the state of the chesapeake bay and its watershed

The Stateof the Chesapeake Bay

and Its Watershed

A Report to the Citizens of the Bay Region CBP/TRS 273/05EPA 903-R-04-009December 2004www.chesapeakebay.net

The State o f the Chesapeake Bay and It s Water shed

The Chesapeake Bay Program, formed

in 1983 by the first Chesapeake Bay

agreement, is a unique regional part-

nership guiding the restoration of the

Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.

The Bay Program partners include

the states of Maryland, Pennsylvania

and Virginia; the District of Columbia;

the Chesapeake Bay Commission, a

tri-state legislative body; the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency

(EPA), which represents the federal

government; and participating adviso-

ry groups. Delaware, New York and

West Virginia, representing the Bay’s

headwaters, also participate in Bay

Program water quality restoration

activities.

Chesapeake Bay Program

410 Severn Avenue, Suite 109

Annapolis, Maryland 21403

(800) YOUR BAY

Recycled/Recyclable—Printed withVegetable Oil Based Inks on RecycledPaper (30% Postconsumer)

Printed by theU.S. Environmental Protection Agencyfor the Chesapeake Bay Program

To read this report online and link tomore information on the State of theChesapeake Bay and Its Watershed, visitwww.chesapeakebay.net/SOTB04

A Report to the Citizens of the Bay Region 2004 1

The majestic Chesapeake Bay is the

heart of the mid-Atlantic region. From

early Native Americans to today’s

visitors and residents, people have

stood in awe of the astonishing beauty

and plentiful resources provided by the

Chesapeake and its surrounding lands.

Today, however, the Bay and its water-

shed are in peril and require immediate

attention. This report on the health of

the Bay watershed presents current

efforts to restore what the U.S. Congress

has called our “national treasure.”

Your Bayand Its Watershed

The State o f the Chesapeake Bay and It s Water shed2

To learn more about yourpart of the Bay watershed,visit Watershed Profiles atwww.chesapeakebay.net/wspv31


- that includes parts of six states —

Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West

Virginia — and all of the District of Columbia. Billions of gallons

of water flow each day through our backyard streams and rivers and,

eventually, into the Chesapeake Bay.

The Bay is an estuary — a place of transition between the land and

the sea, where incoming fresh water mixes with salty ocean water.

The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in North America

and is an extremely productive ecosystem, home to more

than 3,600 species of plants and animals.

The Chesapeake Bay watershedcovers an enormous 64,000-square mile area A Watershed Defined: A watershed is

the land area through which water

flows and drains to the lowest point,

into a stream, river, lake or estuary.

A watershed may be large or small,

may occupy sloping, mountainous or

nearly flat terrain and cover many

landscapes, including forests, farm-

land, small towns and cities. Human

activities in a watershed eventually

affect the water quality downstream.

Chesapeake Bay Watershed

State boundaries

Chesapeake Bay and Rivers

NEW YORK

PENNSYLVANIA

WEST VIRGINIA

MARYLANDNEW

JERSEY

VIRGINIA

DELAWAREDC


A Stressed Ecosystem

For centuries, people have settled throughout the Bay’s watershed and

harvested its bounty. The Bay and its rivers provide drinking water for

millions, pathways for commerce, robust fish and shellfish industries,

and recreation. As people have taken advantage of these resources,

they have forever changed the Bay.

Today, the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed are in danger. Although

it has provided for us for hundreds of years, the Bay now needs help

from every citizen in the watershed.

Each small part of the Bay region is interconnected. Streams flowing

through the Chesapeake’s headwaters are linked to the blue crab

hiding among underwater grasses in its shallows. Natural corridors

throughout the watershed connecting wetlands, forests and streams

provide important habitat. These forests and wetlands hold nutrients

and sediment in place and reduce the amount of runoff flowing into

small creeks and streams. As they are destroyed to make room for

roads and buildings, their ability to hold back pollutants and the

important habitat they offer are lost as well.

A complex network of rivers and streams, beginning at the

Chesapeake’s headwaters hundreds of miles away, carries fresh

water into the Bay. These waterways also carry pollution, and by

the time they reach the Chesapeake, the accumulated pollution

load can be enormous.


