New Speed Zone Proposed for Tar Creek in Talbot County

Talbot County, MD - The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is reviewing a request for a new speed zone on Tar Creek in Talbot County. The proposal calls for a 6 knot limit during boating season in a small inlet off the creek.

The area in question sits along the Tred Avon River. It is a small cove that measures less than 300 yards wide at its mouth.

The cove sits near the community of Bellevue, not far from Bellevue Community Park. Local boaters and paddlers likely already know how tight the waterway can feel.

An agricultural field runs along the north side of the cove. Docks and moored boats line the shore on the south side.

Personal watercraft and larger boats create large wakes in that tight space. Those wakes have caused shoreline erosion and have knocked docked boats around.

The wakes also create rough, unpredictable water for canoes and kayaks. Right now, there is no speed zone in place for this part of the creek.

Under the proposed rule, boaters could not travel faster than 6 knots, which works out to about 6.9 miles per hour. The rule would also stop boaters from towing someone on water skis or a similar device.

The new limit would only apply during boating season. That season runs from 12:01 a.m. on April 15 through midnight on October 15 each year.

Boating rules in Maryland can come from either the state legislature or the Department of Natural Resources itself. When the Department creates the rule, it is called a regulation, and that is the path this request is on.

This request is currently in the scoping stage of that process. Scoping is the step where the Department gathers input from stakeholders and the public about the issue.

That feedback helps the Department weigh the concerns on both sides before drafting a final plan. Boaters, paddlers, and waterfront property owners in the area will all have a chance to share their views as the process moves forward.

If the new speed zone is approved, the Department expects it could take effect as early as spring 2027. Officials say an exact date has not been set.