2008 Chesapeake Bay summer forecast released

2008 Forecast MapEcoCheck (NOAA-UMCES Partnership) recently released a forecast of Chesapeake Bay summer dissolved oxygen and harmful algal bloom (HAB) conditions. The forecasts are produced in collaboration with partners from USGS, Morgan State University and the University of Michigan. This year's forecast has been expanded to include a prediction of Prorocentrum harmful algal blooms in the Maryland portion of the Bay (thanks to Jon Anderson from Morgan State University). This summer it is predicted that: (1) the volume of anoxic water in the Bay's mainstem will be 1.7 ± 1.27 km3 , or the 5th largest since 1985; (2) the volume of mainstem Bay hypoxic water during July will be 9.9 km3 , or the 6th largest since 1985; (3) Microcystis blooms in the Potomac River will be of moderate severity; and (4) Prorocentrum blooms are predicted to occur in the lower reaches of the Patuxent River in late June to early July and in late June in the Lower Choptank River and Bay Bridge region. For further information, visit the EcoCheck Chesapeake Bay forecast pages.