habitats/>

The habitats in the Potomac River and along the Maryland shoreline protected by the sanctuary are home to many species of animal in addition to American beavers, bald eagles, great blue herons, ospreys, and the various fish species in the Potomac River.<ref name=habitats/><ref name=creaturefeatures/> Among other animal species commonly found in and near the sanctuary are [[double-crested cormorant]]s, [[white-tailed deer]], [[raccoon]]s, [[northern watersnake]]s, [[northern red-bellied cooter]]s, [[eastern box turtle]]s, green frogs (''[[Lithobates clamitans]]''), [[spring peeper]]s, [[American toad]]s, [[spotted salamander]]s, [[Zebra swallowtail butterfly|zebra swallowtail butterflies]], eastern pondhawks (''[[Erythemis simplicicollis]]''), and [[bumble bee]]s.<ref name=creaturefeatures/>

<gallery caption="Common species in the Mallows Bay–Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary" mode="packed">
File:Mallows Bay-Potomac River NMS bald eagle.PNG|[[Bald eagle]]
File:Mallows Bay-Potomac River NMS double-crested cormorant.PNG|[[Double-crested cormorant]] on a [[piling]] in [[Mallows Bay]]
File:Mallows Bay-Potomac River NMS osprey.PNG|[[Osprey]]
File:Mallows Bay-Potomac River NMS eastern box turtle.PNG|[[Eastern box turtle]]
File:American shad.PNG|[[American shad]]
File:Mallows Bay-Potomac River NMS bumble bee.PNG|[[Bumblebee]]
File:Mallows Bay-Potomac River NMS eastern pondhawk.PNG|Eastern pondhawk  {{nowrap|(''[[Erythemis simplicicollis]]'')}}
File:Mallows Bay-Potomac River NMS eastern redcedar.PNG|[[Eastern redcedar]]
File:Mallows Bay-Potomac River NMS paw paw.PNG|Paw paw (genus ''[[Asimina]]'')
File:Mallows Bay-Potomac River NMS pickerel weed.PNG|Pickerel weed {{nowrap|(genus ''[[Pontederia]]'')}}
</gallery>

===Endangered species===
[[File:Atlantic sturgeon.PNG|thumb|[[Atlantic sturgeon]]]]

The Atlantic sturgeon is considered an [[endangered species]] and enjoys protection by the [[United States Government]].<ref name=creaturefeatures/> The [[National Marine Fisheries Service]] has designated most of the tidal Potomac River, including the waters of the Mallows Bay–Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary, as a [[critical habitat]] for the Atlantic sturgeon, which uses freshwater coastal environments like the ones found in the sanctuary as spawning grounds and nursery habitats.<ref name=creaturefeatures/>

===Invasive species===
[[File:Hydrilla in the Mallows Bay–Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary.PNG|thumb|A thick bed of ''[[Hydrilla]]'' in the sanctuary.]]
''[[Hydrilla]]'' is a genus of aquatic plant native to [[Africa]], [[Asia]], and [[Australia]]<ref>Flora Europaea: [http://rbg-web2.rbge.org.uk/cgi-bin/nph-readbtree.pl/feout?FAMILY_XREF=&GENUS_XREF=Hydrilla&SPECIES_XREF=&TAXON_NAME_XREF=&RANK= ''Hydrilla'']</ref><ref>Flora of Taiwan: [http://tai2.ntu.edu.tw/udth/bin/fot1.exe/browse?bid=5&page=15 ''Hydrilla''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071126095944/http://tai2.ntu.edu.tw/udth/bin/fot1.exe/browse?bid=5&page=15 |date=2007-11-26 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://id.biodiversity.org.au/name/apni/88035 |title=''Hydrilla'' |website=[[Australian Plant Name Index]] (APNI) |publisher=Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, [[Australian Government]] |access-date=15 March 2023}}</ref> which has become a [[Naturalisation (biology)|naturalized]] [[invasive species]] in the United States.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/plants/weeds/hydrilla.html|title=General Information About Hydrilla|publisher=State of Washington, Department of Ecology|access-date=December 20, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141220102925/http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/plants/weeds/hydrilla.html|archive-date=2014-12-20|url-status=dead}}</ref> Introduced into the Potomac River in the 1970s and 1980s, it has been found to have beneficial effects in the Chesapeake Bay, where it is [[Protected species|protected]].<ref name=habitats/> However, it is dominant in the Mallows Bay–Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary's waters, where it can grow very thickly, block sunlight, and crowd out native plants,<ref name=habitats/> as well as obscure submerged historical resources.<ref name=climatechange/>
{{multiple image
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 | image1 = Blue catfish.PNG
 | alt1 = A large catfish facing the camera
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 | image2 = Northern snakehead.PNG
 | alt2 = A captured fish in a plastic bucket
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 | footer = '''LEFT:''' [[Blue catfish]]. '''RIGHT:''' [[Northern snakehead]].
}}
The blue catfish also is an invasive species.<ref name=creaturefeatures/> Introduced into the Chesapeake Bay in the 1970s, it has spread up the Potomac River and through the sanctuary's waters.<ref name=creaturefeatures/> It threatens many economically and ecologically important species in the Chesapeake Bay and its [[Tributary|tributaries]], such as the Potomac River.<ref name=creaturefeatures/>

