USGS Chesapeake Bay Accomplishments for 2009 Completed

President Obama issued an Executive Order (E.O.) in May, 2009 to have the federal government lead the effort to restore and protect the Chesapeake Bay, the Nation's largest estuary. The EO calls for a new restoration strategy by May, 2010 and for the USGS and NOAA to co-lead federal activities to "Coordinate Tools and Science for Strategic Decision Making" that would support the major goals of the draft E.O. strategy:

• Restore Clean Water
• Conserve Treasured Places and Restore Habitats, Fish, and Wildlife
• Adapt for the Impacts of Climate Change

In FY2009, the USGS lead the development, working with NOAA, of new approaches to address adapting to climate change and coordinating tools and science for decision making for federal activities in draft EO strategy. The draft EO strategy is under review and will be released in FY2010. As described in the Draft Strategy, USGS and NOAA will engage and assist state, local and private partners in a collective effort to respond to the impacts of a changing climate in the Chesapeake Bay and watershed and provide enhanced tools and science for ecosystem management. During FY2010, the USGS will also realign its science efforts to address the highest needs of the draft strategy and update its science plan for FY2011-2016.

In FY2009, the USGS provided science to address the combined impact of land-use and climate change on the health of the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed. USGS accomplishments focused on providing key analysis and reports:

• Completed analysis of land-use change in the Bay watershed for the period 1980's to present. The analysis is being used to help identify the most vulnerable habitats and areas that are being lost in the Bay watershed and focus landscape conservation efforts.
• Began to improve the ability to forecast water quality conditions due to the combined impacts of land-use and climate change in the Bay watershed. USGS began this project in FY2009 by improving the USGS Land-Change Model and developing approaches to couple with Chesapeake Bay watershed models to forecast changes in river flows, nutrient and sediment.
• Published a report on sediment sources and transport in the Bay watershed that is being used to help focus sediment reduction activities in the Bay watershed.
• Released results on the distribution of intersex conditions in fish within the Potomac River basin and conducted sampling to address occurrence related to agricultural and urban lands and sources.
• Monitored sea-level rise and subsidence at the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge and other coastal areas of the Chesapeake Bay. Results are being used to help FWS and states of MD and VA develop potential adaptation strategies.
• Began studies in small urban and agricultural watersheds to assess effect of management actions on reducing nutrients and sediment. In FY2010, new agricultural watersheds will be selected to support new USDA "showcase" watersheds that are part of the draft EO strategy.

« Return to Chesapeake Bay Activities and Accomplishments
« Return to Chesapeake Bay Activities — About