Current Health
Chesapeake Bay Habitat Health Report Card: 2008
The 2008 Chesapeake Bay Health Report Card provides a scientifically-based, transparent, timely, and geographically detailed annual assessment of Chesapeake Bay health. The Health Report Card, released annually since 2007 by the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES), provides an assessment of the previous year’s conditions. , This report card rates 15 reporting regions of the Bay, using six indicators, three water quality and three biotic, that are combined into a single overarching index of health. Health is defined as progress of the six indicators towards established, scientifically derived ecological thresholds or goals. A low score therefore means that very few or no water quality and biological health indicators meet desired levels in the region. Quality of water in these locations tends to be very poor, most often leading to very poor habitat conditions for fish and shellfish.. A high score means that all water quality and biological health indicators meet desired levels in the region. Quality of water in these locations tends to be very good, most often leading to very good habitat conditions for fish and shellfish.
The following web site enables you to explore the report card via the 15 Bay regions, by the indicators and indices, and as an overview of 2008 Bay health:
http://www.eco-check.org/reportcard/chesapeake/2008/
"There are many more specific measures of Chesapeake Bay health, all of which are of varying levels of importance, dependent on your interest and location. The states of Maryland and Virginia track all of these and utilize them in directing our collective Bay restoration efforts. Six of the more important indicators are presented below. Dissolved oxygen, water clarity, and chlorophyll a (a measure of the amount of algae in the water) all are important measures of water quality that impact the Bay’s living resources. Bay grasses, blue crabs, and striped bass are important habitats and living resources that are of interest to many Marylanders. Click on the thumbnail for a larger graphic. The EPA Chesapeake Bay Program annually compiles these results and publishes them on its website at http://www.chesapeakebay.net/indicators.htm, which can be viewed to provide more details and other indicators."
