Delaware Center for the Inland Bays

Rehoboth Beach, DE: The Delaware Center for the Inland Bays (CIB) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Emily Seldomridge to the position of Watershed Coordinator, a new position at the CIB.

In this position, Dr. Seldomridge will coordinate with partner organizations to implement, track and report progress made on the Inland Bays Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP), the ‘blueprint for actions that should be undertaken by all levels of government, industrial and business sectors, private and public organizations and institutions and the general public to restore and protect the Inland Bays.’ This work will include implementation of the Inland Bays Pollution Control Strategy.

Dr. Seldomridge brings experience in watershed planning, public policy, water quality monitoring, and stakeholder engagement and outreach. She holds a holds a B.S. in Biology from Salisbury University, an M.S. in Marine-Estuarine-Environmental Sciences and a Ph.D. in Geology from the University of Maryland.

Chris Bason, Executive Director of the CIB said, “The expertise and experience that Dr. Seldomridge brings to our team will strengthen our partnerships and integrate best available science into watershed-scale planning and implementation.”

Prior to joining the Center, Emily lived and worked in Texas, passing up a Fulbright Scholarship to Germany in favor of a research and development position with Texas Tech University: “The unique beauty of the Texas Hill Country captured my heart and research curiosity”, she said.

In Texas, Dr. Seldomridge developed a Watershed Protection Plan for the Upper Llano Watershed as part of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Healthy Watersheds Initiative. She later accepted a job with the Galveston Bay Foundation on the Texas Living Waters Project, a plan aimed to better protect springs, rivers, and estuaries by transforming the public policy used to manage and allocate water.

The move to the Delmarva Peninsula was spurred by a desire to return to her roots: “My soul never left Delmarva. I spent my childhood on the banks of the Wicomico River, swimming, fishing, or wading in the mud at low tide. I want to preserve these special memories and the environment where they were made so that others can experience the same connection with nature.

I believe that water is the connecting ribbon not only of watersheds, but also of communities. I will use my multidisciplinary training in water resources to lead watershed planning efforts for the Delaware Center for Inland Bays.”

The Delaware Center for the Inland Bay is one of 28 National Estuary Programs; a non-profit organization established in 1994 to promote the wise use and enhancement of the Inland Bays and its watershed. With its many partners, the CIB conducts public outreach and education, develops and implements restoration projects, encourages scientific inquiry, and sponsors research.