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| Maryland Coastal Bays - Reporting Region Summary:
Scores & Conceptual Diagram
This reporting region had the highest grade of all the regions, yet it comprises only about 5% of the area of the entire Coastal Bays system and therefore had a small impact on the overall grade. Seagrasses and total nitrogen scored higher in this region than any other, and chlorophyll a was also very good. In contrast, dissolved oxygen dropped from good in 2008 to poor in 2009. Hard clams were also poor, but were the second highest score of any region for this indicator. 
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| Indicator | Score | Indicator | Score | |||
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Chlorophyll a | 97% |
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Seagrass | 69% |
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Dissolved oxygen | 37% |
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Hard Clams | 28% |
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Total Nitrogen | 100% |
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Total Phosphorus | 69% |
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Region Info
Sinepuxent Bay ranked first in the Coastal Bays for estuarine health and second for watershed health, with the best water quality, and second highest density of hard clams, and greatest seagrass coverage—likely due to its small, relatively undeveloped watershed and good oceanic flushing through the Ocean City Inlet.
Geography of the region
Sinepuxent Bay is an inland waterway which connects Chincoteague Bay to the Ocean City Inlet. It separates Sinepuxent Neck, in Worcester County, Maryland, from Assateague Island, and is crossed by Maryland State Highway 611. There are several islands in the Bay that compose the Sinepuxent Wildlife Management Area.
Health Pressures
Information compiled by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration indicates that researchers and coastal managers consistently note environmental, navigational, and aesthetic concerns regarding the cumulative impacts of docks, piers, and wetland walkways. In particular, overly large structures increase the likelihood of navigational problems, increase pollution to sediments and surface waters, and increase shading of wetland vegetation and seagrass. Preliminary results of surveys conducted in Worcester County indicate that marsh-dependent birds are negatively impacted by long piers. In an effort to minimize cumulative impacts, Worcester County prohibits private piers longer than 30 m (100 ft) over marsh and community piers longer than 90 m (300 ft).