Chesapeake Bay Activities
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The Chesapeake Bay is our Nation’s largest estuary and provides over $100 billion in annual economic value. The USGS works with Federal, State, local, and academic partners to provide research and monitoring and to communicate results to inform management for the Chesapeake and other important landscapes across the Nation. See our Science page to learn about our themes and topics being addressed.
USGS Chesapeake Bay Highlights for FY2020
USGS Chesapeake studies are supported by multiple Mission Areas, collectively providing $14.85 million, which included a $2 million increase in 2020. Monitoring and projects are carried out by multiple USGS Science Centers.
See accomplishmentsNew Review of Sediment Science Informs Choices of Management Actions
The USGS conducted a synthesis on the state-of-the-art science of sediment dynamics for the Chesapeake Bay watershed to inform restoration efforts. The synthesis reviewed and summarized multiple aspects of sediment.
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Learn more about USGS science activities in the Bay from our Science Strategy. Additional summaries of the USGS Chesapeake Bay Activities are available in the science topics section.
Science Summaries, Features, and Videos
USGS Chesapeake Bay Science Fact Sheet
Chesapeake Bay Activities Bibliography
Freshwater Flow into Chesapeake Bay
News
Tracing the “Forever Chemical” in the Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay Program — by Hilary Swartwood — October 27, 2020
Chesapeake Bay dead zone smaller than in recent years
Chesapeake Bay Program — Press Release — October 28, 2020
On Chesapeake cleanup, field studies and computer predictions don't always agree
Bay Journal — By Karl Blankenship — October 15, 2020
Publications
Development of a suite of functional immune assays and initial assessment of their utility in wild smallmouth bass health assessments
Methods were developed for measuring immune function in Micropterus dolomieu (smallmouth bass). The ultimate objective is to monitor and evaluate changes over time in immune status and disease resistance in conjunction with other characteristics of fish health and environmental stressors. To test these methods for utility in ecotoxicological...
Smith, Cheyenne R.; Ottinger, Christopher A.; Walsh, Heather L.; Blazer, Vicki S.
Spatial and temporal patterns in streamflow, water chemistry, and aquatic macroinvertebrates of selected streams in Fairfax County, Virginia, 2007–18
Urbanization substantially alters the landscape in ways that can impact stream hydrology, water chemistry, and the health of aquatic communities. Stormwater best management practices (BMPs) are the primary tools used to mitigate the effects of urban stressors such as increased runoff, decreased baseflow, and increased nutrient and sediment...
Porter, Aaron J.; Webber, James S.; Witt, Jonathan W.; Jastram, John D.
Estimating streamflow and base flow within the nontidal Chesapeake Bay riverine system
Daily mean streamflow was estimated for all the nontidal parts of the Chesapeake Bay riverine system with the Unit Flows in Networks of Channels computer application using measured streamflow at the most downstream gage of selected rivers. The streamflows estimated by the Unit Flows in Networks of Channels computer application were aggregated at...
Buffington, Patrick C.; Capel, Paul D.