Everything that happens on land has an impact on the water. The man-made pressures on the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed began more than 400 years ago, when the first European colony was founded at Jamestown, Virginia, and Captain John Smith led expeditions around the estuary.
During the four centuries that followed, the human population swelled, forests were chopped down, industrial activity ensued, fish and shellfish were harvested, towns and cities were built, and toxic chemicals were released into the environment. These factors disrupted the natural functioning of the entire ecosystem and led to a tremendous decline in the Bay’s health.
Today, human activity continues to drive the primary sources of pollution, which are agriculture, urban and suburban lands, wastewater, and air pollution.
The factors impacting Bay and watershed health are tracked with 12 reporting-level indicators grouped in four priority areas that represent major stressors to the Bay ecosystem:
The indicators are not related to goals at this time.
In Factors Impacting Bay and Watershed Health, the most current monitoring data available are used to provide an assessment of various factors impacting the health of the Bay and its watershed.
Nita Sylvester at (800) 968-7229 ext. 711
Chesapeake Bay Program Office