The Choptank River complex, which includes the Choptank and Little Choptank Rivers, is located on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. The Choptank River, with headwaters in Delaware, is the longest river on the Delmarva Peninsula.

This area is a treasured part of the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem, representing critical habitat for spawning striped bass and river herring, as well as historically abundant oyster reefs.

Residents of the watershed—including many families who have lived there for multiple generations—have traditionally been employed in agriculture or commercial fishing.