ANNAPOLIS, MD—The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced this week that it will allocate $20 million in grants for Fiscal Year 2026 to enhance public boating access, dredge navigable waterways, and bolster safety for first responders across the state.
The funding, drawn from the Waterway Improvement Fund, will support a range of projects including new and upgraded public boating facilities, maintenance dredging of critical channels, and the acquisition of emergency vessels and equipment for local agencies. Fiscal Year 2026 begins July 1.
“Keeping Maryland’s waterways accessible, safe, and navigable is a priority for our maritime state,” said Maryland Secretary of Natural Resources Josh Kurtz. “And it’s a team effort, requiring the remarkable cooperative management of local, state, and federal infrastructure and resources. DNR is proud to administer the Waterway Improvement Fund, an essential program funded by Maryland’s boating public and distributed in close partnership with our waterfront communities.”
The Waterway Improvement Fund is primarily financed by a one-time 5% excise tax on boat purchases and titling in Maryland, along with a portion of the state’s gas tax. Historically, the fund has supported the construction and maintenance of more than 400 public boating facilities and 250 public navigational channels.
For FY26, the department received more than $42.8 million in requests, highlighting the significant demand for waterway infrastructure improvements. Projects are selected based on local government and state priorities, with an emphasis on benefiting the general boating public.
The Department of Natural Resources will begin accepting applications for the next fiscal year’s Waterway Improvement Fund starting July 15, through its online Grants Gateway.
Projects funded in FY26 include:
Anne Arundel County:
Upper West River and Johns Creek, dredging
$530,000
Annapolis Fire Department, fire and rescue vessel and equipment
$32,250
Reconfiguring of St Mary’s Creek mooring field in Spa Creek, Annapolis
$250,000
Baltimore County:
Cox’s Point Park boating facility replacement
$450,000
Shallow Creek and North Point Creek Maintenance dredging
$500,000
Replacement of boat ramps at Rocky Point Park
$200,000
Replacement and expansion of Dundee Creek Marina
$500,000
Caroline County:
Replacement of bulkhead at Crouse Park
$225,000
Greensboro boating facility and parking/access road improvements
$75,000
Charles County:
New engines for two Cobb Island Volunteer Fire Department fire and rescue vessels
$40,000
Sweden Point Marina improvements
$1 million
Dorchester County:
Cambridge Municipal Marina wave attenuator
$250,000
Cambridge Municipal Marina replacement of timber decking
$250,000
Frederick County:
Brunswick Volunteer Ambulance and Rescue vessel
$15,500
Harford County:
Swan Harbor Farm dredge material placement site remediation
$1.5 million
Maintenance dredging of navigable public boating channels in Foster Branch
$200,000
Prince George’s County:
Piscataway Creek dredging
$200,000
Queen Anne’s County:
Phase 2 dredging of Queenstown Creek channel and beneficial use of material
$1.5 million
Evaluation and engineering for Kent Narrows jetty
$75,000
United Communities Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department vessel and equipment
$80,000
Kent Island Volunteer Fire Department Rescue Vessel and equipment
$80,000
Somerset County:
Somers Cove Marina bulkhead replacement and facility improvements
$4.5 million
Reconstruction of Somerset County dock in Ewell
$350,000
Shoreline protection for the navigable channel at Ewell Basin
$50,000
Renovation of public boating infrastructure at Ewell Basin
$75,000
Construction of a stone breakwater to protect the Tylerton Harbor
$400,000
St. Mary’s County:
Wicomico Shores boating pier improvements
$199,000
Point Lookout State Park Marina improvements
$1 million
Forest Landing Boating facility repairs
$50,000
Talbot County:
Channel dredging at Clairborne Landing
$50,000
Replacement of the bulkhead and boating structures at Tilghman Street in Oxford
$250,000
St. Michaels West Harbor Road and Chew Avenue public marina improvements
$150,000
Boating facility improvements on Tilghman Creek
$75,000
Wicomico County:
Leonards Mill Park boat ramp replacement and improvements
$250,000
Nanticoke Harbor boat ramp replacement
$75,000
Cedar Hill Boat Ramp Reconstruction in Bivalve
$250,000
Worcester County:
George Island Landing boating facility improvements
$250,000
Pocomoke State Park Shad Landing Marina improvements
$1 million
Statewide (Funds used by DNR for the benefit of all waterway users):
Clean Vessel Act – Pumpout Program Equipment
$213,785
DNR vessel for surveying, monitoring, buoy maintenance and deployment, and storm response
$400,000
Matching funds required for statewide federal boating grant program
$300,000
Statewide emergency and maintenance dredging needs
$1.66 million
Design and construction of eligible shore erosion control projects
$500,000
Photo: Oak Creek Landing public “soft launch” boat access in Talbot County was upgraded using a previous Waterway Improvement Fund grant. Maryland Department of Natural Resources photo.
