Despite a 6 percent improvement in health since 2008, the Bay continues to have poor water quality, degraded habitats, and low populations of many fish and shellfish species. Based on these three areas, the overall health averaged 45 percent. The modest gain in the health score in 2009 was due to a large increase in the adult blue crab population, expansions of underwater grass beds growing in the Bay’s shallows, and improvements in water clarity and bottom habitat health.

• Water Quality: Water quality was again very poor in 2009, meeting just 24 percent of health goals, a 2 percent increase from 2008.
• Habitats and Lower Food Web: The Bay’s critical habitats and lower food web showed signs of improvement in 2009, increasing by 7 percent from 2008. However, they remain far below what is needed to support thriving populations of underwater life.
• Fish and Shellfish: Most fish and shellfish populations in the Bay remain far below desired levels. Overall, 59 percent of the health goals for fish and shellfish abundance have been met, a 9 percent increase from 2008.

New restoration programs and projects were put in place in 2009, but resulted in only incremental gains toward goals. The measures for restoration and protection efforts averaged 64 percent, a three percent increase from 2008.

• Reducing Pollution: Bay Program partners have implemented 62 percent of needed efforts to reduce nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment pollution, which is a 3 percent increase from 2008.
• Restoring Habitats: Efforts to restore habitats throughout the watershed achieved modest gains in 2009, with progress toward the overall goal at 63 percent, an 8 percent increase from 2008.
• Managing Fisheries: Overall work to develop ecosystem-based fisheries management plans for blue crabs, oysters, striped bass, Atlantic menhaden and American shad stands at 51 percent.
• Protecting Watersheds: Progress was made toward protection of the thousands of smaller watersheds in the region during 2009, with a 2 percent gain toward the overall goal. Overall, the partnership is 77 percent of the way toward its goals for protecting watersheds.
• Fostering Stewardship: Programs to foster the public’s stewardship of the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed resulted in a score of 67 percent, which reflects an increase of 2 percent from 2008.

The impact of human activity is overwhelming nature and offsetting cleanup efforts in the Bay and its watershed.

• Pollutants: The Chesapeake Bay and its rivers are unhealthy primarily because of pollution from excess nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment. The main sources of these pollutants are agriculture, urban and suburban runoff, wastewater, and air pollution.
• Land Use: The Bay’s decline is directly linked to the rise in population and corresponding development in the watershed.
• Natural Factors: Annual rain and snowfall influence the amount of water that flows in rivers. Pollution entering the Bay each year generally corresponds with the volume of water that flows from its tributaries and the concentration of pollutants in that water.
• Other Pressures: Climate change, invasive species and fisheries harvest are additional factors that impact the health of the Bay ecosystem.

Healthy freshwater streams are intrinsically linked to a healthy Chesapeake Bay. The watershed’s streams, creeks and rivers eventually flow into the Bay, so their water quality has a direct effect on the entire Bay.

• Health of Freshwater Streams in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed: Between 2000 and 2008, the average stream health scores in 10,452 sampling locations indicated that 5,459 were in very poor or poor condition and 4,656 were in fair, good or excellent condition.
• Nitrogen in Rivers Entering Chesapeake Bay: Flow-Adjusted Concentration Trends: Between 1985 and 2008, 25 out of 34 sampling sites showed downward flow-adjusted trends for nitrogen concentrations, while two sites showed upward trends.  Trends were not statistically significant at the remaining sites.
• Phosphorus in Rivers Entering Chesapeake Bay: Flow-Adjusted Concentration Trends: Between 1985 and 2008, 22 out of 34 sampling sites showed downward flow-adjusted trends for phosphorus concentrations, while four sites showed upward trends.  Trends were not statistically significant at the remaining sites.
• Sediment in Rivers Entering Chesapeake Bay: Flow-Adjusted Concentration Trends: Between 1985 and 2008, 13 out of 34 sampling sites showed downward flow-adjusted trends for sediment concentrations, while two sites showed upward trends.  Trends were not statistically significant at the remaining sites.