£ EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
EPA-600/8-80-019
May 1980
Office of Research and Development
Research
Summary
Chesapeake
Bay
^
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Ix>tji the Bayi-,
the manage
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bay environment
resources
The largest estuary in North America, a primary source of
crabs for human consumption, a major cargo route for East
Coast maritime commerce, and an irreplaceable recre-
ational resource the Chesapeake Bay's waters touch the
lives of people far beyond its thousands of miles of tidal
shoreline. As man's activities encroach on the natural
ecology of the Bay its delicate equilibrium is changing. We
can have a positive influence on these changes through a
greater understanding of the dynamics of the Bay's
ecosystem. Scientists in federal, state and local govern-
ment and in pnvate institutions are cooperating in a
diverse research program to develop the knowledge
necessary to preserve and enhance this priceless national
resource.
Of the more than 800 estuaries and bays in the United
States, the Chesapeake Bay is the largest: 190 miles long
with about 8,000 miles of shoreline and 4,300 square miles
of water surface. It lias a drainage basin of about 64,000
square miles and is fed by over 150 nvers and tributaries.
About 90 percent of the fresh water entering the Bay
system comes from five major rivers: Trie Susquehanna,
Potomac, Rappahannock, York, and the James The
population growth in the Chesapeake Bay area
1,000,000's HI Proiected
15 I I actual _
10
5 | ^_
0
I
Hi
-
...
1950 1959 1969 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020
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Bi-State Conference
on Chesapeake Bay- 1977
Mari'img Development, page 78
maritime commerce
projections
altimore Harbor
I I Hampton Roads
10 millions of short tons
7
r
I
2000 2020
Susquehanna provides 50 percent of the freshwater enter-
ing the bay.
From Colonial times on, the Bay area has provided the
natural resources for thriving commercial, agncultuial, and
recreational pursuits. Over the years, rising demand for
these resources, increasingly sophisticated technology
used to exploit them, and areawide population growth have
combined to put increasing pressure on the Bay's capability
to sustain its natural resources. This pressure will acceler-
ate in the future as the Bay area population is expected to
increase by more than 75% over the next 40 years.
The Chesapeake Bay has always been an important
economic resource Its wateis provide access to Baltimore
Harbor, Maryland, and Hampton Roads, Virginia, two major
East Coast ports, as well as to numerous smaller ports
throughout the Bay area. The amount of cargo moving into
and out of Chesapeake Bay ports has risen in recent years
and is expected to increase significantly in the future.
Maritime commerce projections estimate that the volume
of cargo handled in Baltimore Harbor and Hampton Roads
will double m the next 40 years. This means more and
larger vessels will be plying the waters of the Chesapeake
in the future.
Recreational activities on the Bay, such as boating, sport
fishing, shellnsning, hunting, and camping, are also
expected to increase significantly in the future. For
example, the US Army Corps of Engineers in their Future
Conditions Report on the Chesapeake Bay has estimated
that for boating activities alone, demand will rise from
about 11 million activity days in 1980 to more than 36
million days in 2020.
The productive wateis of the Bay support thriving
commercial fin-fishing, shellfishing and seafood processing
industries, whose revenues amount to many millions of
dollars per year. The staple crops of these industries are the
Chesapeake Bay blue crab, oyster, and soft-shelled clam.
More oysters are caught in the Bay than anywhere else in
the nation, totaling more than one fourth of the annual
national catch. The blue crab is fished all along the east
coast and in the Gulf of Mexico, yet the Bay produces more
blue crabs in a year than all other areas combined. The Bay
soft-shelled clam fishery accounts for more than half of the
total annual U.S catch, surpassing all of New England.
The Chesapeake is the permanent or temporary home of
myriad number of animals and plants whose welfare is
intimately tied to each other and to their environment. The
relationship is such that adverse effects on one component
of the system can affect the entire system
The Chesapeake Bay and its surrounding wetlands are a
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I blue crab projections
I I oyster projections
dollars in millions
pounds in 10,000,000's
year
base period
(1959-1967)
1980
2000
2020
60 50 40 30 20 10 0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
Corps of Engineers. 1979, Future Conditions Report. Volume 9, Page 134 135
major stop along the Atlantic Flyway for migratory birds
and waterfowl. They find food in its waters, agricultural
lands, and beds of submerged aquatic vegetation. They
also find shelter in the Bay's protected coves and extensive
marshes. For some, it is only a stop before continuing their
flight to wintering areas farther south, but for others it is
their winter home. Most conspicuous are the more than
one-half million Canadian geese and some 40,000 whistling
swans, which over-winter along the Chesapeake. It is a
nesting area for the endangered bald eagle and its
threatened cousin, the osprey whose largest population in
the United States is found in the Bay region.
