Published:
September 1, 1991
Originator:
Chesapeake Bay Program

Low dissolved oxygen is one of the most important problems facing managers and scientists in the restoration of Chesapeake Bay. Oxygen is critical to the health and survivalof the Bay's aquatic life. Faced with decreasing levels of dissolved oxygen associated with rising nutrient levels (e.g., nitrogen, phosphorus) managers adopted a basinwide nutrient reduction goal in 1987, to achieve at least a 40 percent reduction of nitrogen and phosphorus entering the mainstem Chesapeake by the year 2000. To track the progress toward this goal and to establish long-term trends, an analysisi of current and historical dissolved oxygen data was conducted.

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