The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) recently gave the Chesapeake Bay a C+, marking the highest grade since 2022.
The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) recently released its annual Chesapeake Bay and Watershed Report Card with the overall Bay earning a grade of C+ (55%), the highest grade since 2002. The overall Bay score is significantly improving, reflecting progress in the bay’s restoration efforts. Scores for indicators also improved or remained steady from the previous year. Out of the fifteen Bay regions, eleven showed improved scores with five regions showing significant improving trends. The region with the highest overall score was once again the Lower Bay at 70% (B), followed by the Upper Bay at 61% (B-), which improved to a B- grade for the first time.
The overall Watershed Health Score (C) is the same as the previous year. In 2024, Ecological scored a C+, Societal scored a C, and Economic scored a C. This year’s report examines the watershed scores in relation to land use. Generally, regions with agricultural lands had the lowest overall scores in the Societal category, while major cities scored poorly in the Economic category. Regions with high tree cover and low agricultural or development use achieved higher Ecological scores.
According to the press release:
“There is still much to do, but this is a strong indicator of progress,” said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator, Adam Ortiz. “After being off track, the partnership is now accelerating progress. In recent years, EPA has stepped up enforcement, accountability, and investments and it is paying off. These efforts have helped spur historic results among upstream and downstream states and all sectors, especially agriculture.”
“This latest review of the watershed’s health shows that the partnership of the Chesapeake Bay Agreement is strong as we assess how to best move forward together beyond 2025,” said Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary Josh Kurtz. “In Maryland, we’re using data and partnerships to improve coastal resilience, increase stream health, plant millions of new trees, and add more public access to the waterfront and natural areas. A cleaner Chesapeake Bay provides for a healthy society and a robust economy. We’re proud to work with partner states and the federal government to continue making progress toward a cleaner Bay for everyone.”
Similar to the previous year, the ecological and societal conditions in he eastern shore of Maryland and Virginia are worse than in other regions. With roughly 40% of the land in these regions dedicated to agriculture, balancing the economic and social benefits of agriculture with its ecological impacts is crucial for maintaining a healthy ecosystem. Across the Chesapeake Bay watershed, working with the agricultural communities is important to manage the impacts of agricultural runoff.
