Integrated Trends Analysis Team

Tributary Summaries

The Chesapeake Bay Program and its partners produce tributary basin summary reports for the Bay’s 12 major tributaries using tidal monitoring data from more than 130 monitoring stations throughout the mainstem and tidal portions of the Bay. These reports use water quality sample data to summarize 1) How tidal water quality (TN, TP, DO, Chlorophyll a, Secchi Depth) has changed over time, 2) How and which factors may influence water quality change over time, and 3) Recent research connecting observed changes in aquatic conditions to its drivers.

These documents can be found on the CAST webpage here. 

Maps of 2020 Tidal Water Quality Change

1. Long-Term Change

Observed change in water quality by station from the beginning of the period to 2020.

2. Long-Term Flow-Adjusted Change

Change in water quality by station computed under the condition of average freshwater flow into the Chesapeake Bay over the long-term.  This approach answers the question: “What would the change in water quality have been if flow had been average?”

3. Short-Term Change

Observed change in water quality by station over the last 10 years.

4. Short-Term Flow-Adjusted Change

Observed change in water quality computed under the condition of average freshwater flow into the Chesapeake Bay over the last 10 years.

Additional 2020 Results

Includes other depths and parameters not included in sections 1-4 above.

Bottom Layer (TN, TP, and Temperature)

Dissolved Nutrients

Surface Dissolved Oxygen

Please reach out to Alex Gunnerson (agunnerson@chesapeakebay.net) or Rebecca Murphy (rmurphy@chesapeakebay.net) for the 2019 results.

GAM Documentation

ITAT documents

ITAT Web Publishing Policy

This document outlines the policies that the Integrated Trends Analysis Team will follow in publishing meeting presentation materials for a public audience.