The [[northern snakehead]], native to [[East Asia]], was first found in the Chesapeake Bay watershed in 2002.<ref>{{cite magazine | title = Invasion of the Snakeheads|author= Fields, Helen| magazine= [[Smithsonian Magazine]]|date=February 2005| url= http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/snakeheads.html| access-date=2008-03-07}}</ref> It has established itself in the Potomac River, where it has been caught since 2004,<ref>[http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/outdoors/bal-md.snakeheads27apr27,0,6241227.story Potomac snakeheads not related to others] ''[[Baltimore Sun]]'', April 27, 2007.</ref> and is another invasive species of fish found in the sanctuary.<ref name=creaturefeatures/>

Drooping star of Bethlehem (''Ornithogalum nutans''), found on the wreck of SS&nbsp;''Afrania'', is reported as invasive in the [[Mid-Atlantic (United States)|Mid-Atlantic]] region of the United States, where it crowds out native plants on the floors of [[forest]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.invasive.org/alien/pubs/midatlantic/ornu-orum.htm|title=Invasive and Exotic Species of North America: Nodding Star-of-Bethlehem|publisher=Invasive.org|access-date=October 21, 2024}}</ref>

==Climate change concerns==

In November 2020 the [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]] (NOAA) published a study<ref name=climatechange/> describing its concerns about the possible impacts of [[Climate change in the United States|climate change]] on the Mallows Bay–Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary. NOAA listed the following possible impacts:

