To restore the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed, many measures must be put in place to reduce pollution, restore habitats, manage fisheries, protect watersheds and foster stewardship. For more than 25 years, Bay Program partners have worked to protect and restore the Bay and its watershed. The partners have developed science-based plans to improve the waters, habitats and fisheries of the Chesapeake. On-the-ground efforts are taking place throughout the 64,000-square-mile watershed and new initiatives are being implemented to accelerate progress.
Progress is tracked with 19 reporting-level indicators grouped into five priority areas that are described in the landmark Chesapeake 2000 agreement and represent major elements of the Bay restoration effort: Reducing Pollution, Restoring Habitats, Managing Fisheries, Protecting Watersheds and Fostering Stewardship. Quantitative goals have been set for all of these indicators. When all of the goals for these areas are reached, it should mean that all measures needed for a restored Bay have been implemented.
Long-term trend
N/A -- data for all component indices has only been collected for two years.
Short-term trend (10-year trend)
N/A -- data for all component indices has only been collected for two years.
Change from previous year (2007-2008)
The Restoration and Protection Efforts Index score increased from 56.7 percent to 60.6 percent.
In Reducing Pollution, efforts are compared to goals defined by the Bay jurisdictions' river-specific cleanup plans. The most up-to-date monitoring and tracking data gathered by Bay Program partners, as well as computer simulations, are used in this section.
In the remaining parts, restoration efforts are compared to goals adopted by the Bay Program partners. Monitoring and tracking data are used in these sections.
Percent achievement values for each top-level index were averaged to create the overarching index score.
Nita Sylvester at (800) 968-7229 ext. 711
Chesapeake Bay Program Office