The Chesapeake's tributaries provide the necessary
breeding sites for several important species of salt-water
fish, such as striped bass, white perch, and shad, which
must return to these areas each year to spawn The Bay
is the number one spawning area on the East Coast for
the striped bass, a major commercial and sport fish. It is
estimated that 90% of the stripers found from North
Carolina to Maine are spawned in the Chesapeake. In
the warmer months, marine species such as blue-fish,
weakfish, croaker and spot enter the Bay to feed on its
rich supply of baitfish and bottom-dwelling organisms.
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pollution Whether considered from an economic, recreational, or
threats aesthetic point of view, the character of the Chesapeake
Bay area is dominated by water quality factors. Many
types of human activity have an impact on the Bay's
water quality Water pollution sources in Chesapeake
Bay range from the discharge of industrial wastes,
thermal discharges from power plants, municipal
sewage discharges, and oil spills, to agricultural runoff
(including fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides) and
shoreline erosion with its attendant sedimentation.
The Chesapeake and its tributaries comprise a
dynamic natural system. As such, it exhibits periodic
fluctuations, whether in the types and numbers of
animals and plants present at a given time, or in the
chemical makeup of its waters. But as human influence
on the Bay increases, the line between natural
fluctuations and externally caused changes becomes
obscured. It is not fully understood, for example, what
has caused the osprey sea trout, and croaker
populations to increase, while duck populations have
decreased; why oyster spawning has failed for the last
six to eight years; and why, as indicated by the decrease
of young striped bass in recent years, striper spawning
has been down. In addition, there has been a dramatic
decline of submerged grass beds and other aquatic
vegetation necessary for the health of the entire food
chain.
Up to now, the resiliency and productivity of the Bay
have combined to prevent serious environmental
degradation. But with the projected increases in most
Bay activities, and the potential environmental impacts
of these activities, the ability of the Bay to withstand
future environmental damage will be severely taxed. The
future of the Bay, therefore, is intimately tied to the way
in which its resources will be developed and used.
Because of its importance as both an ecological and
economic resource, conflicts will arise between
environmental and economic interests. The way in
which these conflicts are resolved, the compromises that
are reached, and the choices that are made will
determine the future of Chesapeake Bay.
The ultimate goal of the Environmental Protection
Agency's Chesapeake Bay Program is to provide solid
scientific facts on which to base these choices.
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EPA program
state
participation
In fiscal year 1976, Congress directed the Environmental
Protection Agency to conduct a five-year, $25 million
study of the environmental quality and management of
Chesapeake Bay resources. Through this study-
known as the Chesapeake Bay Programthe EPA was
directed to coordinate research to assess the principal
factors adversely impacting the Bay's water quality by
coordinating pollution research to analyze, store, and
distribute research data; and to determine which
government agencies have resource management
responsibilities and ways to optimize coordination
among them.
Existing Bay research and management activities
involve a broad spectrum of interests and jurisdiction:
from federal, state, and local government agencies; to
research institutions, commercial interests, and the
public. In recognition of this diversity of concerns,
EPA has designed its program to facilitate a cooperative
and coordinated approach towards assuring the Bay's
protection.
To assure the continuance of the cooperative effort
represented by the Chesapeake Bay Program, EPA is
encouraging state (Maryland, Virginia, and
Pennsylvania) participation in all aspects of the Program.
This enables EPA to receive assistance and support from
state agencies in the areas of program planning,
technical support, data compilation and processing,
scientific planning, and technical program development
and implementation. The lead agency in Maryland is the
Water Resources Administration of the Department of
Natural Resources. Its counterpart in Virginia is the
Virginia State Water Control Board, and in Pennsylvania,
the Department of Environmental Resources in
conjunction with the Susquehanna River Basin
Commission. These agencies serve as liaisons between
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public
participation
wen :" ! '
the Chesapeake Bay Program and other state agencies.
This interactive effort is accomplished through the
participation of state personnel on program policy,
management, and working level committees.
To facilitate citizen input into all aspects of program
management, EPA established the Public Participation
Program as an integral part of its Chesapeake Bay
Program It is the main mechanism by which
information flows between Bay citizens and Bay
Program managers.
The Public Participation Program is managed by the
Citizens Program for the Chesapeake Bay, Inc. (CPCB).
