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Yahoo
2 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Chesapeake Bay health downgraded to a ‘C' in this year's report card
Heath Kelsey of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science speaks at the releas of the 2025 Chesapeake Bay report card, which gave the estuary a "C" grade. (Photo by Christine Condon/Maryland Matters) Last year's weather didn't treat the Chesapeake Bay too kindly, if you ask Bill Dennison. 'It was too wet, and then it was too dry — and always too hot,' said Dennison, the vice president for science application at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. Those conditions are part of the reason the bay got a 'C' on this year's UMCES report card, down from last year's all-time high grade of 'C+.' 'The crops didn't have enough water, so they were not soaking up nutrients,' Dennison said at Tuesday's release of the report card. 'So when it did rain, there were excess nutrients washing into the bay.' A number of factors contribute to the score, including measurements of aquatic grass growth, water clarity, and harmful nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus, which run off from fertilizers and sewage treatment plants, among other sources. Excess nutrents spur the growth of algae, which suck oxygen from the water as they die, creating 'dead zones' that kill off underwater life. Though this year's score dropped, Dennison and others were quick to point out that the overall trajectory of the bay is more positive. Of 15 bay regions identified in the report only one has seen a declining trend dating back to the 1980s: the Upper Eastern Shore, which includes the Chester River. Six regions are improving, including Baltimore's Back and Patapsco rivers, and the rest are holding steady, said Heath Kelsey, director of the Integration and Application Network at UMCES. Kelsey said the bay has faced 'lots of development, lots of population moving in, lots more traffic and impervious surface — and climate change is adding to that, too. But nevertheless, over time, whatever we're doing is making a difference.' Yet bay states have fallen short of their 2014 pledges for nutrient reduction: By 2024, according to computer models, nitrogen reduction hit 59% of the goal and phosphorous reduction achieved 92% in the six states, plus Washington, D.C., in the bay watershed. They did meet other goals by that year, including reduced sediment runoff. Early gains came, in part, from outfitting wastewater treatment plants with enhanced technology so they discharge fewer nutrients. But slowing pollution from what are known as 'non-point' sources, such as stormwater runoff from cities and farm fields alike, has been more difficult. The bay has also responded to the estimated reductions more slowly than expected. From 1985 to 1987, 26.5% of the bay's tidal waters met water quality standards, according to ChesapeakeProgress, an online resource from the Chesapeake Bay Program. In the most recent assessment, between 2020 and 2022, 29.8% of the bay met those same standards. The numbers have declined steadily since a high point of 42.2% from 2015 to 2017. A 2023 report from the Bay Program's Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee laid out some reasons for the slow improvement. Computer modeling could be overestimating nutrient reductions, the report said. It also called for increased adoption of non-point pollution reduction measures, and urged governments to consider programs that reward farmers and other landowners based on the success of conservation practices, rather than awarding funds to implement a practice, regardless of the pollution-reduction outcome. Officials have been drafting a revised bay agreement, with new goals for the states, that could be released for public comment next month, pending a vote from a Chesapeake Bay Program committee. Meanwhile, cuts — some proposed and others realized — to federal agencies by the Trump administration are adding fresh uncertainty to bay restoration efforts. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Maryland), who appeared via video for Tuesday's event, said Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin publicly assured him that cuts would not be proposed for the Chesapeake Bay Program, the EPA-led office that leads the bay cleanup effort. It's a change from Trump's first administration, when the president repeatedly proposed cutting the Bay Program's funding, or zeroing it out altogether, though he was denied by Congress. 'That's good news, but we know that that's not the only program important to the health of the bay, which is why we'll push back against the administration's efforts to cut other key environmental programs,' Van Hollen said. President Donald Trump's proposed budget would slash billions from the EPA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Geological Survey and the Department of Agriculture, potentially hampering funding for improvements at sewage treatment plants, scientists that study bay wildlife and programs that assist farmers with conservation practices, according to a May news release from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. 'It's chaos on the hour,' Bay Foundation President and CEO Hilary Harp Falk said Tuesday. 'We have seen some slightly positive news in the EPA Chesapeake Bay Program getting full funding in the president's proposed budget, but what we're also seeing is major cuts to NOAA and major cuts to USGS, including bedrock scientific programs. 'You can't just pull half of those federal agencies out and expect to have results,' she said. To Dennison, some of the biggest changes so far have been departures of senior USGS scientists, who focused on monitoring conditions in the bay watershed. Some of them opted for the early retirement plan offered by the administration in order to thin the federal bureaucracy, Dennison said. At UMCES, officials are also concerned about Trump administration attempts to limit the amount of grant funding that universities can use for overhead, Dennison said. 'We're doing a lot of the doomsday list-making,' he said, but added that the institution is also trying to keep a level head. 'I think it's important not to freak out,' Dennison said. 