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Browse History: Lower Western Shore (MD) (2008) | Mid Bay (2008) | Overall Bay (2008) | Patapsco and Back Rivers (2008)

Chesapeake Bay - Reporting Region Summary:



  Estuary Selection Map

Scores & Conceptual Diagram


Bay Health Index
Benthic Index of Biotic Integrity Icon
20%
D-		Patapsco and Back Rivers: 2008

Poor ecosystem health. Water quality scores over the past 20 years have been consistently poor, showing no signs of improving.
  • Water quality: In 2008, both water clarity and chlorophyll a scored a 0% (conditions over the year never exceeded the threshold levels). This scoring is consistent with the poor to very poor scores for all water quality indicators over the past 20 years. The dissolved oxygen score in 2008 was 59%, the second lowest score in the bay.
  • Biotic indicators: In 2008, the benthic community condition declined from unusually good conditions in 2007. Benthic and phytoplankton community condition tend to vary greatly between years. Aquatic grass distribution has remained very poor (0 to 11%) since 1989, with the exception of a short two-year period (2004 and 2005), when the score increased to 72%.

Score Legend 		Locator Map
  Index/Indicator Score     Index/Indicator Score
Benthic Index of Biotic Integrity Icon Chlorophyll a
0%
   Benthic Index of Biotic Integrity Icon Aquatic grasses
5%
Benthic Index of Biotic Integrity Icon Dissolved oxygen
59%
   Benthic Index of Biotic Integrity Icon Benthic Index of Biotic Integrity
44%
Benthic Index of Biotic Integrity Icon Water clarity
0%
   Benthic Index of Biotic Integrity Icon Phytoplankton Index of Biotic Integrity
10%
 
Benthic Index of Biotic Integrity Icon Water Quality Index
20%
   Biotic Index Icon Biotic Index
20%
 
Excel Spreadsheet

Dynamic Conceptual Diagram

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Maps

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Region Info

The Patapsco and Back Rivers watershed drains 630 square miles. This area includes Baltimore, and portions of Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, and Howard Counties. The area is very populated and urbanized. The census population in 2000 for the watershed was 1,480,000. Baltimore is the largest city in the watershed, with suburbs of the city extending out from it in every direction. Other large cities include Westminster, Ellicott City, Towson, and Glen Burnie. There are seven major wastewater treatment plants in the watershed. (Based on MD DNR Tributary Strategy Report by Karrh et al., 2007 and updated 2000 land use classifications).

patapsco_back_riversconceptual diagram.png

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