Rivers and Streams
Learn about the waterways that flow into the Chesapeake Bay.
What is a tributary?
A tributary is a creek, stream or river that flows into a larger body of water. For example, the Susquehanna, Potomac and James rivers are tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay.
What is the difference between a tidal river and a non-tidal river?
A tidal river is a river or a stretch of river whose flow and level are influenced by tides. For example, the Choptank, Potomac and Patuxent rivers have tidal and non-tidal portions.
How many rivers and streams are in the Chesapeake Bay region?
Altogether, more than 100,000 streams, creeks and rivers thread through the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
What pollutes rivers and streams?
Litter, nutrients, sediment and chemical contaminants are some of the common pollutants found in rivers and streams.
How do dams affect rivers and streams?
Dams can block American shad and other migratory fish from reaching their upstream spawning grounds. Dams can also affect the natural flow of rivers and streams.
What are benthos?
Benthos are organisms that live on and in the bottom sediments of the Chesapeake Bay and its streams and rivers. Benthic communities are complex and include a wide range of animals, plants and bacteria from all levels of the food web.