By Rachel Felver, Chesapeake Bay Program

On April 6, the Chesapeake Bay Program released its latest assessment of Bay health which shows an ecosystem in recovery from short-term weather impacts and long-term water quality degradation from excess nutrients and sediment.

Released annually, the Bay Barometer: Health and Restoration in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed 2019-2020 gives an update on the progress being made toward the 10 goals and 31 outcomes of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement.

Of these 31 outcomes, 19 have indicators whose data and information are drawn from a range of trusted sources, including government agencies, academic institutions, non-governmental organizations and direct demographic and behavior surveys.

The data in the Bay Barometer reflect the health of the Chesapeake Bay watershed over the course of many years, and in some cases, decades.

It offers a science-based snapshot of the best available information from 2019 and 2020 on the ecological health of and our efforts to protect and restore the nation’s largest estuary.

Click Here for the 2019-20 Bay Barometer updates to indicators.  Click Here for full report.

For more on Pennsylvania’s efforts, visit DEP’s PA’s Chesapeake Bay Watershed webpage.

How Clean Is Your Stream?

DEP’s Interactive Report Viewer allows you to zoom in on your own stream or watershed to find out how clean your stream is or if it has impaired water quality using the latest information in the draft 2020 Water Quality Report.

Related Articles:

-- CBF, Other States To File Lawsuit Against EPA Over Failure To Hold Pennsylvania, NY Accountable For Not Meeting Clean Water Obligations

-- Op-Ed: Chesapeake Bay Foundation Suing EPA Will Benefit Pennsylvanians And Other Others Who Value Clean Water

-- DEP Chesapeake Bay Implementation Plan Update: 86% Of Phase 3 Milestones Are On Track

Related Articles This Week:

-- Senate Committee Meeting Provides Overview Of Chesapeake Bay Restoration Efforts

-- U.S. Senators From Maryland, Virginia, Delaware Urge EPA To Ensure Pennsylvania's Compliance With Chesapeake Bay Pollution Reduction Standards

[Posted: April 6, 2021]

4/12/2021