The StateChesapeakeBay · 2017-07-25 · The State of the Chesapeake Bay and Its Watershed 4 A...
Transcript of The StateChesapeakeBay · 2017-07-25 · The State of the Chesapeake Bay and Its Watershed 4 A...
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
A Report to the Citizens of the Bay Region 2004 3
- 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
The State o f the Chesapeake Bay and It s Water shed4
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.
A Report to the Citizens of the Bay Region 2004 5
The State o f the Chesapeake Bay and It s Water shed6
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
A Report to the Citizens of the Bay Region 2004 7
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.
The State o f the Chesapeake Bay and It s Water shed8
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
A Report to the Citizens of the Bay Region 2004 13
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
The State o f the Chesapeake Bay and It s Water shed14
A Report to the Citizens of the Bay Region 2004 15
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.
The State o f the Chesapeake Bay and It s Water shed16
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.
A Report to the Citizens of the Bay Region 2004 17
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
The State o f the Chesapeake Bay and It s Water shed18
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
A Report to the Citizens of the Bay Region 2004 19
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
The State o f the Chesapeake Bay and It s Water shed20
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