Prioritizing Marsh Restoration Needs Throughout Chesapeake Bay
Prioritizing Marsh Restoration Needs Throughout Chesapeake Bay
Evaluating the Risks of Tire-Derived Compounds to Fish in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
Evaluating the Risks of Tire-Derived Compounds to Fish in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
Regional Assessment of Fish Health in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
Regional Assessment of Fish Health in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
Informing Freshwater Management Strategies in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed by Using Observational Data and Expert Knowledge to Identify Influential Stressors
Informing Freshwater Management Strategies in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed by Using Observational Data and Expert Knowledge to Identify Influential Stressors
The Nonpoint Source Challenge:
Obstacles and Opportunities for Meeting Nutrient Reduction Goals in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
Obstacles and Opportunities for Meeting Nutrient Reduction Goals in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
Informing Chesapeake Bay Watershed Management by Monitoring Trends in River Nutrient and Sediment Loads
Discovering Connections Across America's Lands and Waters
Road salt elevates salinity above background levels in freshwater streams and rivers across the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
Publications
Discover Chesapeake related science in reports and journal articles authored by USGS scientists
Discover Chesapeake related science in reports and journal articles authored by USGS scientists
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.
Accomplishments in 2025
Accomplishments in 2025
Central to our mission is communicating decision-ready science to help partners better manage lands, water, and wildlife in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Read more about our accomplishments that were used to inform management decisions and advance Department of the Interior priorities.
Mapping Stormwater Facility Footprints
Mapping Stormwater Facility Footprints
USGS is working to develop an artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) deep learning model to remotely map the footprint of stormwater facilities and estimate a storage volume for each facility using high-resolution geospatial data layers.
Quick Links
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
Maryland Mainstem Tributary Summary
Maryland Mainstem Tributary Summary
Study offers best picture yet of sinking land in the Chesapeake Bay region
Study offers best picture yet of sinking land in the Chesapeake Bay region
Chesapeake Bay Program partners protect more than 9.2 million acres of land across watershed
Chesapeake Bay Program partners protect more than 9.2 million acres of land across watershed
Publications
Assessing streams in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed to guide conservation and restoration activities Assessing streams in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed to guide conservation and restoration activities
Freshwater streams in the Chesapeake Bay watershed are home to numerous aquatic organisms (like fish, amphibians, mussels, and insects) and provide drinking water and recreational opportunities to people living in or visiting the watershed. Land-use changes, such as urban development and increased activities in certain agricultural sectors, have degraded water quality and altered...
Using monitoring and partnerships to provide management-relevant information about Chesapeake Bay rivers Using monitoring and partnerships to provide management-relevant information about Chesapeake Bay rivers
The lands and waters of the Chesapeake Bay watershed provide more than $100 billion in economic benefits- an amount that is expected to increase by achieving the region’s clean-water goals. Achieving those goals requires accurate and timely information about the health of the watershed’s rivers and streams. The Chesapeake Bay nontidal monitoring network (NTN), a partnership of local...
A simple predictive model for salt marsh internal deterioration under sea-level rise and sediment deficits: Application to Chesapeake Bay A simple predictive model for salt marsh internal deterioration under sea-level rise and sediment deficits: Application to Chesapeake Bay
Salt marshes are dynamic biogeomorphic systems reliant on autochthonous and allochthonous input to maintain their three-dimensional configuration. Sea-level rise, subsidence, and sediment deficits can lead to submergence, open-water expansion, and ultimately loss of the vegetated marsh plain and associated ecosystem services. Widely used management-focused models focus on vegetation...
Science
USGS Chesapeake Bay Science Accomplishments for 2025
The Chesapeake Bay watershed is home to 18 million people and some of America’s most treasured natural resources – lands, waters, and wildlife that support a strong economy and cherished outdoor traditions, such as hunting and fishing. From local organizations to federal agencies, partners throughout the watershed are working to protect these resources. These partners rely on our unbiased, gold...
Remotely mapping stormwater facility footprints and storage volumes
Stormwater management practices are being used throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed to reduce flood risks and pollutant loads, but consistent and comprehensive maps of these practices are often lacking. Stormwater managers often have incomplete information about the location and storage volume of stormwater facilities within their jurisdiction. Therefore, the USGS is working to develop...
Evaluating the Risks of Tire-Derived Compounds to Fish in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
Tires contain a chemical known as 6PPD which prevents them from quickly breaking down. Microscopic tire particles, generated mainly from the friction of tires on roads, release 6PPD-quinone (6PPDQ) when they come into contact with oxygen. During precipitation events, 6PPDQ can be washed off roads, harming fish in nearby waterways. In response to requests from fishery managers, the USGS is studying...