Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

New High-Resolution, Land-Use and Change Data Improves Decision-Making in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

Find out more

A Science-Based Approach for Targeting Resources to Achieve Multiple Chesapeake Outcomes

Find out more

Study Shows Importance of Streambank Erosion and Floodplain Deposition

Read more

Innovative Technology Continues to Advance Chesapeake Bay Restoration

Read more

Study of Stream Fishes Provides New Framework to Monitor Climate Change in the Chesapeake Bay Headwaters

Read more

Publications

Discover Chesapeake related science in reports and journal articles authored by USGS scientists

Go to Pubs

Chesapeake Bay Activities

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.

View our latest publications

Soaking Up Stormwater

Close up of running water with the text, "Soaking Up Stormwater".

This video acts as a “visual abstract” for a recent publication analyzing the stormwater management practices in Clarksburg, MD. The video features interviews with the team of USGS scientists as well as a water specialist from Montgomery County.

Play video

Understanding Factors Affecting Stream Condition

Top reported stressors for each jurisdiction in the Chesapeake Bay watershed

Current restoration approaches have led to mixed improvements in stream conditions, indicating that some major stressors and their sources were likely overlooked.

Read more

Quick Links

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.

News

link

Chesapeake Bay sees smaller than average dead zone in 2022

link

Bay Barometer provides progress on Chesapeake restoration effort

link

Chesapeake Bay Activities Newsletter July-September 2022

View All

Publications

Estrogenic activity response to best management practice implementation in agricultural watersheds in the Chesapeake Bay watershed

Best management practices (BMPs) have been predominantly used throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed (CBW) to reduce nutrients and sediments entering streams, rivers, and the bay. These practices have been successful in reducing loads entering the estuary and have shown the potential to reduce other contaminants (pesticides, hormonally active compounds, pathogens) in localized studies and modeled
By
Water Resources, Chesapeake Bay Activities, Eastern Ecological Science Center, New Jersey Water Science Center

Review of harmful algal blooms effects on birds with implications for avian wildlife in the Chesapeake Bay region

The Chesapeake Bay, along the mid-Atlantic coast of North America, is the largest estuary in the United States and provides critical habitat for wildlife. In contrast to point and non-point source release of pesticides, metals, and industrial, personal care and household use chemicals on biota in this watershed, there has only been scant attention to potential exposure and effects of algal toxins
By
Ecosystems, Chesapeake Bay Activities, Eastern Ecological Science Center, National Wildlife Health Center

Identifying key stressors driving biological impairment in freshwater streams in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, USA

Biological communities in freshwater streams are often impaired by multiple stressors (e.g., flow or water quality) originating from anthropogenic activities such as urbanization, agriculture, or energy extraction. Restoration efforts in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, USA seek to improve biological conditions in 10% of freshwater tributaries and to protect the biological integrity of existing healt
By
Water Resources, Chesapeake Bay Activities, Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Water Science Center, South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC)
View All

Science

link
Chesapeake Bay Program Nontidal Network Monitoring stations, with sites identified that had a change in trend direction

USGS to revise 2020 nontidal load and trend results

Issue: The USGS is examining data and results of the most recent update of loads and trends from monitoring stations in the Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) Nontidal Network (NTN), which contains trends though 2020 and was released in August 2022. During a process to implement a new software package for the next update of NTN data, the USGS discovered some questionable data values. Most of the...
By
Chesapeake Bay Activities, Virginia and West Virginia Water Science Center
link

USGS to revise 2020 nontidal load and trend results

Issue: The USGS is examining data and results of the most recent update of loads and trends from monitoring stations in the Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) Nontidal Network (NTN), which contains trends though 2020 and was released in August 2022. During a process to implement a new software package for the next update of NTN data, the USGS discovered some questionable data values. Most of the...
Learn More
link
Top reported stressors for each jurisdiction in the Chesapeake Bay watershed

Enhanced understanding of factors affecting stream condition can improve restoration outcomes

Issue: The Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement has an outcome to improve stream health. Current restoration approaches have led to mixed improvements in stream conditions, indicating that some major stressors and their sources were likely overlooked. Managers could benefit from synthesized information on most reported stressors responsible for aquatic community impairment and their linkages to...
By
Chesapeake Bay Activities
link

Enhanced understanding of factors affecting stream condition can improve restoration outcomes

Issue: The Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement has an outcome to improve stream health. Current restoration approaches have led to mixed improvements in stream conditions, indicating that some major stressors and their sources were likely overlooked. Managers could benefit from synthesized information on most reported stressors responsible for aquatic community impairment and their linkages to...
Learn More
link
Three side-by-side panels to show land-use-land-change in Charles County, MD

New high-resolution, land-use and change data improves decision-making in the Chesapeake Bay watershed

Issue Informing restoration across the nearly 64,000 square miles of the Chesapeake Bay watershed is an enormous challenge that requires detailed and accessible landscape data. Among the most pressing challenges being addressed by the Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) partnership are: → Water pollution from agriculture and animal waste, → Conversion of critical habitat like forest and marshes for new...
By
Chesapeake Bay Activities
link

New high-resolution, land-use and change data improves decision-making in the Chesapeake Bay watershed

Issue Informing restoration across the nearly 64,000 square miles of the Chesapeake Bay watershed is an enormous challenge that requires detailed and accessible landscape data. Among the most pressing challenges being addressed by the Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) partnership are: → Water pollution from agriculture and animal waste, → Conversion of critical habitat like forest and marshes for new...
Learn More
View All