This program was founded in 1971, and is an
independent, non-profit. Bay-wide alliance of
organizations whose purpose is to provide an avenue for
the discussion of issues affecting the Chesapeake.
The main thrust of the Chesapeake Bay Program's
Public Participation Program is to transmit research
findings to the public so that informed choices can be
made on Bay resource management issues. Tb assist in
its public participation goals, a Citizens Steering
Committee is maintained whose function is to advise
EPA on the conduct of the Bay Program.
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program
management
In order to effectively manage the Chesapeake Bay
Program, EPA established a local office in Annapolis,
Maryland as an arm of its Environmental Research
Laboratory in Gulf Breeze, Florida, and its Region III
headquarters office in Philadelphia, This office is staffed
with scientific experts and resource managers who are
coordinating the EPA funded research efforts of 40
principal investigators from more than 30 institutions and
organizations.
The Chesapeake Bay Program has been designed to
complement current environmental studies being done
by other agencies, institutions, and citizens groups. Its
objectives are to describe historical trends and to help
determine the current state of the Bay by evaluating
ongoing research and providing new research efforts to
fill in the missing pieces. The Program will also attempt
to project future conditions and use this information to
develop and identify control and management strategies
for Bay resources and to develop implementation plans
for these strategies.
In keeping with its objectives, the end products of the
Chesapeake Bay Program will provide comprehensive
information in the form of final reports, in five major
areas: The State of the Bay; Alternative Control
Methodologies; Management Methods and
Applications; Feasibility of Control and Management
Method Implementation; and Monitoring Strategies.
With this basic philosophy in mind, EPA
established a series of policy management and advisory
committees and working groups to address problem
areas. In the fall of 1977, these cooperative efforts
resulted in a workshop which identified ten major
problem areas to be addressed by the Program. The
problem areas were then prioritized.
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major problem areas
priorities
high
medium
low
submerged
aquatic
vegetation
dredging and
dredged
material
disposal
wetlands
alteration
eutrophication
shellfish
bed
closures
shoreline
erosion
toxics
accumulation
in the
food chain
fisheries hydrologic
modification modification
(biological
resources)
water quality
effects of
boating and
shipping
current
research areas
In order to maximize the use of available funds, three
critical areas have received intensive, high-priority
research attention:
Submerged Aquatic Vegetation
Eutrophication;
Toxic Substances.
In each of these areas, a uniform research approach is
being pursued. Sources or causes of these problems are
being identified and their impacts on the quality of the
Bay's environment are being assessed. Models are also
being developed of how pollutants interact with the
Bay's ecosystem. Systems are being set up for collecting,
measuring, and managing various types of
environmental and other related data. Finally, control
methods and alternatives for correcting the problems are
being investigated.
The framework for the optimal use of research results
is provided by the Environmental Quality Management
Study (EQMS). For each of the three technical problem
areas, this study describes the current Bay management
network. That is, the roles and responsibilities of
government agencies in the management of submerged
aquatic vegetation, nutrients, and toxics are being
delineated. Mechanisms by which control strategies
may be instituted and are then described. Where these
mechanisms do not currently exist, alternative methods
and their costs are evaluated. This effort will incorporate
the results of the research areas into an integrated
management plan for improving the quality of
Chesapeake Bay.
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submerged
aquatic vegetation
Submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) is an integral
component of the ecology of the Chesapeake Bay. Beds
of submerged grasses provide food, shelter and breeding
areas for waterfowl, fish, shellfish and many other
organisms found in estuaries. These grasses are a
significant source of food to Bay organisms providing
forage for ducks, fish, shrimp, and snails, as well as,
nutrients to such filter-feeding organisms as clams and
oysters.
In addition to being a basic element of the estuarine
food chain, the beds of submerged vegetation are also a
habitat for Bay organisms. Vegetated areas provide
shelter for the young of estuary-spawned fish, such as
striped bass and shad, and for the economically
important blue crab when it is molting. During this time,
the softshell crab is especially vulnerable to predators,
because of its unhardened, fleshy shell and its inability
to move quickly to escape its natural enemies.
Submerged vegetation beds also play an important
role in reducing both wave action and the energy of tidal
and wind-driven currents in shallow areas. The
vegetation slows the flow of water, allowing suspended
sediments to settle out of the water column, thus
reducing the turbidity, or cloudiness of the water. The
reduction of wave action and currents also helps to slow
erosion by dissipating much of the energy of these
forces before they strike the shoreline.