'Let's keep our head down, doing good work. And then, when we're really confronted with the challenge, we'll deal with it. But for right now, what we hear is being proposed doesn't often end up being the reality.' Despite tough state budget conditions, Maryland officials are trying to plug holes left by the federal government, said Maryland Natural Resources Secretary Josh Kurtz. In remarks on Tuesday, Kurtz cited the recently passed Chesapeake Legacy Act, which will, in part, let DNR incorporate water quality data collected by community groups such as riverkeepers — potentially filling in gaps caused by federal cuts. That bill may have been aided by its small price tag: It allocates about $500,000 for a new certification program for conservation-minded farmers. Kurtz also cited a 2024 law, the Whole Watershed Act, which funds targeted water quality assistance for five communities. 'Where there are things that we're going to lose, I think we are well-positioned as a state because of the strength of the partnership, to be able to keep that scientific understanding going,' Kurtz said. Dennison said scientists at UMCES have been zeroing in on the Upper Shore, the only region with a declining water quality trend in the center's report card. He said the problem is a bit of an 'enigma' in an area where a solid number of farmers are using cover crops to prevent erosion between growing seasons, and a significant amount of nutrient-laden poultry litter from area chicken houses is trucked to the Western Shore instead of being spread as fertilizer to Eastern Shore farm fields. Scientists have a few hypotheses, including that the Upper Shore's flat elevatio could cause the slow groundwater circulation in the area, which could be delaying observations of progress. 'We've put into practice some of these things that we're seeing positive responses to elsewhere, but they're slower on the Eastern Shore because it's such a flat [area with] poorly drained soils. It's just taken a while for that to happen,' Dennison said. He said the center will host a series of workshops on the Shore later this month, in collaboration with the Delmarva Land and Litter Collaborative, focused on environmental practices in chicken houses, bringing in farmers and poultry companies. 'We don't really understand why it's uniquely degraded, whereas everywhere else in the bay is holding steady or improving, so we're trying to get at that, but we're doing it in partnership with the farming community,' Dennison said.
CBS News
2 days ago
- Science
- CBS News
Chesapeake Bay watershed health declined in 2024, report shows
The Chesapeake Bay declined in health in 2024, according to an annual report published by the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES). During the annual assessment, officials look at the ecological, societal and economic indicators. The report, which uses data from 2024, gave the Bay a C grade, while watershed health was given a C+ grade. The C grade was a five-point decrease compared to 2023. Despite the decline in health in 2024, the Bay has shown long-term improvements over the last couple of decades, the report shows. Chesapeake Bay health declined in 2024 UMCES looked at seven bay indicators and 12 watershed indicators to grade the health of the waterways. According to the report, the bay indicators, like nitrogen levels, oxygen levels and water clarity, are used to assess the health of the aquatic ecosystem, while watershed indicators look at external factors like protected lands in the area, job growth and temperatures. UMCES said the decrease in score is not surprising due to the weather conditions in 2024. According to the report, 2024 was the hottest year on record, with extreme rainfall patterns. Parts of the watershed experienced drought with short, intense bursts of rainfall that caused runoff. "These downpours can cause water to flow over the ground rather than soak into it, increasing the fertilizer, dirt and debris carried into waterways," the report said. Despite the decreased 2025 score, the Bay has shown improvements since the 1980s, according to the report. According to the report, six regions - including Elizabeth, James, Patapsco and Back Rivers, Upper Western Shore, Upper Bay and Lower Bay - have shown long-term improvements. The Upper Eastern Shore was the only region to show declining trends. The Chesapeake Bay declined in health in 2024, according to an annual report published by the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES). University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science Some indicators, like dissolved oxygen and total nitrogen levels, have also shown long-term improvements, while chlorophyll a and water clarity scores have declined, the report shows. UMCES attributed the improvements to management and restoration efforts, including upgraded wastewater treatment plants, reduced nutrient and sediment, seagrass restoration and oyster plantings. "This year's report underscores the importance of continued investment and highlights the progress we've made over the last decade," said Dr. Fernando Miralles-Wilhelm, President of UMCES. Chesapeake Bay freshwater gets saltier With more than 100,000 miles of streams and millions of acres of lakes and reservoirs, the Chesapeake Bay region provides drinking water, resources for farmers and power. In its 2025 report, UMCES determined that the Chesapeake Bay's freshwater is becoming more salty due to an issue called freshwater salinization. The change is caused by rainfall patterns, drought, rises in sea level and human activities. The report shows freshwater salinization is expected to get worse as the population in the area increases and the environment continues to change. The report recommends switching to eco- and pet-friendly salt during the winter and using less de-icing product on roads and sidewalks. Baltimore waterways show declining water quality In May, a similar study from non-profit Blue Water Baltimore found that the water quality at the Inner Harbor and surrounding watershed has declined in the past decade. According to the report, water quality at the Baltimore Harbor, Gwynn Falls and the Patapsco River regions has declined between 2013 and 2024. Water quality in the Jones Falls region slightly improved. The report detailed that chlorophyll levels were poor in most areas, while bacteria levels and dissolved oxygen levels improved.
