Climate Change

The number of intense storms is on the rise. 2018—memorable for its relentless July storms and flooding—and 2019 brought record rainfalls, and with them more pollution and fresh water flushed into the Bay.

Chesapeake Bay summer water temperatures are increasing by nearly a half degree Fahrenheit per decade and rising nearly twice as fast as global surface ocean water temperatures, according to a study by researchers at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. The average annual surface water temperature in the Bay has warmed by 1.3 degrees since the late 1980s. As the Bay warms overall, it also becomes more likely to experience periods of extreme heat, called marine heat waves.

Rivers and streams throughout the watershed are also experiencing warming waters. Average annual stream temperatures have increased by 1.8°F (1.0°C) in the past six decades in the Chesapeake Bay watershed according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

Sea-level rise is exacerbated by land subsidence. This combination of processes in the Chesapeake Bay has resulted in approximately one foot of net sea-level rise in the Bay over the past 100 years—a rate nearly twice that of the global historic average. According to some scientists, the region might see as much as a three- to four-foot sea-level rise this century.

Heavy storms increase soil erosion, sewer overflows, flooding, and polluted runoff. These activities dump nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment into rivers and the Bay. As a result, our waters experience more dead zones and algal blooms. Warmer waters also have a decreased capacity to hold dissolved oxygen, exacerbating the Bay’s fish-killing dead zones and contributing to algal blooms.

Rising water temperatures are stressing fish from the Bay’s iconic striped bass to Pennsylvania’s beloved brook trout. Temperature sensitive species are at risk, like eelgrass, a food source for migratory waterfowl and important habitat for blue crabs. Larger than average inflows of fresh water from storms also threaten oysters and push other Bay-life out of their traditional habitats. Similarly, significant changes in water temperature displace Bay species, impacting fishing.

Sea-level rise threatens thousands of acres of environmentally critical tidal wetlands and shorelines, not to mention susceptible cities and towns. In low-lying areas, storm surges combined with higher sea levels and increasingly erratic storm activity may create a “perfect storm” that will flood thousands of acres.

The reality of climate change is very visible to those living on the Bay. Smith Island and Tangier Island are inhabited islands in the mid-Bay whose residents are already losing their homes to sea-level rise. Other previously inhabited islands, such as Sharp’s Island and Holland’s Island, are completely submerged. Sewell’s Point in Norfolk experienced nearly one and a half feet of sea-level rise in the past century, and eight of the eleven highest storm surges over 80 years of records occurred in the last two decades.

But even those far from the Bay itself are affected. In Pennsylvania, massive storms overwhelm rivers and creeks, as well as local storm pipes, resulting in dangerous floods.

The storms not only pose an immediate risk to life and property, but they also threaten water quality and efforts to restore it. At the local level, extreme weather is yet another strain on municipalities that are contending with aging infrastructure, sprawl, legacy stormwater management problems, and increasingly stringent requirements to reduce polluted urban runoff.

Many of those areas are economically disadvantaged, and the combination of flooding and limited access to emergency facilities—facilities that might themselves be flooded—could be disastrous.

In addition, rising temperatures on land may be one of the deadliest impacts of climate change. Cities are disproportionately affected. In Baltimore, the EPA predicts that a three-degree overall air temperature increase could increase the heat-related death toll by 50 percent, from 85 to 130 people annually. Even within the same city, certain neighborhoods are hotter. A 2019 study that looked at heat variations in Richmond, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C. found that the hottest neighborhoods today are the same neighborhoods once redlined under racially discriminatory home lending practices in the mid-1900s.

From minimizing flooding to reducing urban heat islands and cutting internal heating and cooling costs, trees are a major player in fighting climate change. We’re working with communities, farmers, and landowners across the watershed to plant trees that will reduce pollution and provide climate benefits. These initiatives have included efforts like Greening Southside Richmond, the Better Buffer Program, and the Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership, which had an ambitious goal of planting 10 million trees in priority landscapes in Pennsylvania by the end of 2025.

One-third of the Bay’s nitrogen pollution comes from the air. Reducing emissions of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and methane is essential to curb climate change and improve water quality. CBF’s Federal Affairs Office is responding to attacks on important regulations that protect our air, water, and climate. When necessary, our Litigation Department takes legal action to hold the government accountable. For example, we challenged the repeal of the federal Clean Power Plan and its inadequate replacement with the Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) Rule. We also challenged EPA’s move to block state-level greenhouse gas standards for car tailpipes and zero-emission-vehicle programs.

Rain gardens, trees, constructed wetlands, and other green spaces can help reduce polluted runoff and flooding and provide relief from extreme heat. CBF is working with cities and community groups to place more trees in urban areas, such as our Greening Southside Richmond project in Virginia and environmental justice projects in low-income sections of three southcentral Pennsylvania cities. We also work with communities and landowners to restore living shorelines, which can help prevent erosion and adapt to changing water levels and increased storm activity resulting from climate change.

CBF is fully supportive of solar power as an essential part of reducing emissions from fossil-fueled energy production. Cutting emissions not only combats the urgent threat of global climate change, but also reduces harmful air pollution that contributes nearly one-third of the nitrogen that pollutes local streams, rivers, and the Chesapeake Bay. We advocate for solar development that follows best practices to safeguard water quality and promote community well-being in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

There are endless opportunities for you to make a difference for the Bay and beyond. For example, ask your energy provider about options to get your electricity from renewable resources. You can also replace hard surfaces with pervious pavement, or plant a rain garden. Carpooling and using public transportation are great ways to reduce your carbon footprint. When you’re in a position to buy a car, think about a more efficient model, or an electric or hybrid.

Get the latest updates on local and federal actions you can take by visiting our action center and signing up to receive our action alerts.

Whether planting trees or helping out with a living shoreline, there are opportunities across the watershed to get involved. Check out our upcoming events all across the watershed.

Make a donation to help CBF continue to restore oyster sanctuaries, plant trees that provide streamside buffers across the watershed, and advocate for government policies that protect our environment. If you live in Pennsylvania, you can also donate to the Keystone Tree Fund when renewing your Pennsylvania driver’s license and vehicle registration.