Scientific, Technical Assessment and Reporting (STAR)

The Scientific, Technical Assessment and Reporting (STAR) Team coordinates the monitoring, modeling and analysis needed to explain and communicate the health of and changes in the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem.

Meetings

About

Purpose

Enhance Chesapeake Bay science and capacity by facilitating collaboration among science providers to provide monitoring, modeling, and analysis needed to update, explain, and communicate ecosystem condition and change to support the Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) Goal Implementation Teams (GITs).

Function within the Chesapeake Bay Program Framework

STAR coordinates monitoring, modeling and analysis across the CBP to help decision makers progress toward the Goals and Outcomes of the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement (hereafter, Watershed Agreement). STAR has evolved from having a water quality emphasis to encompass a more ecosystem-based science mission approach, as required by the Watershed Agreement through supporting the GITs in identifying, organizing, and addressing their science needs. The STAR Team serves the CBP through the following major functions:

  • Manage and coordinate the Strategic Science and Research Framework (SSRF) to identify, track, and address the CBP science needs for the Watershed Agreement.
  • Interact with GITs to coordinate science partnerships and identify new opportunities to address science needs in SSRF and science capacity for Watershed Agreement outcomes.
  • Manage CBP-funded monitoring networks and collaborate with monitoring organizations to utilize and enhance additional networks to address the outcomes in the Watershed Agreement.
  • Ensure data comparability, completeness, and integrity.
  • Update, and deliver, the status and trends (indicators) of ecosystem conditions.
  • Contribute to explaining ecosystem condition and change.
  • Conduct modeling to improve water-quality decision-making and better understand and predict ecosystem response.
  • Coordinate science support of climate change activities.
  • Enhance information management, access, and GIS support.
  • Produce synthesis products and reports to better communicate scientific results and aid in science informed management decisions.

Please refer to the STAR Scope and Purpose for more information.

Projects

Strategic Science and Research Framework

Complete

This framework was developed to help focus existing science resources, leverage the research enterprise and more effectively provide science to advance Chesapeake Bay Program efforts and decision-making.

Cross-Goal Team Mapping Project

Complete

This project identified places where Goal Implementation Teams (GITs) can more effectively collaborate and make progress toward interrelated Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement outcomes.

Publications

2017 Technical Addendum Ambient Water Quality Criteria for Dissolved Oxygen, Water Clarity and Chlorophyll a for the Chesapeake Bay and Its Tidal Tributaries

Publication date:

This 2017 addendum provides previously undocumented features of the procedures for assessing attainment of the Chesapeake Bay water quality criteria as well as refinements and clarifications to the previously published Chesapeake Bay water quality criteria assessment procedures.

View document [PDF, 4.2 MB] 2017 Technical Addendum Ambient Water Quality Criteria for Dissolved Oxygen, Water Clarity and Chlorophyll a for the Chesapeake Bay and Its Tidal Tributaries

Related Resources

Our Watershed Agreement Goals & Outcomes

Climate Resiliency Goal

Our Workgroups & Action Teams

Our Members