Bay restoration partners know that we have forever changed the

watershed’s landscape. Now, in the face of a growing population, we

must work to manage the natural systems of the Bay and its watershed

to bring them back into balance.

The Chesapeake Bay region states have joined forces with the federal

government to restore and protect the Bay and its watershed. This

partnership, called the Chesapeake Bay Program, was created in 1983

to help coordinate restoration efforts across state boundaries. Over the

Bay ProgramPartnership

Working to Restore the Chesapeake


past 20 years, scientists, resource managers, community organizations,

local governments, farmers, watermen and other citizens have come

together to work toward securing a brighter future for the Chesapeake.

Restoration effort is ongoing, and we need your help. We must be

diligent in protecting and restoring the Bay, so that our children and

theirs—and many generations to come—will be able to enjoy the

splendor of this national treasure.

A R

epor

t to

the

Citi

zens

of

the

Bay

Regi

on20

049

Nut

rient

and

Sed

imen

tPo

llutio

n Ed

ging

Dow

n M

onito

ring

data

col

lect

ed th

roug

hout

the

wat

ersh

edsh

ow th

at, i

n so

me

of th

e Ba

y’s m

ajor

trib

utar

ies,

the

conc

entra

tions

of n

itrog

en, p

hosp

horo

us a

nd s

edim

ent

flow

ing

into

the

Bay

are

decr

easi

ng.

Thes

e ch

arts

use

flow

-adj

uste

d da

ta, w

hich

are

‘nor

mal

ized’

to a

ccou

nt fo

r sea

sona

l and

yea

r-to-

year

varia

bilit

y in

wea

ther

pat

tern

s. F

low

-adj

uste

d da

ta h

elp

reso

urce

man

ager

s be

tter a

sses

s th

e ef

fect

iven

ess

ofla

nd-b

ased

pol

lutio

n re

duct

ion

actio

ns.

S

S

SS

SS

N

N

N

NN

P

P P

P

PP

SN

P

SN

P

SN

P

SN

P

SN

P

SN

P

SN

P

SN

N

P

Nitr

ogen

Phos

phor

usSe

dim

ent

N N

P P P

S SSN

1980

s–

2003

Decr

easi

ng tr

end

No

sign

ifica

nt tr

end

Incr

easi

ng tr

end

The

Sta

te o

f the

Che

sape

ake

Bay

and

its W

ater

shed

prov

ides

a s

naps

hot

of

the

Bay

’s he

alth

. Thi

s se

ctio

n of

the

repo

rt g

ives

a b

rief

ove

rvie

w o

f som

e

of t

he k

ey in

dica

tors

Bay

exp

erts

rel

y

on t

o as

sess

the

hea

lth o

f the

Bay

and

its w

ater

shed

. Whe

re p

ossib

le, t

his

repo

rt s

how

s ho

w t

hese

indi

cato

rs a

re

inte

rrel

ated

and

inte

rcon

nect

ed w

ithin

the

wat

ersh

ed.

Wan

t to

Lear

n M

ore?

For

mor

e in

form

atio

n on

eac

h

indi

cato

r, w

e in

clud

e a

dire

ct

link

to t

he C

hesa

peak

e B

ay

Prog

ram

web

site

. By

follo

win

g

the

links

, vis

itor

s to

the

web

site

can

exp

lore

issu

es

in d

epth

and

acc

ess

the

data

used

to

com

pile

the

rep

ort.

Man

y of

the

indi

cato

rs

incl

uded

in t

he f

ollo

win

g

page

s ar

e up

date

d an

d po

sted

on t

he B

ay P

rogr

am w

ebsi

te

as n

ew d

ata

are

avai

labl

e

thro

ugho

ut t

he y

ear.

