A July 3 Baltimore Sun blog article reports that the University of Maryland’s Center for Environmental Science has given the health of the Chesapeake Bay in 2012 a “C” grade, which is up from a “D+” from 2011. The Center maintains that even accounting for weather events such as Tropical Storm Lee and Superstorm Sandy, the Bay’s health has been improving as a whole since 2006. However, the Center’s report also notes that recovery progress has been uneven. From the blog post:
Most indicators of bay water quality and biological vitality increased, said William Dennison, the center’s vice president for science applications. Moreover, he said, the two indicators that had been worsening over recent years, algae growth and water clarity, appeared to be leveling off. …
While the bay watershed as a whole fared better, progress was uneven. The lower bay in Virginia earned the best health grade, a B-minus, while most of the Maryland rivers were rated ‘D’s, plus or minus. The Patapsco and Back rivers in the Baltimore area, though, came in dead last, with an ‘F’ grade.
