Chesapeake Bay Forecast 2010

Anoxia forecast mapFor the past several years, Chesapeake Bay scientists have collaborated with EcoCheck (NOAA-UMCES partnership) to forecast Chesapeake Bay summer dissolved oxygen and harmful algal blooms conditions, weeks in advance, based on flow and nutrient loading conditions through May. For 2010, ecological forecasts were generated for early summer summer (June to mid-July) and late summer (mid-July to September) anoxia, July hypoxia, and July plus August hypoxia. These forecasts are generated by different Chesapeake Bay researchers and use different methods than in the past. The anoxic condition (no dissolved oxygen) in the Bay's mainstem is predicted to be moderately poor this summer. All the dissolved oxygen forecasts for this summer are for a smaller than usual region of low oxygen water. This anoxia forecast will be updated in mid-summer to provide the late summer anoxia forecast, so check back in July!