Restoring The Chesapeake Bay

Working Together for Cleaner Water

The Chesapeake Bay is one of the nation’s most important waterways, supporting wildlife, recreation, local economies and communities throughout the region. Protecting and restoring the Bay requires a shared effort to reduce pollution, improve water quality and care for the streams, rivers and waterways that flow into it.

Why the Chesapeake Bay Matters

The Chesapeake Bay watershed includes parts of New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia and Washington, D.C., covering approximately 64,000 square miles. Everything that happens within this watershed can affect the health of the Bay.

A healthy Chesapeake Bay provides:

Habitat for fish, crabs and other aquatic life
Underwater grasses that support marine life and need clear water to grow
Recreational opportunities such as boating and fishing
Economic benefits for local communities
Improved public health and quality of life

What’s Impacting the Bay?

The Bay faces challenges from excess nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment pollution. These pollutants are often carried into local streams, creeks, rivers and the Chesapeake Bay through stormwater runoff.

Too much pollution can:

Reduce water clarity
Limit sunlight needed by underwater grasses
Lower dissolved oxygen levels
Harm fish, crabs and other aquatic life
Affect the overall health of waterways across the region

A Regional Effort to Improve Water Quality

To help restore the Chesapeake Bay, communities throughout the watershed are working to reduce pollution through a process known as the Total Maximum Daily Load, or TMDL, often called a “pollution diet.” A TMDL sets the maximum amount of a pollutant a body of water can receive while still meeting water quality standards.

For the Chesapeake Bay, the TMDL calls for significant pollution reductions, including 25% less nitrogen, 24% less phosphorus and 20% less sediment.

Local governments develop Watershed Implementation Plans, or WIPs, that outline strategies for reducing pollution and improving water quality. These plans rely on partnerships among localities, residents, businesses, developers, agricultural producers and wastewater treatment facilities.

How You Can Help

Protecting the Chesapeake Bay starts with everyday actions at home and in your community.

Follow water-friendly practices around your home and yard
Reduce stormwater runoff where possible
Support programs and organizations working to improve local water quality
Participate in residential watershed stewardship programs such as Bay Star Homes
Properly dispose of waste and never dump pollutants into storm drains
Use boat pump-out facilities and never discharge untreated sewage into waterways
Contact your local stormwater representative to ask questions or report flooding, stormwater issues, clogged storm drains or illegal dumping
Stay informed about local water-quality initiatives and restoration efforts

Become a Bay Star Home