El Niño likely to bring milder, wetter winter and lessen Maryland drought.  NOAA’s U.S. Winter Outlook, shows how El Nino will likely influence the upcoming winter months (December 2026 to February 2027), with warmer-than-average temperatures expected across the northern U.S.; wetter-than-average conditions likely across the southern U.S., from California to Florida, and along the Eastern Seaboard; and drought improving for the majority of the country, including in Maryland. According to NOAA, “As we know from decades…

The Chesapeake Bay earns its highest health grade in 20 years, restoration efforts progress but ongoing challenges remain. The Chesapeake Bay earned its highest health grade in 20 years, according to a new report from the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. The Bay received an overall grade of C+, with eight of its 15 regions showing improvement. Researchers pointed to decades of restoration efforts, including investments in wastewater treatment, agricultural conservation, and oyster…

New federal executive order changes the framework for Chesapeake Bay restoration, prompting officials to assess impacts on funding and coordination. President Donald Trump has rescinded a 2009 Obama-era executive order that established a federal framework for coordinating Chesapeake Bay restoration efforts. The new order directs federal agencies to focus resources on projects the administration considers most likely to produce measurable water-quality improvements and encourages states and local governments to reconsider stormwater management fees. Maryland officials…

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…