* Projections indicate that by 2035 air temperatures in the sanctuary could be 3.6&nbsp;°F (2&nbsp;°C) higher than in [[Colonial history of the United States|colonial times]], heating waters arriving from upstream. Between 2020 and 2100, water temperatures in the Chesapeake Bay could rise by 10&nbsp;°F (5.6&nbsp;°C), resulting in warmer tidal waters entering the sanctuary. Warmer air and water temperatures would speed both biological and [[Chemistry|chemical]] deterioration of both the above-water and submerged portions of the sanctuary's shipwrecks.<ref name=climatechange/>
* Between 2020 and 2100, [[sea level rise]] and [[subsidence]] of the shoreline could combine to cause the tidal Potomac River to rise {{convert|7.9|ft}}, submerging the sanctuary's [[Slipway|boat launch]] and [[kayak]] ramp and a local beach.<ref name=climatechange/>
* Even a {{convert|3|ft|adj=on|1}} rise in Atlantic Ocean levels would lead to a {{convert|6|in|cm|adj=on}} increase in tidal ranges in the sanctuary, resulting in more wetting and drying of the wooden structures of shipwrecks which will accelerate their deterioration.<ref name=climatechange/>
*Stronger storms could lead to higher [[storm surge]]s in the sanctuary. In addition, [[flood]]ing with waters reaching {{convert|1.75|ft|1}} above mean high water, which occurred on an average of 10 days per year in 2020, could increase to 100 days per year by 2050 and become daily by 2100 due to heavier rainfall. Moreover, large flooding events — so-called "[[100-year flood]]s" — could become annual by 2100. Floods can damage the sanctuary's resources through [[erosion]], by felling trees, and by moving things such as shipwrecks and pushing them against obstacles as well as by pummeling them with debris.<ref name=climatechange/> Although floods can help preserve cultural resources by burying them in [[sediment]]s, they also can uncover resources and leave them exposed and prone to faster deterioration.<ref name=climatechange/>
*[[Ocean acidification]] increased by 30 percent between 1750 and 2020. The effects of ocean acidification on sanctuary waters are difficult to predict, as upstream [[Runoff (hydrology)|runoff]] into the Potomac River could either add to or at least partially mitigate the acidification of water arriving in the sanctuary via the tides. Although greater acidification's possible impact on other cultural and historical resources also is unclear, it would accelerate the deterioration of the shipwrecks, particularly the steel-hulled ''Accomac'' and the steel bolts and cross-strapping that hold the wooden-hulled wrecks together.<ref name=climatechange/>
* Invasive species could benefit from climate change, resulting in new invasive species reaching the sanctuary and extant ones having greater competitive advantages over native species. Submerged aquatic vegetation like invasive ''Hydrilla'', however, can mitigate at least some of the effects of tidal action and flooding in the sanctuary by slowing the movement of water and reduce acidification by absorbing large amounts of [[carbon dioxide]]. [[Shipworm]]s, known in the Chesapeake Bay since 1878, are unlikely to reach the sanctuary because of the cooler temperature and lower salinity of its waters, but higher water temperatures and greater salinity levels resulting from sea level rise could create conditions in the sanctuary favorable for shipworms. A shipworm population could inflict significant damage on the wooden-hulled shipwrecks.<ref name=climatechange/>

==Monitoring and research==
[[File:Mallows Bay-Potomac River NMS water quality buoy map.PNG|thumb|Location of the [[water quality]] [[buoy]]. "Ghost Fleet" shipwrecks in [[Mallows Bay]] also are visible.]]
In 2018, a partnership of NOAA and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources purchased and began operating a [[water quality]] [[buoy]] adjacent to Mallows Bay. It operates each year from April through October and reports real-time measurements of water temperature, salinity, dissolved [[oxygen]], [[pH]], [[Water clarity|clarity]], and [[chlorophyll]] levels (an indirect measure of [[algae]] concentration), as well as [[Meteorology|meteorological]] data such as air temperature, [[barometric pressure]], and wind speed and direction. The buoy's data is of use to scientists and resource managers assessing environmental changes, which aids them in decision-making and other [[ecological restoration]] and historical preservation efforts. The data also aid people involved in [[commercial fishing]], [[recreational fishing]], and local [[tourism]] as well as visitors planning trips to the sanctuary.<ref name=knowbefore>{{Cite web |title=Know Before You Go |url=https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-potomac/visit/water.html |access-date=October 18, 2024 |website=sanctuaries.noaa.gov|publisher=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Research and Monitoring: Water Quality Buoy |url=https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-potomac/science/research/water-quality-buoy.html |access-date=October 18, 2024 |website=sanctuaries.noaa.gov|publisher=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]}}</ref>

The water quality buoy has an acoustic [[telemetry]] receiver attached to it which can detect and record transmissions made by tags attached to passing fish, allowing the sanctuary's staff in partnership with the [[Smithsonian Environmental Research Center]] and the [[Mid-Atlantic Acoustic Telemetry Observation System]] to collect information on fish movements useful in analysis of fish migration patterns, habitat use, and survival rates.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Research and Monitoring: Acoustic Telemetry |url=https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-potomac/science/research/acoustic-telemetry.html |access-date=October 18, 2024 |website=sanctuaries.noaa.gov|publisher=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]}}</ref>

In the summer of 2020, the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation and the [[Potomac Riverkeeper Network]] established a partnership to create a citizen science monitoring program at Mallows Bay. It focuses on [[bacteria]]l contamination of the water important to [[human health]].<ref name=knowbefore/>

