New Chesapeake Bay Report Shows Decline in Health but a Positive Long-Term Trend

Climate extremes drag Chesapeake Bay health grade down after previous gains

The health of the Chesapeake Bay declined in 2025 after extreme rainfall and heat disrupted nutrient flows and oxygen levels, reversing some of the estuary’s recent environmental progress.Brian Witte reports for The Associated Press.In short:The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science downgraded the Chesapeake Bay’s health grade from a C-plus to a C, citing erratic weather, including droughts and intense rainstorms, as a key driv…

New Chesapeake Bay report shows decline in health but a positive long-term trend

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- A 2024 report card found a decline in health within the Chesapeake Bay, however according to the University of Maryland Environmental Science (UMCES) report card, shows a long-term positive trend. The UMCES report card showed that two major factors led to its decline in 2024--extreme weather due to drought and heavy storms. When intense rainfall falls through the region on dry coil it leads to runoff that washes pollution…

Chesapeake Bay health grade dips after record heat and extreme rainfall patterns

The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science gave the bay a C grade on Tuesday. That compares to a C-plus grade last year, which was the highest grade the bay had received since 2002.

Chesapeake Bay Health Grade Dips After Hottest Year on Record and ...

Report: Chesapeake Bay and Watershed Show Declined Health in 2024 but Long-Term Improvement

A boat floating on Chesapeake Bay. (Jane Hawkey) ANNAPOLIS, Md. — The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science released its 19th annual Chesapeake Bay and Watershed Report Card Tuesday, and the overall Chesapeake Bay earned a grade of C (50%). The Chesapeake Bay Watershed Health, which includes ecology, society, and economy indicators, scored C+ (57%). The overall Bay score had a five-point decrease from last year and there were d…

Bay Report Card’s C-Grade Shows Drop in Health Since Last Year

One year after the Chesapeake Bay’s health grade hit a 22-year high, its report card Source The post Bay Report Card’s C-Grade Shows Drop in Health Since Last Year appeared first on Chesapeake Bay Magazine.