Narrated presentation that provides a unique, long-term perspective (1950-2050) of the major drivers of nitrogen change up to the present, and forecasts how they may affect nitrogen into the future for the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Information is based off of U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1486.
Pennsylvania and the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Active
USGS Releases new fact sheet on conservation practices
Your land, your water—Using research to guide conservation practices on local farms in the Chesapeake Bay watershed
USGS Evaluates Effects of Agricultural Conservation Practices
A new study on best management practices and nitrogen in streams of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
Groundwater is a major source of nitrate to Chesapeake Bay
Land use, organic carbon in soils, and geology can explain where groundwater contributions are the most important
Removal of Legacy Sediments Effects Nutrient Loads in Streamflow
Effects of Legacy Sediment Removal on Nutrients and Sediment in Big Spring Run, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 2009–15
USGS provides monitoring, analysis, modeling and research on streams and water quality to better understand the fate and transport of nutrients and sediment to the Susquehanna and other rivers, and their tributaries, and eventually to the Chesapeake Bay. Additional research focuses on emerging contaminants and other stressors that effect human and aquatic life in the watershed and estuary.
The Susquehanna River drains the largest watershed (48 percent) and supplies 55 percent of the freshwater flowing into the Chesapeake Bay. In 2010, the largest and most complex total maximum daily load (TMDL) in the Nation was initiated in the Chesapeake Bay for nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment. These pollution allocations were further divided by major river basins and states. Pennsylvania contributes approximately 44 percent of the nitrogen load and 24 percent of the phosphorus load to the Bay (Chesapeake Bay TMDL Document).
Also see regional science at Chesapeake Bay Activities
Floodplains provide millions of dollars in benefits every year to people in the Chesapeake Bay and Delaware River watersheds
New study evaluates effects of agricultural conservation practices on nitrogen in streams of the Chesapeake Bay
Improving Understanding and Coordination of Science Activities for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
Sediment Response of Stream Restoration Practices, Turtle Creek, Union County, Pennsylvania
USGS Chesapeake Publication Receives National Award for Superior Communication Product
Tracking Status and Trends in Seven Key Indicators of River and Stream Condition in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
Susquehanna River and Basin
Greatest Opportunities for Future Nitrogen Reductions to the Chesapeake Bay Watershed are in Developed and Agricultural Areas
Summarizing Scientific Findings for Common Stakeholder Questions to Inform Nutrient and Sediment Management Activities in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
Updated 2020 Nutrient and Suspended-Sediment Trends for the Nine Major Rivers Entering the Chesapeake Bay
Data-sharing agreement renewed to evaluate conservations practices and water quality in the Chesapeake Watershed
Water Quality Monitoring to Inform Conservation Management, Fishing Creek, Clinton County, Pennsylvania
Compilation of multi-agency water temperature observations for streams within the Chesapeake Bay watershed
Chesapeake Bay Nontidal Network 1985 - 2018: Daily High-Flow and Low-Flow Concentration and Load Estimates
Nitrogen sources to and export from the Chesapeake Bay watershed, 1950 to 2050
Physico-chemical characteristics and sediment and nutrient fluxes of floodplains, streambanks, and streambeds in the Chesapeake Bay and Delaware River watersheds
Annual winter-spring nitrogen loads for the Susquehanna and Potomac Rivers, 1985 to 2018
Hormone, pesticide, pharmaceutical and other organic compound data for select water and bed sediment samples collected in Chesapeake Bay watershed in parts of Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia, 2006-2014
Nitrogen in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed: A Century of Change
Narrated presentation that provides a unique, long-term perspective (1950-2050) of the major drivers of nitrogen change up to the present, and forecasts how they may affect nitrogen into the future for the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Information is based off of U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1486.
Narrated presentation that provides a unique, long-term perspective (1950-2050) of the major drivers of nitrogen change up to the present, and forecasts how they may affect nitrogen into the future for the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Information is based off of U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1486.
USGS New Jersey Water Science Center Hydrographers on the Susquehanna River collect water quality samples.
USGS New Jersey Water Science Center Hydrographers on the Susquehanna River collect water quality samples.
Conowingo Dam on the Susquehanna River in Maryland.
Conowingo Dam on the Susquehanna River in Maryland.
