The Chesapeake Bay watershed is approximately 64,000 sq. miles long. West Virginia is one of six states — and the District of Columbia — in the watershed. Sixteen million people live, work, and play in this watershed, and each individual directly affects the Bay. Including its tidal tributaries, the Bay has approximately 11,684 miles of shoreline. Fifty major tributaries pour water into the Chesapeake every day. Probably the best-known animal in the Bay watershed is the famous blue crab, but many other species call this watershed home. The Chesapeake Bay provides food, water, cover, and nesting or nursery areas to more than 3,000 migratory and resident wildlife species.

WEST VIRGINIA

The streams and creeks that form the South Branch of the Potomac River flow from the ridges and valleys of the Allegheny Plateau around Franklin and Petersburg, West Virginia, while the Potomac forms the dividing line between the Mountain State and Maryland from the North Branch east into the rolling land of the Panhandle around Martinsburg, Shepherdstown, Charles Town, and Harpers Ferry, where the Shenandoah meets the Potomac. This beautiful area is well-loved by hikers, whitewater paddlers, and anglers, especially for tributaries like The Trough (a spectacular gorge on the South Branch), the Lost River, and the Cacapon River.

While tourism is a major contributor to this part of West Virginia, agriculture has grown tremendously in recent years, especially poultry production. This rapid growth raises the issue of nitrogen runoff from improperly managed poultry litter. While the burgeoning agriculture industry promises economic development in an area that sorely needs it, West Virginia is beginning to take steps to ensure that runoff of nitrogen from it does not foul the already-pressured Potomac downstream. For more information, call CBF's Virginia Office in Richmond at 804-780-1392.