This newsletter summarizes the main findings of an ecological forecast aimed at predicting changes in aquatic grass area within Chesapeake Bay for the current growing season. This forecast is part of a new initiative of the Chesapeake Bay Program to forecast a range of ecological conditions for the coming summer.

This newsletter summarizes the main findings and methods of a new initiative to forecast ecological conditions of Chesapeake Bay for the coming summer. This year’s forecast focuses on three important elements of the Bay’s health—dissolved oxygen (DO) in the Bay’s mainstem, harmful algal blooms (HABs) in the Potomac River, and changes in submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) distribution.

The Indicator Redesign Taskforce was assembled to provide a vision for the Chesapeake Bay Program indicators and the manner in which they are communicated. In doing so, the Indicator Redesign Taskforce is initiating and steering the necessary changes through the Monitoring and Analysis Subcommittee. This document describes the goals, approach and methods used to redesign the ecological indicators and outlines the communication strategy used to convey these changes to the public.

This is the first in a series of newsletters to be produced by the Monitoring and Analysis Subcommittee (MASC). MASC coordinates and supports the monitoring activities of the Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP). Newsletters produced by MASC will summarize current and significant issues relating to the health of Chesapeake Bay ecosystems, those factors that affect the health of the Bay, and the restoration effort.