For a

full

list o

f the

indi

cato

rs u

sed

in th

isre

port,

vis

it th

e St

ate

of th

e Ch

esap

eake

Bay

and

its W

ater

shed

sect

ion

of th

eCh

esap

eake

Bay

Pro

gram

’s w

ebsi

te, a

tw

ww

.che

sape

akeb

ay.n

et/S

OTB0

4

The

Sta

te o

f th

e

Che

sape

akeB

ayan

d It

sWat

ersh

edw

ww

.che

sape

akeb

ay.n

et/s

edim

ent.h

tm

ww

w.c

hesa

peak

ebay

.net

/nut

r1.h

tm

Oyst

er p

opul

atio

ns in

the

Ches

apea

ke h

ave

been

dec

imat

ed b

y di

seas

e,in

tens

e ha

rves

t pre

ssur

e an

d po

or w

ater

qua

lity.

ww

w.c

hesa

peak

ebay

.net

/am

eric

an_o

yste

r.htm

-1.5

0

-1.0

0

-0.5

0

0.00

0.50

1.00

1.50

2.00

1968

1971

1974

1977

1980

1983

1986

1989

1992

1995

1998

20012003

Spawning Female Index

Aver

age

Blue

Cra

bs a

t Ris

k

020406080100

120

140

160

180

19841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003

Bay Grasses (x 1,000 acres)

Rest

orat

ion

Goal

(185

,000

acr

es b

y 20

10)

Bay

Gras

ses

Show

Ann

ual V

aria

tion

0102030405060

198219831984198519861987198819891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002

SSB (females ages 4+ years, millions of lbs.)

2003

Bayw

ide

Fem

ale

Spaw

ning

Sto

ck B

iom

ass

Fish

ing

mor

ator

ia:

MD

& D

E: 1

985-

1990

VA:

1989

-199

0

Rock

fish

Popu

latio

n St

able

0510152025303540

1953

1955

1957

1959

1961

1963

1965

1967

1969

1971

1973

1975

1977

1979

1981

1983

1985

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

Commercial Landings (million lbs)

Virg

inia

Mar

ylan

d

2003

Oyst

ers

at H

isto

ric L

ows

Wet

land

s Be

ing

Rest

ored

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

Cumulative Miles of River Habitat Opened

Open

ed, b

ut n

ot y

etto

Mig

rato

ry F

ish

Open

ed to

Mig

rato

ry F

ish

1998

Goa

l – 7

31 m

iles

2003

Goa

l – 1

,357

mile

s

Mig

rato

ry F

ish

Habi

tat E

xpan

ding

Diss

olve

d Ox

ygen

Lev

els

Dang

erou

sly

Low

in S

umm

er

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

9000

1000

0

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

Cumulative Miles Restored

Ripa

rian

Fore

stBu

ffers

59%

Not

Buf

fere

dW

ith F

ores

t41

%

Curr

ent

2010

Goa

l:10

,000

mile

s(e

stab

lishe

d 20

03)

Initi

al 2

010

Goal

:2,0

10 m

iles

(est

ablis

hed

1996

)

Fore

st B

uffe

rs S

prou

ting

Up

Tota

lRe

stor

ed57

%

Tota

lRe

mai

ning

43%

Wet

land

s Re

stor

atio

n Pr

ogra

m A

chie

vem

ent

PA G

oal:

4,00

0 ac

res

Rest

ored

: 930

acr

esPe

rcen

t Ach

ieve

men

t: 23

%

MD

Goa

l: 15

,000

acr

esRe

stor

ed: 1

2,59

3 ac

res

Perc

ent A

chie

vem

ent:

84%

VA G

oal:

6,00

0 ac

res

Rest

ored

: 794

acr

esPe

rcen

t Ach

ieve

men

t: 13

%

Impr

oved

wat

er q

ualit

y an

d ha

bita

t res

tora

tion

effo

rts a

long

with

pro

per m

anag

emen

t of t

he c

rab

harv

est a

re n

eede

d to

rest

ore

the

Bay’s

blu

e cr

ab p

opul

atio

ns.

ww

w.c

hesa

peak

ebay

.net

/blu

e_cr

ab.h

tm

Redu

ctio

ns in

the

pollu

tant

s flo

win

g in

to th

e Ba

y ar

e ne

eded

to h

elp

unde

rwat

er b

ay g

rass

es. A

nnua

l var

iatio

ns in

bay

gra

sses

show

the

sens

itivi

ty o

f the

Bay

eco

syst

em. N

ote:

Oran

ge a

rea

ofba

r inc

lude

s es

timat

ed a

dditi

onal

acr

eage

. No

surv

ey in

198

8.