Evaluating water-quality trends in agricultural watersheds prioritized for management-practice implementation
Evaluation and review of best management practices for the reduction of polychlorinated biphenyls to the Chesapeake Bay
Pesticides in small volume plasma samples: Method development and application to smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) from the Chesapeake Bay watershed, USA
Using local monitoring results to inform the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Watershed Model
Legacy sediment as a potential source of orthophosphate: Preliminary conceptual and geochemical models for the Susquehanna River, Chesapeake Bay watershed, USA
Nutrient pollution from agriculture and urban areas plus acid mine drainage (AMD) from legacy coal mines are primary causes of water-quality impairment in the Susquehanna River, which is the predominant source of freshwater and nutrients entering the Chesapeake Bay. Recent increases in the delivery of dissolved orthophosphate (PO4) from the river to the bay may be linked to long-term increases in
Your land, your water—Using research to guide conservation practices on local farms in the Chesapeake Bay watershed
Societal benefits of floodplains in the Chesapeake Bay and Delaware River watersheds: Sediment, nutrient, and flood regulation ecosystem services
Floodplains provide critical ecosystem services to people by regulating floodwaters and retaining sediments and nutrients. Geospatial analyses, field data collection, and modeling were integrated to quantify a portfolio of services that floodplains provide to downstream communities within the Chesapeake Bay and Delaware River watersheds. The portfolio of services included floodplain sediment and n
Tracking status and trends in seven key indicators of stream health in the Chesapeake Bay watershed
Identifying key stressors driving biological impairment in freshwater streams in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, USA
Predicting near-term effects of climate change on nitrogen transport to Chesapeake Bay
Power analysis for detecting the effects of best management practices on reducing nitrogen and phosphorus fluxes to the Chesapeake Bay watershed, USA
Quantifying regional effects of best management practices on nutrient losses from agricultural lands
- Overview
USGS provides monitoring, analysis, modeling and research on streams and water quality to better understand the fate and transport of nutrients and sediment to the Susquehanna and other rivers, and their tributaries, and eventually to the Chesapeake Bay. Additional research focuses on emerging contaminants and other stressors that effect human and aquatic life in the watershed and estuary.
The Susquehanna River drains the largest watershed (48 percent) and supplies 55 percent of the freshwater flowing into the Chesapeake Bay. In 2010, the largest and most complex total maximum daily load (TMDL) in the Nation was initiated in the Chesapeake Bay for nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment. These pollution allocations were further divided by major river basins and states. Pennsylvania contributes approximately 44 percent of the nitrogen load and 24 percent of the phosphorus load to the Bay (Chesapeake Bay TMDL Document).
- Science
Also see regional science at Chesapeake Bay Activities
Filter Total Items: 16Floodplains provide millions of dollars in benefits every year to people in the Chesapeake Bay and Delaware River watersheds
Issue: Floodplains provide important services to people by retaining sediments, nutrients, and floodwaters, thereby improving water quality and reducing flooding impacts. Having information on how the monetary benefit that floodplains provide varies across the Chesapeake Bay and Delaware River watersheds helps resource managers describe the benefits that floodplains provide in their current state...New study evaluates effects of agricultural conservation practices on nitrogen in streams of the Chesapeake Bay
Issue: Adaptive management in support of Chesapeake Bay restoration is complicated by uncertainty about the effects of agricultural management practices on water quality. Despite increasing investment, effects of agricultural conservation practices on regional water quality remain difficult to quantify due to factors such as groundwater travel times, varying modes-of-action, and the general lack...Improving Understanding and Coordination of Science Activities for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
Issue: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been manufactured and used in a variety of industries in the United States since the 1940s. PFAS are ubiquitous and persistent in the environment and have the potential to have adverse human and ecological health effects. The Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) partnerships has concerns about how PFAS will affect the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem. The CBP...Sediment Response of Stream Restoration Practices, Turtle Creek, Union County, Pennsylvania
USGS is providing data and analyses to assess stream restoration effectiveness in Turtle Creek, Union County, Pennsylvania, by measuring differences in sediment erosion and deposition in restored and eroded stream reaches.USGS Chesapeake Publication Receives National Award for Superior Communication Product
The Award USGS received a 2022 Blue Pencil & Gold Screen Award, in the category of Technical/Statistical Reports, from the National Association of Government Communications (NAGC) for the U.S. Geological Survey Circular titled Nitrogen in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed—A Century of Change, 1950–2050 . Each year the NAGC recognizes products that provide excellence in government communications and the...Tracking Status and Trends in Seven Key Indicators of River and Stream Condition in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
Identifying and tracking the status of, and trends in, stream health within the Chesapeake Bay watershed is essential to understanding the past, present, and future trajectory of the watershed’s resources and ecological condition. A team of USGS ecosystem scientists is meeting this need with an initiative to track the status of, and trends in, key indicators of the health of non-tidal freshwater...Susquehanna River and Basin
