Plastic pollution is a persistent and widespread feature of nearly all ecosystems today and poses a risk to both human and animal life. The extent of plastic pollution has not yet been quantified nor characterized for the Chesapeake Bay. Ocean Research Project, an Annapolis-based nonprofit, will fill this knowledge gap by spearheading the first-ever plastic survey of the Chesapeake Bay.

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The Patuxent River is a major tributary of the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed is home to protected wetlands, bald eagles, valuable local history, and a growing population of residents. UMCES aims to produce a report card assessing social, economic, and environmental conditions in and around the Patuxent, with the goal of engaging members of the community to preserve and restore this essential Maryland river.

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This report card provides grades for the three tidal regions of the Patuxent River estuary, located on the Western Shore of Chesapeake Bay. The grades are based on six ecological indicators: dissolved oxygen, water clarity, chlorophyll a, phytoplankton community, benthic community, and aquatic grasses.

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