ww

w.c

hesa

peak

ebay

.net

/bay

gras

.htm

Wet

land

s ar

e a

valu

able

pie

ce o

f the

Bay

’s ec

osys

tem

. The

y fil

ter

and

capt

ure

pollu

tant

s, p

rovi

de w

ildlif

e ha

bita

t, pr

otec

t sho

relin

esan

d re

duce

floo

ding

.

ww

w.c

hesa

peak

ebay

.net

/wet

lds1

.htm

Stre

amsi

de fo

rest

s pr

even

t pol

luta

nts

from

ent

erin

g th

eriv

ers

of th

e w

ater

shed

by

soak

ing

up n

utrie

nts

and

trapp

ing

sedi

men

t.

ww

w.c

hesa

peak

ebay

.net

/fore

stbu

ff.ht

m

Rem

ovin

g bl

ocka

ges

in th

e w

ater

shed

’s riv

ers

allo

ws

mig

rato

ry fi

sh to

retu

rn u

pstre

am to

spa

wn.

Slo

wly,

mig

rato

ry fi

sh a

re re

turn

ing.

ww

w.c

hesa

peak

ebay

.net

/fish

pass

.htm

Rock

fish

have

rebo

unde

d bu

t con

cern

s re

mai

n ov

erdi

seas

e, fo

od s

ourc

es a

nd a

vaila

bilit

y of

spa

wni

ng h

abita

t.

ww

w.c

hesa

peak

ebay

.net

/str

iped

_bas

s.ht

m

The

exte

nt a

nd d

urat

ion

of lo

w o

xyge

n le

vels

in th

e de

eper

wat

ers

of th

e Ba

y va

ryw

idel

y de

pend

ing

on th

e am

ount

of r

ainf

all,

tem

pera

ture

and

pol

lutio

n le

vels

.

ww

w.c

hesa

peak

ebay

.net

/do.

htm

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

Volume (1012 liters) below 5 mg/L

Volu

me

of M

ains

tem

Bay

Low

er L

ayer

Wat

ers

with

Red

uced

Oxy

gen

(Jun

e–

Sept

embe

r Ave

rage

)

024681012141618

2004

Hypo

xia

Seve

re H

ypox

ia

Anox

ia

2.0

– <5

mg/

L

0.2

– <2

mg/

L

0–

<0.2

mg/

L

Wor

seBe

tter

Th

e St

ate

of t

he

Ch

esap

eake

Bay

an

d I

ts W

ater

shed

12

Appo

mat

tox

Rapp

ahan

nock

Patu

xentM

iddl

e

Nor

thea

st

Tang

ier S

ound

Pata

psco

Uppe

r Che

ster

Sass

afra

ssBo

hem

ia

Back

Chic

kaho

min

y

Mid

dle

Chop

tank

tat us ble

Mou

th o

f Cho

ptan

k

Wic

omic

o

Gunp

owde

r

Low

er C

hopt

ank

Mat

taw

oman

Cree

k

East

ern

Bay

Mee

tsBo

rder

line

Fails

Bay

Gras

s Ha

bita

tRe

quire

men

tAt

tain

men

t Sta

tus

(200

1-20

03)

Tren

d(1

985-

2003

)

Degr

ading

Impr

oving

Segm

ents

with

unch

ange

d tre

nds

have

no sy

mbo

lNo

t Ava

ilable

Mee

tsBo

rder

line

Fails

Bay

Gras

s Ha

bita

tRe

quire

men

tAt

tain

men

t Sta

tus

(200

1-20

03)

Tren

d(1

985-

2003

)

Degr

adin

g

Impr

ovin

g

Segm

ents

with

unch

ange

d tre

nds

have

no sy

mbo

lNo

t Ava

ilable

Mix

ed T

rend

sin

Alg

ae L

evel

s Ch

loro

phyl

la—

a p

igm

ent f

ound

in p

lant

s —

is m

easu

red

to d

eter

min

e th

e am

ount

of a

lgae

pre

sent

in th

e w

ater

.