In Pennsylvania, the USGS's water-resources roots date back to the late 1800's, with the initiation of streamflow gaging on the Susquehanna and Delaware Rivers and assessments of groundwater resources near Philadelphia. The USGS Pennsylvania Water Science Center continues to provide scientific information about the water resources of the Susquehanna River Basin, in cooperation with regional and...Greatest Opportunities for Future Nitrogen Reductions to the Chesapeake Bay Watershed are in Developed and Agricultural Areas
Issue: As human population has increased, land-use changes have led to increases in nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) and sediment into the Bay. The excess nutrients cause algal blooms which contribute to water-quality impairments such as low oxygen or hypoxia (dead zones), and poor water clarity in the Chesapeake Bay. Management efforts to improve water quality focus on dissolved oxygen needed...Summarizing Scientific Findings for Common Stakeholder Questions to Inform Nutrient and Sediment Management Activities in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
Issue: The Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) partnership is striving to improve water-quality conditions in the Bay by using a variety of management strategies to reduce nutrient and sediment loads. The partnership uses monitoring results and modeling tools to implement management strategies, relying on the scientific community to synthesize existing information and direct new research to address...Updated 2020 Nutrient and Suspended-Sediment Trends for the Nine Major Rivers Entering the Chesapeake Bay
Issue: The amount of nutrients and suspended sediment entering the Chesapeake Bay affect water-quality conditions in tidal waters. Excess nutrients contribute to algal blooms that lower the oxygen levels in tidal waters that are important for fish and shellfish. The algal blooms, along with suspended sediment, also decrease visibility in shallow waters for submerged aquatic grasses. The grasses...Data-sharing agreement renewed to evaluate conservations practices and water quality in the Chesapeake Watershed
Issue: The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) have a mutual interest in meeting the goals of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement, and in determining the benefits and challenges of agricultural conservation practices on water-quality patterns. Understanding the sources of nutrients and sediment and how these nutrients move into streams and...Water Quality Monitoring to Inform Conservation Management, Fishing Creek, Clinton County, Pennsylvania
USGS conducted synoptic sampling of major-ion chemistry and the nitrogen and oxygen isotopic composition of nitrate in Fishing Creek during base flow to evaluate the occurrence and distribution of nutrients and to characterize biogeochemical processes. - Data
Compilation of multi-agency water temperature observations for streams within the Chesapeake Bay watershed
This data release collates stream water temperature observations across the Chesapeake Bay watershed from the USGS National Water Information System (NWIS), Water Quality Portal (WQP) and the USGS Aquarius (AQ) Time-Series database. Data retrieved from NWIS consists of aggregate (minimum, maximum and mean) daily values and continuous data from USGS monitoring stations. Values from the WQP containChesapeake Bay Nontidal Network 1985 - 2018: Daily High-Flow and Low-Flow Concentration and Load Estimates
Nitrogen, phosphorus, and suspended-sediment loads, and changes in loads, in rivers across the Chesapeake Bay watershed have been calculated using monitoring data from the Chesapeake Bay Nontidal Network (NTN) stations for the period 1985 through 2018. Nutrient and suspended-sediment loads and changes in loads were determined by applying a weighted regression approach called WRTDS (Weighted RegresNitrogen sources to and export from the Chesapeake Bay watershed, 1950 to 2050
This U.S. Geological Survey data release contains datasets that combine past data with future projections of nitrogen sources and nitrogen export to the Chesapeake Bay watershed for the years 1950-2050. To help understand the effect of human and environmental changes over this time period, data for nitrogen sources from wastewater, agricultural fertilizer and manure, and atmospheric deposition arePhysico-chemical characteristics and sediment and nutrient fluxes of floodplains, streambanks, and streambeds in the Chesapeake Bay and Delaware River watersheds
Dataset includes site averages of measurements of floodplain and streambank sediment physico-chemistry and long-term (dendrogeomorphic) vertical and lateral geomorphic change, and reach scale floodplain width, streambank height, channel width, and streambed particle size. This information was used to calculate fluxes of sediment, fine sediment, sediment-C, sediment-N, and sediment-C of floodplainsAnnual winter-spring nitrogen loads for the Susquehanna and Potomac Rivers, 1985 to 2018
Winter-spring nitrogen loads as measured at the Susquehanna River at Conowingo Maryland and Potomac River at Washington, D.C. have been determined to be an effective indicator of summer anoxic and hypoxic volume in Chesapeake Bay. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) provides an estimate of winter-spring nitrogen loadings to support an annual forecast of summer Chesapeake Bay conditions. The specificHormone, pesticide, pharmaceutical and other organic compound data for select water and bed sediment samples collected in Chesapeake Bay watershed in parts of Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia, 2006-2014
These data represent water and bed sediment samples analyzed for a variety of organic compounds. The samples were collected in streams and rivers in the Chesapeake Bay watershed from 2006-2014. Water samples were collected from 61 sites and analyzed for hormones (SH2434 method; Tables 1A and 1B), pharmaceuticals (SH2080 method; Tables 2A and 2B), wastewater indicators (SH1433 method; Tables 3A and - Multimedia
Nitrogen in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed: A Century of Change
Narrated presentation that provides a unique, long-term perspective (1950-2050) of the major drivers of nitrogen change up to the present, and forecasts how they may affect nitrogen into the future for the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Information is based off of U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1486.
