Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary

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Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary

Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary protects the remnants of the "Ghost Fleet" Comment policy: http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/comment-policy.html

The NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries serves as the trustee for a network of underwater parks encompassing more than 600,000 square miles of marine and Great Lakes waters from Washington state to the Florida Keys, and from Lake Huron to American Samoa. The network includes a system of 15 national marine sanctuaries and Papahānaumokuākea and Rose Atoll marine national monuments. If you are

looking for more information about NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, please visit sanctuaries.noaa.gov.

06/17/2026

It's National Pollinator Week! Check out this illustrated diagram of the meadows at Mallows Bay Park - the gateway to Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary. These meadows, managed by Charles County, contain a variety of native grasses and wildflowers that are critical to bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. 🐝🦋🌼

Learn more about meadows and the other habitats of the sanctuary at the link below ⬇️

https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-potomac/science/ecology/habitats.html

🎨🖌️: Jing Graber/NOAA

06/15/2026

It's , and you’re invited to Get Into Your Sanctuary!

Join us this summer across the National Marine Sanctuary System - from sea to shining sea. Each year, as part of national "Get into Your Sanctuary" summer activities, we invite photographers to share striking images that capture wildlife, seascapes, maritime heritage, and meaningful connections to these special places through our Get Into Your Sanctuary Photo Contest. The contest runs from May 22 to September 7!

Visit https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/photo-contest.html and follow NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries to learn more!

📸: Matt McIntosh/NOAA

06/13/2026

Happy National Get Outdoors Day! 🛶 Have you visited Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary yet? Whether you want to kayak, boat, fish, birdwatch, hike, picnic, or more, there's a way for everyone to enjoy the outdoors at Mallows Bay. Check out our website for more information on best times to visit, available amenities, paddle tours, current weather and water conditions, and more resources to help you plan your trip: https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-potomac/visit/

📸: Matt McIntosh/NOAA

06/11/2026

It's National Fishing and Boating Week! 🛥️Whether you’re an experienced angler, or casting your first line, anyone can get hooked on the water at Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary🎣

This Saturday, June 13th, is a Maryland Free Fishing Day - a perfect time to trying fishing in the sanctuary! During a free fishing day, you may catch and possess finfish in Maryland waters for recreational purposes without an angler's license, Chesapeake Bay sportfishing license, or any fishing stamp normally required. Please fish responsibly, and observe all fishing laws and regulations such as size and catch limits!

📸: Matt McIntosh/NOAA

06/09/2026

It's Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week, which celebrates the cultures, history and natural beauty of the nation's largest estuary. Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary is located in the Potomac River, which is the Chesapeake Bay's second largest tributary. It provides about one-quarter of all the freshwater flowing into the estuary!

In the sanctuary, the freshwater of the Potomac River meets the saltier waters from the Chesapeake Bay, resulting in a dynamic, estuarine environment that fluctuates with the tides. This habitat supports a variety of iconic Chesapeake Bay species, including ospreys, bald eagles, striped bass, blue crabs, and more.

📸: Duke University

06/08/2026

Happy ! 🌊 Though Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary is the only sanctuary located in a river environment, all waters are connected, and its waters flow into our one ocean that unites us all on this blue planet.🌎

📸: Kevin Olson

06/06/2026

It's National Trails Day! Did you know that Mallows Bay Park has two miles of hiking trails to explore? Wander through the wetlands, meadows, and woodlands that surround Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary, and even view the Ghost Fleet, without getting your feet wet! 🥾

You can even explore the hiking trails from the comfort of home on the Mallows Bay Virtual Trail! Check it out here: https://paddlemallowsbay.org/mainhiking/

📸: Matt McIntosh/NOAA

06/04/2026

Join us for the upcoming Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council Meeting on June 15, 2026! The meeting is open to the public, and will include updates on the state of the sanctuary and upcoming events.

The meeting will be held at the Charles County Department of Recreation, Parks & Tourism basement conference room (107 Centennial St # A, La Plata, MD 20646) from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. EST. An option to attend the meeting virtually via Microsoft Teams will also be available.

The agenda and meeting link will be posted on the following webpage prior to the meeting: https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-potomac/involved/meetings.html

We hope to see you there!

05/27/2026

Happy ! River otters can be found along lakes, streams, rivers and marshes throughout the Chesapeake Bay. They are graceful yet powerful swimmers, with the ability to remain submerged for several minutes and swim underwater up to a quarter-mile!

Somewhat elusive, they are occasionally spotted at Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary swimming through the tidal marsh or resting on the Ghost Fleet. They are mostly nocturnal, with your best chance of spotting one at dawn or dusk!

Have you ever seen a river otter in the sanctuary? Share your sightings with us in the comments!

🎨🖌️: Jing Graber/NOAA

05/26/2026

At the end of April, Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary held their annual BioBlitz: a community science event where volunteers collect observations of different species in the sanctuary. This event coincided with the worldwide City Nature Challenge, a friendly collaboration among cities all over the world to share observations of nature over the course of one weekend, providing a global snapshot of biodiversity. 🌿🐟🐢🐞🦅🍄

Nearly 40 people participated in the BioBlitz, documenting 237 observations of 167 different species of plants, birds, reptiles, fish, amphibians, and more in the sanctuary waters and surrounding Mallows Bay Park. 🔎

Why it matters:
Community science events like the BioBlitz provide an opportunity for volunteers to visit the sanctuary and contribute valuable scientific data to research and monitoring programs. This data helps sanctuary staff and co-managers better understand the species diversity and ecology of the sanctuary, and provides insight into the presence of invasive and endangered species.

Learn more in our latest : https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/notes/2026/city-nature-challenge-at-mallow-bay.html

📸:Taylor Schneider/NOAA, Elena Gilroy/Charles County, and Megan McCabe/NOAA

Address

1440 Wilson Landing Road
Nanjemoy, MD
20662

Website

https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-potomac/

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