Wat

er C

larit

yIm

prov

emen

tsN

eede

d In

Key

Habi

tat A

reas

Wat

er c

larit

y is

crit

ical

toth

e he

alth

of u

nder

wat

ergr

asse

s th

at p

rovi

deim

porta

nt h

abita

t for

man

y Ba

y an

imal

s.

s rline

Habi

tat

men

tt S

tatu

s00

3)

vaila

ble

Mou

th o

f Cho

ptan

k

Poto

mac

Eliza

beth

Upp

er J

ames

Appo

mat

tox

Rapp

ahan

nock

Patu

xent

Wic

omic

o

Pian

kata

nkM

obja

ck B

ay

Mid

dle

Mai

nste

m B

ay

Low

er M

ains

tem

Bay

Rhod

eW

est

Poco

mok

e

Nor

thea

st

Littl

e Ch

opta

nk

Nan

ticok

e

Fish

ing

Bay

Man

okin

Tang

ier S

ound

York

Pam

unke

yPata

psco So

uth

Uppe

r Che

ster

Sass

afra

ssBo

hem

ia

Mat

tapo

ni

Back

Bush

Gunp

owde

r

Chic

kaho

min

y

Uppe

r Cho

ptan

kLo

wer

Cho

ptan

kPi

scat

away

Cree

kM

atta

wom

anCr

eek

Corro

tom

an

Uppe

r Cen

tral M

ains

tem

Bay

C&D

Cana

l

Nut

rient

Pol

lutio

n –

Too

Muc

h of

a G

ood

Thin

g

Whe

n to

o m

any

nutri

ents

reac

h th

e

Bay,

they

fuel

larg

e al

gae

bloo

ms

that

,

in tu

rn, b

lock

sun

light

and

dep

lete

the

oxyg

en in

the

wat

er a

s th

e al

gae

die

and

deco

mpo

se. W

ithou

t sun

light

,

unde

rwat

er b

ay g

rass

es c

anno

t gro

w.

With

out o

xyge

n, b

lue

crab

s an

d fis

h

cann

ot li

ve. A

s un

derw

ater

bay

gras

ses

die

off,

impo

rtant

hab

itat f

or

fish

and

shel

lfish

is lo

st. A

s bl

ue c

rab

popu

latio

ns d

eclin

e, la

rger

fish

, suc

h

as ro

ckfis

h, h

ave

few

er fo

od s

ourc

es.

Each

sm

all p

art o

f the

Bay

eco

syst

em

is c

onne

cted

. If o

ne p

art i

s ou

t of

bala

nce,

the

entir

e sy

stem

suf

fers

.

ww

w.c

hesa

peak

ebay

.net

/st

atus

.cfm

?sid

=119

ww

w.c

hesa

peak

ebay

.net

/st

atus

.cfm

?sid

=80


Nutrients and SedimentHarming the BayNutrients, particularly nitrogen and phosphorous, are the key pollu-

tants harming the Chesapeake Bay. In small quantities, nutrients aren’t

harmful. In fact, a healthy ecosystem needs nutrients for plants to grow

and animals to flourish. But too many nutrients have disastrous effects.

Nutrients enter waterways through numerous paths. Rainwater carries

fertilizer from lawns and farm fields. It washes small particles of dirt

and oil from roadways and sidewalks, and erodes unprotected stream

banks. Nutrients come from many sources, such as lawn fertilizer,

sewage treatment plants and septic systems, farm fields and even the

air. The largest contributors of nutrients to the Bay are agriculture,

atmospheric deposition (nutrients entering the Bay from the air),

wastewater treatment plants and runoff from developed, urban lands.

Sediment, what many of us refer to as dirt, also is harmful to the Bay.

It is carried into waterways by stream bank and shoreline erosion and

rainwater runoff. Sediment clouds the Bay’s water and limits the light

needed for underwater bay grasses to grow.

The amount of nutrients and sediment flowing into the Bay must be

reduced to restore healthy water quality for the Bay’s living resources.

Bay Program partners are working together to develop comprehensive

solutions, referred to as tributary strategies, for reducing nutrient

pollution.For more information on the impactsof nutrients on the Bay ecosystem, visitwww.chesapeakebay.net/nutr1.htm


Examining the Bay’s Healthover the Long TermThe Chesapeake Bay is a dynamic system, and conditions within

the Bay fluctuate from year to year, month to month and even day

to day. With time, this complex system will respond to our restoration

efforts, from pollution reductions and fisheries management to

habitat restoration.

