Chesapeake Bay Cleanup Efforts: A Mixed Bag
Recent cleanup efforts for the Chesapeake Bay have shown some progress, but the bay's health is not improving as quickly as hoped.
A report by the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science gave the bay a 50 percent health score in 2024, a drop from the previous year. This decline is partly due to weather extremes, including intense storms and dry spells, which have led to excess nutrient runoff.
Extreme rainfall washed too many nutrients into the Bay.
According to Bill Dennison, a scientist at UMCES, excess nutrients from farms, lawns, and roads feed algae blooms, reducing oxygen and harming fish and other marine life. Despite cleanup programs focused on reducing nutrient loads over the past decade, the bay's health remains a concern.
Author's summary: Chesapeake Bay cleanup efforts show mixed results.
- 50 percent health score in 2024
- Weather extremes contribute to excess nutrient runoff
- Cleanup programs focus on reducing nutrient loads