DNR data shows expansive bay grass growth in 2025.
Underwater grass abundance increased in the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries last year. In Maryland’s portion of the Bay, underwater grass coverage expanded from 36,799 acres in 2024 to 41,419 acres in 2025, an increase of nearly 13% in a single year. Bay-wide, SAV acreage reached an estimated 89,385 acres – up 7% from 83,252 acres in 2024.
The 2025 acreage represents about 36% of Maryland’s 114,065-acre restoration target, demonstrating meaningful progress while underscoring the opportunity for continued recovery.
Submerged aquatic vegetation beds are among the Chesapeake Bay’s most valuable shallow-water habitats, providing food, shelter, and nursery grounds for fish, blue crabs, waterfowl, and other wildlife. They improve water quality by absorbing nutrients and trapping suspended sediment, add oxygen to the water through photosynthesis, help stabilize bottom sediments, and reduce shoreline erosion.
The underwater grass beds also store carbon and can help buffer the effects of coastal acidification, an important benefit to Maryland’s shellfish industry. Because these underwater grasses require clear water to survive, their abundance and distribution are closely tied to water quality. Their ability to respond relatively quickly to both improving and deteriorating conditions makes SAV one of the Bay’s most important indicators of ecosystem health.
