Sinepuxent Bay has a small, relatively undeveloped watershed and good oceanic flushing through the Ocean City Inlet. Sinepuxent Bay is an inland waterway which connects Chincoteague Bay to the Ocean City Inlet. It separates Sinepuxent Neck in Worcester County, Maryland from Assateague Island, and is crossed by Maryland State Highway 611. There are several islands in the Bay that compose the Sinepuxent Wildlife Management Area.
Information compiled by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) indicates that researchers and coastal managers consistently note environmental, navigational, and aesthetic concerns regarding the cumulative impacts of docks, piers, and wetland walkways. In particular, overly large structures increase the likelihood of navigational problems, increase pollution to sediments and surface waters, and increase shading of wetland vegetation and seagrass. Preliminary results of surveys conducted in Worcester County indicate that marsh-dependent birds are negatively impacted by long piers. In an effort to minimize cumulative impacts, Worcester County prohibits private piers longer than 30 m (100 ft) and community piers longer than 90 m (300 ft) over marsh.
