View source for Mallows Bay–Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary

{{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.
|ParentOrganization=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|TopOrganization=Department of Commerce
|OrganizationExecutive=Superintendent
|Services=Historic Preservation; Education; Research; Recreational Activities like Kayaking; Habitat Conservation
|Regulations=15 CFR Part 922 (National Marine Sanctuary Program Regulations)
|HeadquartersLocation=38.468, -77.26256
|HeadquartersAddress=1440 Wilson Landing Road, Nanjemoy, MD 20662
|Website=https://mallowsbay.noaa.gov
}}
{{Short description|Marine sanctuary in the Potomac River}}

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/>