Publications

This report documents the calculations and procedures for the preparation of the input data to the Watershed Model - HSPF Phase 5. These calculations are used for creating the calibration data as well as scenario data. They form the basis of the Nutrient and Sediment Scenario Builder tool. The data created in this tool include: manure and chemical fertilizer applications by each nutrient type, land use in acres, plant uptake (the monthly amount of total nitrogen and total phosphorus taken into the entire plant -- roots, and all above-ground parts), nitrogen fixation (the amount of N fixed by leguminous plants each month), area of soil that is not covered by residue or leaves and is available to be eroded, and the amount of nitrogen from septic system drainage fields.

View document [PDF] Estimates of County-Level Nitrogen and Phosphorus Date for Use in Modeling Pollutant Reduction

In this report, a comparison data set with helix and block results for the same samples was analyzed to estimate the magnitude of the low bias of the helix method compared to the block method.

View document [PDF] Adjusting Helix Kjeldahl Nitrogen Results: Maryland Chesapeake Bay Mainstem Water Quality Monitoring

The report includes methods, interpretation of results, results for the Watershed, results by State, wetland loss hotspots, discussion and conclusions and recommendations.

View document [PDF] Recent Wetland Status and Trends in the Chesapeake Watershed (1982-1989); Technical Reports

This report examines the cost effectiveness of control options which reduce nitrate deposition to the Chesapeake watershed and the tidal Bay. The object of the analysis is to determine the sources of atmospheric nitrate deposited to the Bay, the loads from each major source, the load reduction amount brought about by controls, and the cost of reductions.

View document [PDF] Nitrogen Oxides: Impact on Public Health and the Environment

Water quality in Chesapeake Bay has degraded over the past 50 years with respect to oxygen depletion and reduced light attenuation. While the causes are numerous, sediment resuspension from wave and tidal action cloud the water column and reduce light attenuation thereby negatively affecting submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) beds. Sediments on the Bay bottom come from upland runoff and shoreline erosion, each of which has significant contributions to the loading of sediments into estuary. The purpose of this report is to assess the present methods used to calculate sediment loading from tidal shoreline erosion that is input to the Chesapeake Bay Water Quality Model (WQM).

View document [PDF] Tidal Sediment Yield Estimate Methodology in Virginia for the Chesapeake Bay Program Water Quality M

The Significance of Ammonia to Coastal and Estuarine Areas is a report on the third Shared Resources workshop on Airsheds & Watersheds. The report covers the potential detrimental effects of ammonia to air quality' the role ammonia plays as a form of nutrient enrichment of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems; the sources, airborne transport and fate of ammonia emissions; and the need to manage ammonia emissions to protect human health and the environment.

View document [Web] Airsheds and Watersheds III - The Significance of Ammonia

The purpose of this guidance document is to clarify the concept of wetland mitigation and to prove a common approach to mitigation that will allow governmental decisions to rely on a sound scientific bases.

View document [Web] Mitigation Technical Guidance for Chesapeake Bay Wetlands

The Oyster Management Plan includes both a general framework and specific guidance for managing and rebuilding the native oyster stock in Chesapeake Bay. The development of the plan was a multi-partner endeavor by representatives from state and federal agencies, academia, environmental organizations, and the oyster industry. The strategies include evaluating the use of sanctuaries and harvest reserves to obtain optimum ecological and economic benefits; rebounding habitat; increasing hatchery production; breeding disease-resistant oysters; evaluating impediments to aquaculture; managing harvest; improving coordination among the oyster partners; and developing a database to track oyster restoration projects and monitor results.

View document [PDF] 2004 Chesapeake Bay Oyster Management Plan

This report focuses on the identified need of the Chesapeake bay Program to better simulate nitrogen outputs from the forested portions of the Bay drainage and a short-term desire to the US EPA to be able to build off of the existing HSPF model, if possible, for implementation within one to two years. In addition, EPA was interested in a model that would be responsive to changes in atmospheric deposition. Three activities were undertaken to meet EPA's needs 1.) reviewed the literature on forest N pools and fluxes, 2.) reviewed N data from research catchments in the Chesapeake Bay Drainage Basin, and 3.) convened a workshop of scientists knowledgeable about forest N literature, data, and models. The workshop undertook the following tasks: 1.)Evaluate how realistic the estimated N loads were from forested watersheds using the current model, 2.) Evaluate the HSPF AGCHEM module structure with regard to possible modification and use for a new forest module, 3.) Identify available data for parameterization and verification of a new forest module. This document reports on their findings and conclusions from these activities.

View document [PDF] DRAFT- Nitrogen Outputs from Forested Watersheds in the Chesapeake Bay Drainage Basin

A literature review was conducted to determine the effectiveness of forestry best management practices (BMPs) in reducing water quality impacts of forestry management operations within the Piedmont and Ridge-and-Valley of the Chesapeake Bay watershed (CBW). Two apsects of BMP effectiveness were addressed: the ability of BMPs to reduce impacts on water quality, and compliance with state-recommended BMPs.

View document [PDF] Forestry Best Management Practices and Water Quality in the Piedmont and Ridge and Valley Provinces