Examining data over time helps scientists understand natural varia-

tions as well as the long-term effects of restoration efforts. All of the

data provided in this report reflect the Bay’s health over the course

of many years, and in some cases, decades.


Assessing a Vast WatershedBay scientists have found that actions on land, even hundreds of miles

upstream in the headwaters, affect the Bay’s living resources downstream.

Understanding the effects of management actions, as well as their

relationship to the rest of the Bay ecosystem, requires a complex set

of tools. As a result, Bay scientists rely heavily on a collection of water

quality monitoring data and computer modeling.

Bay Program partners regularly collect water samples throughout the

Bay’s mainstem as well as from its rivers and streams. Scientists analyze

these samples to understand the current and long-term health of the

Bay and its rivers.

These data are then combined with other information, such as historic

hydrologic conditions and management actions, and used to create

computer models of the Chesapeake and its watershed. These computer

models help scientists better understand the likely effects of management

actions on the Bay’s health. They also help scientists gain a better under-

standing of how the Bay works.

Computer models are used to evaluate management strategies and

projected long-term progress toward restoring a healthy Bay, while

monitoring data help us determine whether we’re successful. Bay

Program partners track more than 100 indicators of restoration

progress and Bay watershed health; 89 of these use monitoring

and tracking data, and the rest rely on computer modeling.


When viewed together, what do all of these data and analyses tell

Bay scientists about the health of the Chesapeake and its watershed?

The Chesapeake Bay is a complex, sensitive and dynamic ecosystem.

As a result, it is impossible to define the current state of the

Chesapeake Bay in short, simple terms. No single chart tells the

whole story.

Some areas of the Chesapeake and its watershed are improving.

For instance, the number of streams with restored forested buffers –

a vital management practice that slows the flow of harmful nutrients

and sediment into streams and the Bay – is increasing. Rockfish are

common in many areas of the Bay during summer months. On the

other hand, critical species such as oysters and blue crabs are at or

near historically low levels because of disease, harvest pressures,

degraded habitat and poor water quality conditions.

Long-term monitoring data trends indicate that some progress has

been made in stemming the flow of harmful nutrients into the Bay.

Nearly 100 wastewater treatment plants have been upgraded to

limit nutrient pollution. Similarly, more than three million acres

of cropland have pollution-fighting nutrient management plans in

place. But while we are making some progress, we still have a very

long way to go. In 2003, near-record rains washed massive amounts

of pollution into local waters and the Bay, resulting in record losses

of Bay grasses and a huge increase in the volume of low-oxygen

waters during the middle of the summer. Only after we have slashed

nutrient and sediment levels far below current levels will we have

a Bay ecosystem healthy and resilient enough to withstand these

natural variations in weather.

Restoring the BayA Work in Progress


Progress toward MeetingNutrient and SedimentGoals Limited

The Chesapeake Bay Program

Watershed Model provides program

managers with a way to estimate the

nutrient and sediment reductions that

will likely occur as pollution abatement

practices are implemented throughout

the watershed. These reduction esti-

mates also provide an indication of the

pollutant load that would flow into the

Bay in an “average year.” Using the

model, managers can project the

future response of various manage-

ment actions put in place today.

Model estimates and water quality

monitoring observations both indicate

some limited progress has been made

toward meeting watershed-wide

nutrient and sediment reduction goals.

However, much more needs to be

done. To meet the dramatically tougher

pollution reduction goals set in 2003,

we must slash nearly twice as much

nitrogen from the waters flowing into

the Bay as has been eliminated since

1985, according to model estimates.

Steep reductions in the amount of

phosphorus and sediment flowing

into the Bay also are needed.

