Name: Julia Smeltzer
Date: 08/05/2026
Time (EST/EDT): 10:00 am
Location: CBL Nice Hall
Remote Access: email: mees@!umd.edu

Committee Chair: Lora Harris
Committee Members: Jeremy Testa, Lorie Staver

Title: The relationship between tidal wetland and water quality in subestuaries of Calvert County, Maryland

Abstract: Around the world scientists and managers are working to reduce nutrient and sediment pollution to improve water quality. Watershed characteristics like land use and geomorphology influence nutrient and sediment loads and their impact on estuaries. Tidal wetlands are important parts of estuarine ecosystems that may be key to improving water quality. Using generalized additive models (GAM), this thesis identified watershed characteristics that influence water quality in tidal creek systems of Calvert County, Maryland. We found that GAM models can be used at subestuarine levels to determine management priorities. In Calvert County, management should focus on reducing nutrient loads from agricultural areas and sediment loads as well as increasing tidal wetland and other natural areas. This work also used a novel approach to link tidal wetland to water quality and demonstrates the importance of including wetlands in models used to predict water quality and choose management decisions.