Beach still closed, but boat ramp reopens

Electrical current in water at Truxtun Park forced closures

The Annapolis Truxtun Park boat ramp reopened Thursday after being closed for nearly three weeks when an electrical current was discovered in the water, the city announced.

The issue was brought to the city’s attention July 19 when participants in an Annapolis Recreation and Parks summer camp complained of feeling electrical shocks when they stepped on the dock, said City Manager David Jarrell.

The camp was immediately relocated and the ramp was closed as the city’s electrical inspector, workers from Baltimore Gas & Electric and a private electrician sought out the source of the elevated electrical current. What they discovered were multiple sources, including some nearby street lights, several extension cords located at the dock and an old transformer that needed to be replaced, Jarrell said.

After those issues were addressed, the electrical readings were greatly reduced and it was determined the boat ramp could be reopened, but its still not safe for swimming, Jarrell said. The beach, dinghy launch, and floating docks will remain closed for the time being and swimming is prohibited as workers continue to search for the remaining source of electricity, he said.

“The great mystery is why (the electrical current) just popped up,” Jarrell said. “It seems like some of the issues I mentioned that have been corrected were longstanding issues and if (the current) has been that high, that’s kind of disturbing.”

The city has installed ground probes to monitor the area and plans to place another meter that will provide continuous readouts of electrical current, Jarrell said.

The Truxtun boat ramp on Spa Creek is one of two public launching facilities in the city. The other is the Tucker Street ramp, which feeds into Weems Creek, and is only available for Annapolis residents.

Daily and annual permits can be purchased from the Annapolis Harbor Master’s Office.