Press Center

The Chesapeake Bay Program announced today that an estimated 29.6% of the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries met clean water standards for clarity (measured by the abundance of ), dissolved oxygen and chlorophyll a (a measure of algae growth) during the 2018-2020 assessment period. This is lower than the previous score of 33.1% received during 2017-2019. However, while the water quality of the Chesapeake and its tidal tributaries saw a decrease of 3.5% from the previous assessment period, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported mixed results in the trends of nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment pollution entering the Bay from the largest rivers in the watershed.

Researchers from the Chesapeake Bay Program, the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, University of Michigan and U.S. Geological Survey announced today that they are predicting this summer’s dead zone to be smaller than the long-term average taken between 1985 and 2021. This is due to the below average amount of water entering the Bay from the watershed’s tributaries this past spring, as well as decreased nutrient and sediment pollution from jurisdictions within the watershed.

Today, the Chesapeake Bay Program announced that the amount of nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment pollution entering the Chesapeake Bay in 2021 decreased from the previous assessment period. Each year, the seven watershed jurisdictions—Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia—report the practices they have implemented to decrease the amount of pollution entering the Chesapeake Bay.

In 2021, an estimated 67,470 acres of underwater grasses were mapped in the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries, achieving 37% of the ultimate restoration goal of 185,000 acres. However, it is likely that more underwater grasses grew in the Bay in 2021 than the mapped acreage suggests. Adverse weather conditions, such as frequent rain and cloudy water, prevented researchers from successfully collecting imagery over the Mattaponi and Pamunkey rivers.

The seventh annual Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week will take place from June 4-12, 2022. While this week has been officially designated in Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia, events will take place throughout the entire watershed to raise awareness about this valuable economic and environmental resource—a national treasure that directly connects over 18 million residents.

On Tuesday, October 11, 2022, the Chesapeake Executive Council will hold a public meeting and press event where they will discuss accelerating progress to meet the goals and outcomes of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement by 2025. Additionally, the council will hear a presentation from retiring Chesapeake Bay Commission Executive Director Ann Swanson, an update on the State of the Program from Chesapeake Bay Program Director Dr. Kandis Boyd and each member will provide remarks. More detailed information can be found on the October 2022 Executive Council meeting website.

Leadership and scientists from the Chesapeake Bay Program will join the York County Planning Commission and the U.S. Geological Survey Pennsylvania Water Science Center on Wednesday, September 21, 2022 in celebration of the Watershed Alliance of York’s 20th annual Watershed Week.

On Wednesday, December 15, 2021, the Chesapeake Executive Council will hold a public meeting and press event where they will hear an update on the activities that have taken place since the signing of the historic diversity, equity, inclusion and justice directive in 2020. Additionally, the council will review the partnership’s progress toward achieving each outcome in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement by 2025, and each member or designee will provide remarks. More detailed information can be found on the December 2021 Executive Council meeting website.

On Friday, October 1, 2021, the Chesapeake Executive Council will hold a public meeting and press event during which the council will announce the adoption of a climate change directive for the Chesapeake Bay Program. Additionally, members of the Executive Council will have the opportunity to give remarks about how climate change is impacting their region and what measures they are taking to address it. Prior to the meeting, council members will be joined by Pamela Northam, First Lady of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and subject matter experts from the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia for an environmental education experience on the Lynnhaven River. More detailed information will be forthcoming on the 2021 Executive Council meeting website.

Members of the media and other interested parties are invited to join Chesapeake Bay Program staff on Wednesday, February 24, 2021 from 12:00 p.m.—1:00 p.m. EST to learn more about this regional partnership. This virtual webinar is free and open to all.

On Wednesday, September 16, 2020, the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Citizens Advisory Committee will host “Bridging the Gaps Between Environmental Quality and Public Health”, a live webinar that seeks to foster a deeper understanding of the connections between the two fields. This virtual session is free and open to all.

On Tuesday, August 18, 2020, the Chesapeake Executive Council will hold a public meeting and press event during which they will set goals and provide guidance for the Chesapeake Bay Program. The council, established by the Chesapeake Bay Agreement of 1983, meets on an annual basis.

On Thursday, September 5, 2019, the Chesapeake Executive Council will hold a public meeting and press event during which they will set goals and provide guidance for the Chesapeake Bay Program. The council, established by the Chesapeake Bay Agreement of 1983, meets on an annual basis.

The Chesapeake Bay Program will release its annual, science-based snapshot of the nation’s largest estuary, the Bay Barometer: Health and Restoration in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed (2017 – 2018) on Tuesday, April 2, 2019 at 3:00 p.m. ET.  Subject matter experts will be on hand to answer questions regarding the most recent scientific data on the health of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, including its rivers, fisheries and habitats.  

On Tuesday, August 7, 2018, the Chesapeake Executive Council will hold a public meeting and press event during which they will set goals and provide guidance for the Chesapeake Bay Program partnership. The council, established by the Chesapeake Bay Agreement of 1983, meets on an annual basis.