Nitrogen in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed: A Century of Change (AD)Nitrogen in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed: A Century of Change (AD)Nitrogen in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed: A Century of Change (AD)Narrated presentation that provides a unique, long-term perspective (1950-2050) of the major drivers of nitrogen change up to the present, and forecasts how they may affect nitrogen into the future for the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Information is based off of U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1486.
Narrated presentation that provides a unique, long-term perspective (1950-2050) of the major drivers of nitrogen change up to the present, and forecasts how they may affect nitrogen into the future for the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Information is based off of U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1486.
USGS Employees Collect Water Quality Samples In The Susquehanna RiverUSGS Employees Collect Water Quality Samples In The Susquehanna RiverUSGS New Jersey Water Science Center Hydrographers on the Susquehanna River collect water quality samples.
USGS New Jersey Water Science Center Hydrographers on the Susquehanna River collect water quality samples.
Susquehanna River - Conowingo DamConowingo Dam on the Susquehanna River in Maryland.
Conowingo Dam on the Susquehanna River in Maryland.
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 42
Evaluating water-quality trends in agricultural watersheds prioritized for management-practice implementation
Many agricultural watersheds rely on the voluntary use of management practices (MPs) to reduce nonpoint source nutrient and sediment loads; however, the water-quality effects of MPs are uncertain. We interpreted water-quality responses from as early as 1985 through 2020 in three agricultural Chesapeake Bay watersheds that were prioritized for MP implementation, namely, the Smith Creek (Virginia),AuthorsJames S. Webber, Jeffrey G. Chanat, John Clune, Olivia H. Devereux, Natalie Celeste Hall, Robert D. Sabo, Qian ZhangEvaluation and review of best management practices for the reduction of polychlorinated biphenyls to the Chesapeake Bay
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) continue to impact the environment due to historic and ongoing anthropogenic sources (for example, industrial and agricultural), despite their ban. Contaminated stormwater has been identified as a vector for PCB transport to many estuaries impaired by PCBs. Management of these regulated discharges is typically achieved by best management practices (BMPs). This reviAuthorsTrevor P. Needham, Emily Majcher, Ellie Foss, Olivia H. DevereuxPesticides in small volume plasma samples: Method development and application to smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) from the Chesapeake Bay watershed, USA
Nontarget organisms are exposed to pesticides following applications in agricultural and urban settings, potentially resulting in deleterious effects. Direct measurements of pesticides in biological tissues may aid in characterizing exposure, accumulation, and potential toxicity versus analyses in environmental media alone (e.g., water, soil, and air). Plasma represents a nonlethal sampling mediumAuthorsMichael S. Gross, Vicki S. Blazer, Michelle HladikUsing local monitoring results to inform the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Watershed Model
The Chesapeake Bay Program’s Watershed Model (CBWM) has been used as an accounting tool for the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL). However, some of the fundamental parameters that underpin the watershed model may not represent local watershed characteristics at all scales. Significant investments have been made by state and local governments, and other local stakeholders, who are intAuthorsKarl Berger, Katherine C. Filippino, Gary W. Shenk, Normand Goulet, Michael Lookenbill, Doug L. Moyer, Gregory B. Noe, Aaron J. Porter, James Shallenberger, Bryant Thomas, Guido YactayoLegacy sediment as a potential source of orthophosphate: Preliminary conceptual and geochemical models for the Susquehanna River, Chesapeake Bay watershed, USA
Nutrient pollution from agriculture and urban areas plus acid mine drainage (AMD) from legacy coal mines are primary causes of water-quality impairment in the Susquehanna River, which is the predominant source of freshwater and nutrients entering the Chesapeake Bay. Recent increases in the delivery of dissolved orthophosphate (PO4) from the river to the bay may be linked to long-term increases in