In recent years there has been a sharp decline in the
number and types of submerged aquatic vegetation in
the Chesapeake Bay system. This has caused alarm
because it seems to correlate with the overall ecological
health of the Bay and may be an indicator of significant
environmental damage. For this reason, understanding
how and why these valuable vegetation beds are
disappearing is a major part of the Chesapeake Bay
Program. To find the answers, a comprehensive research
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baseline
studies
effort has been instituted to determine the current
distribution and abundance of these plants in the Bay,
their physiological and ecological requirements for
growth, reproduction and survival, and their functional
role in the Bay ecosystem. The effects of human
activities on submerged aquatic vegetation and its
usefulness as indicators of Bay environmental quality are
also being examined. Research accomplished under
these tasks will provide the information needed to
determine the environmental conditions necessary for
the improved growth and enhancement of submerged
aquatic vegetation.
As a first step, scientists are establishing "baseline
data" by determining the current status of these plants
in the Bay, and where possible, identifying growth
trends over time.
The Virginia Institute of Marine Science and the
American University are conducting EPA-sponsored
studies leading to an inventory of submerged aquatic
vegetation throughout the Bay. Aerial reconnaissance is
being used extensively, and photo interpretation is being
compared and verified by on-site field research. Part of
this effort has been to establish trends in selected areas
where historical data, particularly aerial photos, are
available.
In an associated project, the Johns Hopkins University
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is charting the natural life cycles of submerged aquatic-
vegetation over the past few hundred years. Researchers
are correlating deviations from these cycles due to
human activities or natural events. This is done by
analyzing seeds and pollen of submerged vegetation
through core samples from the Bay bottom. Data from
this analysis is then related to historical records of
natural and human-related events.
ecological
role
In addition to establishing "baseline" or inventory
data, a substantial portion of the SAV program is
Eurasian Watermilfoil
Myriophyllum spicatum
Redhead Grass
Potamogeton perfoliatus
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dedicated to learning more about the ecological role of
submerged aquatic vegetation in Chesapeake Bay.
EPA is funding research by the Virginia Institute
of Marine Science on the ecology of submerged aquatic
vegetation in the Virginia portion of the Bay. Research
efforts are concentrating on eelgrass, the predominant
submerged plant in the lower Bay. This study addresses
the productivity, cycling of nutrients and associated
microbial life; the interaction of organisms which either
ingest eelgrass directly or reside in the eelgrass bed; and
higher level interactions between bluefish, sea trout, and
weakfish and their prey species.
These studies will be helpful in evaluating the value of
eelgrass communities, in understanding the role of
eelgrass in the Bay ecosystem especially with respect
to animal life important to man. The studies will result in
computer model simulating the ecological role of
eelgrass in the Bay.
effects of
herbicides
Although agricultural herbicides are suspected of
being one of the causes for the decline of submerged
aquatic vegetation in the Bay, there is no reliable
evidence of their impact. Herbicides enter the Bay by
way of runoff from adjacent farmlands. Tb obtain better
data on the effects of herbicides on eelgrass, researchers
at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science are identifying
seasonal and monthly levels of herbicides in the Bay and
studying their relative impacts under controlled
laboratory conditions.
Suspended sediments are also suspected of playing a
role in the decline of submerged aquatic vegetation by
Sago Pondweed
Potamogeton pectinatus
Widgeongrass
Ruppia maritima
Eelgrass
Zostera marina
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management
options
blocking much of the light needed for photosynthesis.
The light reduction may be due to either excessively
murky waters resulting from high concentrations of
suspended sediment and dissolved organic material or
to the coating of leaves and stems by sediment trapped
by the plants.
Finally, Institute scientists are developing technology
for propagating and establishing eelgrass beds to create
additional habitats. Techniques are being developed to
collect, store, and germinate seeds, and to culture
seedlings in the laboratory for planting in the wild.
Techniques to transplant the wild plants are also being
investigated.
In an EPA funded companion study, scientists at the
Center for Environmental and Estuarine Studies of the
University of Maryland are investigating the role of
submerged aquatic vegetation in the Bay ecosystem and
the factors leading to its decline. An objective of this
effort is to assess the stress put on submerged aquatic
vegetation by herbicides and to determine if these
effects are increased by excess turbidity due to
suspended sediments. In addition, the pathways and
mechanisms by which herbicides and sediments are
carried through the Bay are being examined.
