Chesapeake Bay Healthiest in 18 Years: 2016 Report

ANNAPOLIS, MD — The water of Chesapeake Bay is clearer than it's been in at least two decades, blue crab numbers are up, underwater grass beds are growing again, all signs that the health of the Bay is improving, according to a year-end report from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Each year the group gives the Bay's health a score, and the 2016 score of a C- is the highest since the first State of the Bay report was issued 18 years ago.

Each of the three indicator categories used to grade the Bay's health — pollution, habitat, and fisheries — has improved. The iconic blue crab score leapt the most dramatically, says the foundation, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary. But, there are trouble signs as well, with Pennsylvania not on target to reduce agriculture pollution, and Maryland behind pace on reducing polluted water runoff.

"We believe the bay is reaching a tipping point," the report's authors say. "We are seeing the clearest water in decades, regrowth of acres of lush underwater grass beds, and the comeback of the Chesapeake's native oysters, which were nearly eradicated by disease, pollution, and overfishing."

The health of the Chesapeake Bay improved two points (6 percent) this year to 34, equivalent to a C- grade, according to the foundation's State of the Bay report. Continued implementation of the Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint and below average rainfall resulted in improvements in nitrogen and phosphorus pollution, dissolved oxygen levels, and water clarity.

While Virginia and Maryland are largely on track to achieve their 2017 mid-term goals of 60 percent of practices in place, Pennsylvania is significantly behind, largely due to its failure to meet the goals it set for reducing pollution from agriculture, the report says.

"Maryland has much to gain from a cleaner Chesapeake Bay. This State of the Bay report shows signs of hope that our work to date is paying off," said the foundation's Maryland Executive Director, Alison Prost. "Maryland residents, businesses, farmers, and political leaders should be proud of their investments, and efforts toward a clean Bay.

"However, there are worrisome signs that Maryland is falling back," Prost added. "The state is not keeping pace with its commitments to reduce polluted runoff from our towns, to protect and replant trees, and to ensure the oyster population recovers. If we are to have a healthy and restored bay, rivers, and streams, we must persist. We definitely cannot backtrack on our commitments."

Established in 1998, CBF's State of the Bay Report is a comprehensive measure of the Bay's health. CBF scientists assign scores from 1-100 using data in three categories: pollution, habitat, and fisheries. Taken together, these indicators offer an overall assessment of bay health.

Overall, each of the three categories showed improvement. In the pollution category, toxics comprised the only pollution indicator that did not improve. In the habitat and fisheries categories, underwater grasses, rockfish, blue crabs, oysters, and shad showed improvements this year. Wetlands, and resource lands indicators were unchanged, and the only indicator to decline was forest buffers.

A score of 70 would represent a saved Bay, the group says. The unspoiled ecosystem described by Captain John Smith in the 1600s, with extensive forests and wetlands, clear water, abundant fish and oysters, and lush growths of submerged vegetation serves as the benchmark, and would rate a 100 on CBF's scale.

The Clean Water Blueprint requires the Bay states to decrease pollution to local creeks, rivers, and the Bay. State and local governments have committed to achieve specific, measurable reductions. The states agreed to have the programs in place by 2025 to restore water quality.

"While that will be a heavy lift, it is imperative for all 18 million of us who live in the Bay watershed to keep the pressure on," Baker said. "Our elected and appointed leaders need to build on the momentum that has been achieved thus far."

"Here in the Commonwealth, steady investment in projects that reduce polluted runoff from cities and suburbs should be a priority," said CBF's Virginia Executive Director Rebecca LePrell. "In rural areas, farmers are working hard to reduce agricultural pollution with help from Virginia's cost-share program. … The improved State of the Bay is welcome news, but there's a lot left to be done."

»Chesapeake Bay Bridge photo from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources