Water Quality

The Chesapeake Bay and its rivers and streams are in critical condition. They suffer from an overload of pollution from many different sources.

Nitrogen and phosphorus pollution are the most serious problems facing the Bay. Too much nitrogen and phosphorus cause algae blooms that block sunlight to underwater grasses. When the blooms decompose, they consume oxygen and create “dead zones,” where dissolved oxygen levels are too low to sustain marine life.

Excess nitrogen and phosphorus from many human activities degrade our water quality. Some of the main sources are:

• Agriculture
• Sewage
• Stormwater
• Air Pollution
• Other pollutants such as mercury also affect fish and wildlife.

Across the region, open lands absorb rainfall and filter pollution naturally, but they are shrinking as the population increases and development expands. Factors such as climate change are also affecting the Bay.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) is working to restore oysters, underwater grasses, and other natural filters that once cleansed our waters.

CBF issues an annual State of the Bay report that rates the Bay’s health using 13 different indicators to present a complete picture of its fisheries, habitats, and pollution. The report measures current conditions against the pristine Bay of the 17th century described by Captain John Smith.