AuthorsCharles A. Cravotta, Travis L. Tasker, Peter M. Smyntek, Joel Blomquist, John Clune, Qian Zhang, Noah Schmadel, Natalie Katrina SchmerYour land, your water—Using research to guide conservation practices on local farms in the Chesapeake Bay watershed
Agricultural lands are an important part of the economy and heritage of the Chesapeake Bay watershed and are a focus of conservation activities. Streams and rivers around farms provide communities with drinking water and recreational opportunities, but these local benefits can be impaired by elevated nutrient and sediment concentrations. Compared to inputs from the atmosphere, wastewater, and urbaAuthorsJames S. Webber, John W. Clune, Alex M. Soroka, Kenneth E. HyerSocietal benefits of floodplains in the Chesapeake Bay and Delaware River watersheds: Sediment, nutrient, and flood regulation ecosystem services
Floodplains provide critical ecosystem services to people by regulating floodwaters and retaining sediments and nutrients. Geospatial analyses, field data collection, and modeling were integrated to quantify a portfolio of services that floodplains provide to downstream communities within the Chesapeake Bay and Delaware River watersheds. The portfolio of services included floodplain sediment and n
AuthorsKristina G. Hopkins, Jacqueline Sage Welles, Emily J. Pindilli, Gregory B. Noe, Peter Claggett, Labeeb Ahmed, Marina MetesTracking status and trends in seven key indicators of stream health in the Chesapeake Bay watershed
“The Bay Connects us, the Bay reflects us” writes Tom Horton in the book “Turning the Tide—Saving the Chesapeake Bay”. The Chesapeake Bay watershed contains the largest estuary in the United States. The watershed stretches north to Cooperstown, New York, south to Lynchburg and Virginia Beach, Virginia, west to Pendleton County, West Virginia, and east to Seaford, Delaware, and Scranton, PennsylvanAuthorsSamuel H. Austin, Matt J. Cashman, John W. Clune, James E. Colgin, Rosemary M. Fanelli, Kevin P. Krause, Emily Majcher, Kelly O. Maloney, Chris A. Mason, Doug L. Moyer, Tammy M. ZimmermanByEcosystems Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, Environmental Health Program, Chesapeake Bay Activities, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Water Science Center, Pennsylvania Water Science Center, South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC), Virginia and West Virginia Water Science CenterIdentifying 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 healtAuthorsRosemary M. Fanelli, Matt J. Cashman, Aaron J. PorterPredicting near-term effects of climate change on nitrogen transport to Chesapeake Bay
Understanding effects of climate change on nitrogen fate and transport in the environment is critical to nutrient management. We used climate projections within a previously calibrated spatially referenced regression (SPARROW) model to predict effects of expected climate change over 1995 through 2025 on total nitrogen fluxes to Chesapeake Bay and in watershed streams. Assuming nitrogen inputs andAuthorsScott Ator, Gregory E. Schwarz, Andrew Sekellick, Gopal BhattPower analysis for detecting the effects of best management practices on reducing nitrogen and phosphorus fluxes to the Chesapeake Bay watershed, USA
In 2010 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency established the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) which is a “pollution diet” that aims to reduce the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus entering the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the United States, by 25 and 24% percent, respectively. To achieve this goal the TMDL requires the implementation of Best Management Practices (BMPs), which are acceAuthorsPaul McLaughlin, Richard Alexander, Joel Blomquist, Olivia H. Devereux, Gregory B. Noe, Kelly L. Smalling, Tyler WagnerQuantifying regional effects of best management practices on nutrient losses from agricultural lands
Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) losses from agricultural areas have degraded the water quality of downstream rivers, lakes, and oceans. As a result, investment in the adoption of agricultural best management practices (BMPs) has grown, but assessments of their effectiveness at large spatial scales have lagged. This study applies regional Spatially Referenced Regression On Watershed-attributes (SPAAuthorsVictor L. Roland, Ana María García, David A. Saad, Scott W. Ator, Dale M. Robertson, Gregory E. Schwarz - News
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