In the summer of 2022, the sanctuary began a partnership with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the [[Chesapeake Bay SAV Watchers]] to conduct an annual sampling of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) in the sanctuary. The annual sampling provides researchers with a better understanding of species diversity and density in the sanctuary.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Research and Monitoring: Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Monitoring |url=https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-potomac/science/research/submerged-aquatic-vegetation.html |access-date=October 18, 2024 |website=sanctuaries.noaa.gov|publisher=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]}}</ref>

==Recreation and tourism==
[[File:Mallows Bay-Potomac River NMS kayaker shipwrecks 2.PNG|550px|thumb|A [[Kayaking|kayaker]] among the [[shipwreck]]s in [[Mallows Bay]].]]
[[File:Mallows Bay–Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary kayaks.png|thumb|300px|[[Kayak]]s awaits visitors at the sanctuary.]]
[[File:Mallows Bay-Potomac River NMS students.PNG|300px|thumb|left|Students visit the sanctuary.]]
The Mallows Bay–Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary is a popular area for [[recreational fishing]] and [[ecotourism]].<ref name=chesapeakeconservancydiscovermallowsbay/> [[Paddling]], including [[kayaking]], among the shipwrecks in Mallows Bay is a common activity.<ref name=mallowsbay/><ref name=chesapeakeconservancydiscovermallowsbay/>

==Education==
The Mallows Bay–Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary offers a variety of free educational programs for students and teachers. Topics covered include science and technology, the [[natural environment]], and history and heritage.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Learn|url=https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-potomac/education/ |access-date=October 19, 2024 |website=sanctuaries.noaa.gov|publisher=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Education|url=https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-potomac/education/resources/ |access-date=October 19, 2024 |website=sanctuaries.noaa.gov|publisher=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]}}</ref>

==Designation history==
The designation process for the Mallows Bay–Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary began on September 16, 2014, when [[Governor of Maryland]] [[Martin O'Malley]] submitted to the [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]] (NOAA) a nomination of the area for sanctuary status on behalf of the State of Maryland, Charles County, and a wide variety of community groups.<ref name=pressrelease20190708/><ref name=finalrule/> The nomination advocated the sanctuary's creation to protect the historic shipwrecks and cultural heritage resources in the area, foster partnerships with educational and research groups and institutions, and improve public access, [[tourism]], and economic development.<ref name=pressrelease20190708/> Maryland's delegation in the [[United States Congress]] strongly supported the nomination, which also received broad support from a wide variety of organizations and the community in general.<ref name=pressrelease20190708/>

After completing its review of the nomination, NOAA added the area to the inventory of nominations that are eligible for designation on January&nbsp;12, 2015.<ref name=finalrule/> On October&nbsp;7, 2015, NOAA initiated the public scoping process by publishing a Notice of Intent in the ''[[Federal Register]]'' soliciting public input on the proposed designation and informing the public of NOAA's intentions to prepare a draft [[environmental impact statement]] evaluating alternatives related to the proposed designation of the sanctuary. A three-month public comment period followed, during which NOAA solicited additional input on the scale and scope of the proposed sanctuary, including ideas presented in the community nomination. In November 2015, NOAA held two public meetings and provided additional opportunities for public
comments by mail and through a [[web portal]]. The comment period closed on January&nbsp;15,&nbsp;2016. NOAA used the public scoping comments in preparing regulations for the proposed sanctuary, the draft environmental impact statement, and other documents, all in close consultation with the State of Maryland.<ref name=finalrule/>

On January&nbsp;9, 2017, NOAA announced the proposed designation of waters in the tidal Potomac River as a national
marine sanctuary, offering four alternatives:<ref name=finalrule/>

* Create no sanctuary.<ref name=finalrule/>
* Create a sanctuary encompassing {{convert|18|sqmi|0}} of the Potomac River, closely matching the boundaries of the [[Mallows Bay–Widewater Historical and Archeological District]] on the [[National Register of Historic Places]].<ref name=finalrule/>
* Create a sanctuary encompassing {{convert|52|sqmi|0}} of the Potomac River, including all known remains of World War I-era ships.<ref name=finalrule/>
* Create a sanctuary encompassing {{convert|100|sqmi|0}} of the Potomac River, including additional areas which may contain other maritime cultural heritage assets and could expand opportunities for recreational use of the area.<ref name=finalrule/>

