Water-Quality Characteristics of Five Tributaries to the Chesapeake Bay at the Fall Line, Virginia,
- Published:
- January 1, 1995
- Originator:
- VA Department of Environmental Quality Chesapeake Bay and Costal Programs
Development in the Chesapeake Bay region has adversely affected the water quality of the Bay. The general degradation in the Bay has resulted in the decline of commercial fishing industries and has reduced the area of aquatic vegetation that provides food and habitat for fish and shellfish. In order to assess the effectiveness of programs aimed at reducing the effects of excess nutrients and suspended solids on Chesapeake Bay. It is necessary to quantify the loads of the constituents into the Bay, and to evaluate the trends in water quality. This report presents the results of a study funded by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality-Chesapeake Bay and Coastal Programs and the U.S. Geological Survey, to monitor and estiamte the loads of selected nutrients and suspended solids discharged to Chesapeake Bay from five major tributaries in Virginia. The water quality data and load estimates provided in this report also will be used to calibrate computer models of Chesapeake Bay.