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Chesapeake Bay Health Slightly Declined Last Year, Report Shows
- The 19th annual Chesapeake Bay report card, published Tuesday by Maryland's environmental science research institute, revealed that the bay's overall health declined from a C+ to a C last year.
- The decline was linked to a warming climate and unusual episodes of heavy precipitation in 2024, which led to increased runoff carrying excess nitrogen and phosphorus into the bay, occurring alongside a lengthy restoration effort complicated by population growth and ongoing agricultural pollution.
- The report showed most environmental categories performed worse, with Central Maryland's Patapsco and Back rivers receiving poor grades of 27% and D respectively, while six other regions showed long-term improvement.
- UMCES Vice President Bill Dennison said last year's weather was “too wet, too dry, and too hot,” and President Dr. Fernando Miralles-Wilhelm called the report card a flagship reference for policymakers and conservationists.
- Despite this year’s step back, officials said ongoing efforts have improved overall bay health since the 1980s, but they warned the 2025 cleanup deadline remains unmet and federal support faces uncertainty.
32 Articles
32 Articles
Chesapeake health dips after hottest year on record, extreme rainfall patterns
The health of the Chesapeake Bay has declined in an annual report card on the nation's largest estuary. The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science gave the bay a C grade Tuesday. That compares to a C-plus grade last year — which was the highest grade the bay had received since 2002. The report noted that last year was the hottest year on record, with extreme rainfall patterns. Despite the grade drop, the report cited long-term i…
Chesapeake Bay and Watershed Report Card: Bay Health Slides Back to “C” Rating
The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) has released its 19th annual Chesapeake Bay and Watershed Report Card, showing a decline in overall Bay health from the previous C+ rating to a grade of C.
Chesapeake Bay health grade dips after hottest year on record and extreme rainfall patterns
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.
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