Baygrasses within the Chesapeake and its tributaries increased 7 percent in 2023, signaling an improving ecosystem.
Baygrasses (also called submerged aquatic vegetation or SAV) in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries increased by 7 percent in 2023. For context, the yearly average SAV growth within the bay ranges between three and five percent. This significant increase signals to scientists that the bay ecosystem is improving.
According to WYPR,
“[SAV] responds very quickly to improvements in water quality by expanding and growing, and it also responds quickly to degradation of water quality by dying back, so we can see that from year to year,” said Brooke Landry, who runs SAV programming at the state Department of Natural Resources.
Every year, the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS), the Chesapeake Bay Program, and other state and federal partners monitor and restore underwater grasses to ensure they continue to benefit marine life and coastal communities.
Highlights from the 2023 Report
- 79,234 acres of SAV were mapped in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries; SAV increased 8% relative to 2022 from 72,990 ac to 78,502 ac in the regions mapped for both years
- SAV increased in three salinity zones (Tidal Fresh, Mesohaline, and Polyhaline) and decreased in the other salinity zone (Oligohaline)
Looking Ahead
While the growth is a remarkable improvement, the Chesapeake Bay as a whole is behind in meeting most of its goals (including SAVs goals) as outlined in the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement. Work is underway at the federal, state, and county levels to analyze successes and failures since 2014 and develop a new coordinated strategy for improving Bay health.
