The U.S. Geological Survey and the Chesapeake Bay – The role of science in environmental restoration

Circular 1220
By: , and 
Edited by: Scott W. Phillips

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Abstract

The Chesapeake Bay is the Nation's largest estuary and historically supported one of the most productive fisheries in the world. In addition to supporting aquatic communities and wildlife, the bay's watershed serves the economic and recreational needs of 15 million people. The fertile soils of the watershed support significant agricultural production. Unfortunately, the commercial, economic, and recreational value of the bay and its watershed has been degraded by poor water quality, loss of habitat, and overharvesting of living resources. Since the early 1980's, the Chesapeake Bay Program, which is a partnership among Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, the District of Columbia, the Federal Government, and the Chesapeake Bay Commission, has been formulating and implementing restoration goals to restore living resources, minimize habitat loss, and reduce the amount of nutrients, sediment, and toxic substances entering the bay. The U.S. Geological Survey has the critical role of providing unbiased scientific information to be used in helping to formulate, implement, and assess the effectiveness of restoration goals in the bay and its watershed.

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Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title The U.S. Geological Survey and the Chesapeake Bay – The role of science in environmental restoration
Series title Circular
Series number 1220
DOI 10.3133/cir1220
Year Published 2002
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Contributing office(s) Leetown Science Center, Maryland Water Science Center, National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center, National Research Program - Eastern Branch, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Pennsylvania Water Science Center, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, Northeast Regional Director's Office, Florence Bascom Geoscience Center, Eastern Ecological Science Center
Description 32 p.
Country United States
Other Geospatial Chesapeake Bay watershed
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
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