NOAA indicated the {{convert|52|sqmi|adj=on|0}} option as its preferred alternative. An 81-day public comment period on the proposal followed and closed on March&nbsp;31, 2017. During the comment period, NOAA also held two separate public meetings, one in [[La Plata, Maryland|La Plata]], Maryland, on March&nbsp;7, 2017. and one in [[Arnold, Maryland|Arnold]], Maryland, on March&nbsp;9, 2017. Based on comments during this period, as well as internal NOAA deliberations, discussions with state-recognized Native American tribes, consultation with the [[United States Department of the Navy]] (which cooperated in the preparation of the [[environmental impact statement]] on behalf of four military facilities in the area), meetings with constituent groups, and an evaluation of these inputs with the State of Maryland and Charles County, NOAA chose the {{convert|18|sqmi|0|adj=on}} alternative for the proposed sanctuary.<ref name=finalrule/>
[[File:Mallows Bay–Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary designation ceremony.png|thumb|The sanctuary's designation ceremony in September&nbsp;2019.]]
NOAA, the State of Maryland, and Charles County jointly announced the creation of the sanctuary on July&nbsp;8, 2019.<ref name=pressrelease20190708/> Following a mandatory wait for 45 days of [[United States Congress|U.S. Congressional]] session to pass after publication of the announcement in the ''[[Federal Register]]'' that day,<ref name=pressrelease20190708/><ref name=finalrule/> the sanctuary's designation took effect on September 3, 2019.<ref name=mallowsbayabout/>

==Administration==
NOAA, the State of Maryland, and Charles County jointly manage the Mallows Bay–Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary.<ref name=pressrelease20190708/><ref name=chesapeakeconservancyaboutmallowsbay/> NOAA's management responsibilities are focused primarily on the protection of shipwrecks and maritime heritage resources related to them.<ref name=pressrelease20190708/> The Maryland Department of Natural Resources and a multi-state agency, the [[Potomac River Fisheries Commission]], manage the sanctuary's [[natural resource]]s.<ref name=pressrelease20190708/>

NOAA established a Sanctuary Advisory Council for the Mallows Bay–Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary in 2020. It is composed of 15 members and 15 alternates who represent various stakeholders in the sanctuary's affairs, including education, [[marine archaeology]], maritime history, research, [[fishing]], recreational, tourism, cultural resource, and economic development interests as well as the community at large. The council also has non-voting seats for representatives of six government agencies, two Native American tribes, and one Native American nation. The council provides advice on sanctuary operations to the sanctuary superintendent.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sanctuary Advisory Council |url=https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-potomac/involved/council.html |access-date=October 18, 2024 |website=sanctuaries.noaa.gov|publisher=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXaCyk_hjGk Video "Mallows Bay-Potomac River"] by the [[Chesapeake Conservancy]] on [[YouTube]]
*[https://www.chesapeakeconservancy.org/apps/mallows/ Three-dimensional tour of the sanctuary] by the [[Chesapeake Conservancy]]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uL4_9CakBL4 Video "3D Video tour of the Accomac"] by the [[Chesapeake Conservancy]]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_uUcD36T78 Flying over the Barge Wreck] by the [[Chesapeake Conservancy]]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uILqX8IzEsg 3D Video tour of the Sea Scout] by the [[Chesapeake Conservancy]]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fs8Jd_0MmSA Video "Proposed Mallows Bay–Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary, the First in the Chesapeake Watershed"] by [[Maryland Public Television]] on [[YouTube]]

{{Clear}}
{{Protected areas of Maryland|NMS}}
{{National marine sanctuaries of the United States}}

[[Category:National Marine Sanctuaries of the United States]]
[[Category:Protected areas of Charles County, Maryland]]
[[Category:Protected areas of Maryland]]
[[Category:2019 establishments in Maryland]]
[[Category:Protected areas established in 2019]]
[[Category:Potomac River]]