While model estimates

allow us to assess restora-

tion actions, the ultimate

success of Bay restoration

will be measured by the

health of the Bay’s living

resources. (For more

information on the Bay

Watershed Model, see

“Assessing a Vast

Watershed”, page 16.)0

5

10

15

20

25

30

1985 2000 2002

Phos

phor

us L

oad

(mill

ions

lbs/

yr)

2010PhosphorusGoal

2010NitrogenGoal

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

1985 2000 2002

Nitr

ogen

Loa

d (m

illio

n lb

s/yr

)

2010SedimentGoal

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1985 2000 2002

Sedi

men

t Loa

d (m

illio

ns to

ns/y

r)

www.chesapeakebay.net/status.cfm?sid=186


0

5

10

15

20

25

1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

2010

2020

2030

Ches

apea

ke B

asin

Pop

ulat

ion

(mill

ions

)

Estimated

Confronting the Bay’s ChallengesWhile important advances have been made over the past few decades

in understanding the Chesapeake and implementing restoration

programs, much more work remains to be done. The Bay watershed’s

population grows by 100,000 each year, and development pressure

is intensifying. We must make many difficult decisions, right now.

Communities must decide how to stem the tide of nutrients and

other pollutants flowing into the Bay as their populations grow

and the demand for housing, roads and other development increases.

Finding innovative ways to install best management practices on city

streets, in wastewater treatment plants and on farms continues to be

a challenge. In addition to improving the way we manage our lands,

we must improve the way we manage our living resources and take

into account the way they interact with the entire Bay ecosystem.

Chesapeake BayWatershed PopulationIncreasing

Since 1950, the Bay watershed’s

population has doubled to about 16

million people. As the population of

the watershed grows, so does our

footprint on the landscape. In the past

decade, population increased by

about 8 percent, while the amount of

impervious surface increased by 41

percent, representing an area five

times the size of the nation’s capital.

Managing future growth will be

critical to preserving gains made

during the first two decades of Bay

restoration efforts.

www.chesapeakebay.net/land.htm


Even the smallest

contributions can add up to big changes for the health of your local

waterways and the Chesapeake Bay. The Bay restoration partners

have a clear plan for restoring and protecting the Chesapeake and

its watershed – Chesapeake 2000. Citizens must take part in

implementing this plan. Students can work with their teachers to

implement schoolyard and neighborhood restoration projects.

Community groups can team up with local conservation organiza-

tions to restore their local streams. Businesses can find ways to

reduce their impact on their communities.

You Can Help.Each citizen in the Bay watershedplays a part in this effort.

A Report to the Citizens of the Bay Region 2004

For more information on how you canget involved in your community to helprestore the Bay and its rivers, visit

www.chesapeakebay.net/involved.htm

Credits/Production Notes:

Design: 818 Studio, Inc.

Illustrations: Wood Ronsaville Harlin, Inc.

Photography: Many of the images included

in this report were provided by the National

Park Service’s Chesapeake Bay Gateways

Network, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS),

the National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration (NOAA), the U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Paynter

Labs. Additional photographs courtesy of

Middleton Evans, Starke Jett, Mike Land,

Russ Mader, Dr. Kent Mountford and

Chris Spielmann.

Looking to the FutureWe must remember that humans have been influencing the Bay

and its watershed for hundreds of years. The Bay cannot be restored

overnight. Bay scientists are helping us understand the problems

facing the Chesapeake, and Bay Program partners are working on

an ambitious effort to restore the watershed. But it is only through

the dedicated work of everyone living in the Bay watershed,

sustained over time, that we can restore the majestic beauty

and bounty of the Chesapeake Bay.

Chesapeake BayGateways Are YourChesapeake Connection

Chesapeake Bay Gateways are points

of entry into the Chesapeake Bay’s

rich life and culture, where you can

experience the history that shaped

our nation, from the earliest European

settlements and the War of

Independence, through the Industrial

Revolution, the Civil War and into

the 21st century. Chesapeake Bay

Gateways reveal the Bay’s hidden

treasures and tell its stories. Through

its parks, wildlife refuges, maritime

museums, historic or archaeological

sites and water trails, each gateway

provides a place to enjoy, relax,

explore and learn more about the

Chesapeake Bay.

Visit www.baygateways.net to

learn more about Chesapeake Bay

Gateways and to plan your own

Chesapeake Bay journey.

Chesapeake Bay Program410 Severn Avenue, Suite 109Annapolis, Maryland 21403(800) YOUR BAYwww.chesapeakebay.net

the state of the chesapeake bay and its watershed

Documents