Associated Press
3 days ago
- Science
- Associated Press
Chesapeake Bay health grade dips after hottest year on record and extreme rainfall patterns
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — The health of the Chesapeake Bay declined in an annual report card on the nation's largest estuary released Tuesday, with scientists noting the effect of extreme rainfall patterns during the hottest year on record. The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science gave the bay a C grade in its report card. That compares to a C-plus grade the bay received last year, which was the highest grade it had received since 2002. 'There was a substantial upturn in the overall Bay Health score in 2024, and it came down a little this year,' said Heath Kelsey, director of UMCES Integration and Application Network. 'Over the long term, though, there is still an improving trend from the 1980s until now. We think extreme weather may have had some impact on the scores this year.' The report noted that last year was the hottest year on record, with extreme rainfall patterns. 'While parts of the watershed experienced drought, brief but intense downpours can cause water to flow over the ground rather than soak into it, increasing the fertilizer, dirt, and debris carried into waterways,' the report said. Bill Dennison, vice president for Science Application at UMCES, said the changing climate is definitely having an effect on the bay. 'One of the things that we saw in Maryland, in particular, was a prolonged summer drought — not so much spring, but a summer drought — punctuated by these extreme runoff events,' Dennison said. 'So what was happening was that the crops didn't have enough water, so they're not soaking up the nutrients.' As a result, when it did rain, there were excess nutrients, like nitrogen and phosphorus, that were flowing into the bay, Dennison said. 'Now sadly, this is kind of our future,' Dennison said at a news conference at the Annapolis Maritime Museum near the bay. 'This is the kind of weather patterns that are starting to become more common, which is drought punctuated by extreme events.' Warmer weather winters and higher temperatures mean less oxygen in the water for aquatic life, stressing fish and shellfish, Dennison added. 'So these are some of the things that we have to overcome and build more resilience into our system,' Dennison said. Despite the grade drop, the report cited long-term improvements in dissolved oxygen in the bay's waters. That's the amount of oxygen present in the water that is needed to support bay aquatic life. The report also noted long-term improvements in aquatic grasses, which provide habitat and food for various species, improve water quality and protect shorelines from erosion. Phosphorus and nitrogen levels also have improved in the long-term in another positive sign. While they are needed by the bay's organisms, excessive nitrogen and phosphorus degrade the bay's water quality. Excess nitrogen and phosphorus fuel algal blooms that can cloud the water and block sunlight from reaching underwater grasses. Water clarity and chlorophyll-a scores, however, have declining long-term trends, the report said. Chlorophyll-a in the bay is an indicator of phytoplankton abundance and water quality. Improving trends can be attributed to management and restoration efforts at the regional, state, and local levels, the report said. Regionally, wastewater treatment plants have been upgraded and programs have been put in place to reduce nutrient and sediment input. The health of the bay is a reflection of what's happening across its six-state watershed, which includes Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia along with the District of Columbia. UMCES, which is marking its 100th anniversary, also provides a grade for the overall watershed health in its report card. It gave the watershed a grade of C-plus. The watershed health grade includes ecological, societal and economic indicators. The most concerning societal indicator was heat vulnerability, the report said, noting communities may be under heat stress due to hotter air temperatures, less tree canopy cover, and more paved surfaces.
