Publications about Chesapeake Bay

IAN is committed to producing practical, user-centered communications that foster a better understanding of science and enable readers to pursue new opportunities in research, education, and environmental problem-solving. Our publications synthesize scientific findings using effective science communication techniques.

2026 Chesapeake Bay & Watershed Report Card (Page 1)

2026 Chesapeake Bay & Watershed Report Card

Ann Foo, Conor Keitzer, Lili Badri, Heath Kelsey, Alexandra Fries ·

This report card provides a transparent, timely, and geographically detailed assessment of Chesapeake Bay and its Watershed. While bay health focuses on ecological indicators, watershed health includes ecological, economic, and societal indicators. This is the first year that watershed water quality trends have been calculated. Overall, Chesapeake Bay scored 56%, a C+. This was the highest score ever for the Bay, and long-term trends continue to significantly improve.

Reporte de salud de 2026 sobre la Bahía de Chesapeake y su cuenca hidrográfica (Page 1)

Reporte de salud de 2026 sobre la Bahía de Chesapeake y su cuenca hidrográfica

Ann Foo, Conor Keitzer, Lili Badri, Heath Kelsey, Alexandra Fries ·

Este informe ofrece una evaluación transparente, oportuna y geográficamente detallada de la Bahía de Chesapeake y su cuenca hidrográfica. Mientras que la salud de la bahía se centra en indicadores ecológicos, la salud de la cuenca incluye indicadores ecológicos, económicos y sociales. Este es el primer año en que se han calculado las tendencias de la calidad del agua en la cuenca. En conjunto, la Bahía de Chesapeake obtuvo una puntuación del 56 % (una calificación de C+).

Improving cross-scale hydrodynamic simulations in the Chesapeake Bay with physically based calibration

Wu W, Wang Z, Zhang YJ, Shen J, Tian R, Linker LC, and Cerco CF ·

Estuaries, as transitional zones between land and ocean, exhibit highly nonlinear, cross-scale hydrodynamic processes that present substantial challenges for numerical modeling. Using Chesapeake Bay as an example, we demonstrate a physically based calibration procedure with observation-derived parametrizations, together with a high-resolution unstructured model without bathymetry smoothing.

Assessing streams in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed to guide conservation and restoration activities (Page 1)

Assessing Streams in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed to Guide Conservation and Restoration Activities

Maloney KO, Fanelli RM, Cashman MJ, Boyle LJ, Gordon SE, Gressler BP, Katoski MP, Kiser AH, Metes MJ, Noe GB, Sekellick AJ, Sussman A, and Young JA ·

Freshwater streams in the Chesapeake Bay watershed are home to numerous aquatic organisms (like fish, amphibians, mussels, and insects) and provide drinking water and recreational opportunities to people living in or visiting the watershed. Land-use changes, such as urban development and increased activities in certain agricultural sectors, have degraded water quality and altered conditions in these streams, thereby affecting their health and function.