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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.

News

New Framework for Seamless Fish Habitat Assessments

New Framework for Seamless Fish Habitat Assessments

EROS History: Archive Unveils Earth’s Secrets

EROS History: Archive Unveils Earth’s Secrets

More osprey reproduction problems found around the Chesapeake Bay

More osprey reproduction problems found around the Chesapeake Bay

Publications

Invasive blue catfish in the Chesapeake Bay: A risk to realizing Bay restoration investments

Introduction The partners of the Chesapeake Bay are investing billions of dollars in the restoration of critical habitats to improve conditions for people and living resources throughout the Bay and its watershed. However, the recent proliferation of invasive Ictalurus furcatus (blue catfish) in the Chesapeake Bay’s major rivers has the potential to disrupt these restoration efforts and limit the
Authors
Ellen Robertson, Jenn Malpass, Christopher Ottinger, John Griffin, Christine Densmore, Kenneth Hyer

Connecting conservation practices to local stream health in the Chesapeake Bay watershed

The Chesapeake Bay Partnership is implementing conservation practices (CPs) throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed to reduce nutrient and sediment delivery to the Bay. This study intends to provide an integrated and detailed understanding of how local streams respond to these CP-driven management efforts.Key issue: To what extent do CPs positively affect the health of local streams in the nontida
Authors
Gregory Noe, Paul L. Angermeier, Larry B. Barber, Joe Buckwalter, Matthew Joseph Cashman, Olivia Devereux, Thomas Rossiter Doody, Sally Entrekin, Rosemary Margaret Fanelli, Nathaniel P. Hitt, Molly Elizabeth Huber, Jeramy Roland Jasmann, Kelly O. Maloney, Tristan Gregory Mohs, Sergio Sabat-Bonilla, Kelly Smalling, Tyler Wagner, John C. Wolf, Kenneth Hyer

Rising seas could cross thresholds for initiating coastal wetland drowning within decades across much of the United States

Accelerated sea-level rise is an existential threat to coastal wetlands, but the timing and extent of wetland drowning are debated. Recent data syntheses have clarified future relative sea-level rise exposure and sensitivity thresholds for drowning. Here, we integrate these advances to estimate when and where rising sea levels could cross thresholds for initiating wetland drowning across the conte
Authors
Michael Osland, Bogdan Chivoiu, James Grace, Nicholas Enwright, Glenn R. Guntenspergen, Kevin Buffington, Karen M. Thorne, Joel A. Carr, William V. Sweet, Brady Couvillion

Science

Using Multiple Indicators to Assess Stream Condition in the Chesapeake Bay

USGS is working with federal, state and local partners to develop multiple assessments of stream and river conditions in non-tidal areas of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. These assessments will help managers preserve stream health and improve biological conditions in impaired streams as the human population and climate continue to change in this region.
link

Using Multiple Indicators to Assess Stream Condition in the Chesapeake Bay

USGS is working with federal, state and local partners to develop multiple assessments of stream and river conditions in non-tidal areas of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. These assessments will help managers preserve stream health and improve biological conditions in impaired streams as the human population and climate continue to change in this region.
Learn More

Population Monitoring and Removal Strategies for Blue Catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) in Chesapeake Bay

USGS is helping with the design of a population survey and developing mathematical models to assess potential activities to manage the population of invasive blue catfish ( Ictalurus furcatus ) in the Chesapeake Bay. This research will help managers determine the cost and feasibility of approaches to control this invasive species.
link

Population Monitoring and Removal Strategies for Blue Catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) in Chesapeake Bay

USGS is helping with the design of a population survey and developing mathematical models to assess potential activities to manage the population of invasive blue catfish ( Ictalurus furcatus ) in the Chesapeake Bay. This research will help managers determine the cost and feasibility of approaches to control this invasive species.
Learn More

Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) Population and the Availability of Menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus) as Their Food Source in Chesapeake Bay: Historical and Present-day Comparison

USGS is collaborating with many biologists in analysis of data on osprey ( Pandion haliaetus ) and their prey (menhaden, Brevoortia tyrannus , and other species of fish) in the middle and lower Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. The data compiled and collected will help determine if a lack of menhaden or other environmental factors are affecting osprey reproductive success in portions of the...
link

Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) Population and the Availability of Menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus) as Their Food Source in Chesapeake Bay: Historical and Present-day Comparison

USGS is collaborating with many biologists in analysis of data on osprey ( Pandion haliaetus ) and their prey (menhaden, Brevoortia tyrannus , and other species of fish) in the middle and lower Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. The data compiled and collected will help determine if a lack of menhaden or other environmental factors are affecting osprey reproductive success in portions of the...
Learn More
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