The culmination of this effort will be an evaluation of
management options for controlling factors contributing
to the decline of submerged vegetation. In order to
perform this evaluation, herbicide, sediment, and
nutrient levels for selected Bay tributaries such as the
Patuxent and Choptank rivers, will be determined by
using the data gathered from all phases of this project.
Wildcelery
Vallisneria americana
Horned Pondweed
Zannichellia palustris
Waterweed
Elodea canadensis
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synthesis
Peier Maviagams
Heavy small boat traffic on the Bay and its tributaries
leads to turbulence which may cause the resuspension
of bottom sediments. A cooperative project between the
U.S. Naval Academy and Anne Arundel Community
College is being conducted to evaluate the effects of
recreational boating on turbidity and sedimentation in
relation to submerged aquatic vegetation.
The task of synthesizing the data obtained by
researchers in the submerged aquatic vegetation
program area has been undertaken by scientists at the
Migration, Bird and Habitat Research Laboratory
(MBHRL) of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The lab is
evaluating the factors affecting and the importance of
submerged aquatic vegetation in Chesapeake Bay.
This project has two major objectives.
Bushy Pondweed
A/a/as guadalupensis
Coontail
Ceratophyllum demersum
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The first is to determine the importance of submerged
aquatic vegetation as a food source for migratory
waterfowl in the Bay. Historical data (1889 to the present)
on waterfowl feeding patterns and habitat preferences
are being compiled and analyzed. The resulting
information will then be related to data on current
waterfowl distribution and feeding patterns. The result
will be an analysis of the past and present relationships
between waterfowl and submerged aquatic vegetation.
The second objective of the MBHRL study is the
development of a SAV monitoring strategy and the
synthesis of all research data. Correlating research
results with information related to the effects of human
activities on submerged aquatic vegetation will enable
scientists to determine the likely causes of declines of
these valuable plants. This will lead to the delineation of
environmental conditions necessary for improved growth
of submerged aquatic vegetation which will provide Bay
resource managers with the information they need to
evaluate management options.
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eutrophication
Eutrophication refers to the natural or artificial addition
of nutrients to bodies of water. These nutrients are
essential to the normal life processes of estuarine plants
and animals. In the natural state, nutrients provided by
decaying organic material result in a well nourished,
highly productive, eutrophic condition. Water quality
problems arise, however, when there are too many
nutrients due to either natural events or, more often, to
human activities.
Major sources of man-made nutrients include fertilizer
run-off from agricultural lands and sewage discharges
from treatment plants and septic tank leakage. The
discharge water from most sewage treatment plants is
rich in nutrients because the treatment mainly eliminates
bacterianot the chemicals that comprise nutrients.
Those chemicals are primarily nitrogen and phosphorus
compounds.
Increased shoreline development can also result in
large infusions of nutrients. This occurs when land
is stripped of vegetation and large amounts of decaying
organic matter are exposed to erosion and are washed
into the water along with sediments.
Excessive nutrient enrichment causes accelerated
growth of plant species, particularly pytoplankton (free
floating microscopic plants) and algae. The resulting
plankton algal "blooms" produce numerous water quality
problems including noxious odors and toxic metabolic
products which can cause fish kills. Sometimes this
overgrowth clogs the water, blocking light that is needed
by desirable submerged plants. Less dramatic, but
equally important, are the dissolved oxygen supply
problems created by these blooms. Although these are
oxygen-producing plants, they consume much more
oxygen than they produce during this accelerated
growth state, drastically lowering the dissolved oxygen
in the water that is necessary for sustaining fish and
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El : iggenpohl
other aquatic life. The extremely short life span of these
plankton creates an additional dissolved oxygen demand
since large amounts of oxygen are used during
decomposition of dead plants. Again, this can result in
depletion of fish, shellfish, and vegetation.
Various parts of the Chesapeake have experienced
problems from excessive nutrient enrichment. This is
particularly evident in many of the tributaries and in the
upper Bay.
Although eutrophication is a natural process, its
acceleration can turn ponds and lakes into swamps and
bogs and can hasten the complete stagnation of some
bodies of water. Although this process is better
understood in lakes, much needs to be learned about
how eutrophication affects estuarme systems. For this
reason, the Chesapeake Bay Program has instituted a
carefully designed eutrophication research program
which will determine the state-of-the-Bay with regard to
nutrient enrichment. It will quantify the nutrient
loadings into the Chesapeake Bay define acceptable
ranges of nutrient levels in the Bay for the years 1980
and 2000, and evaluate control alternatives for present
and future conditions.
In order to implement eutrophication control measures
in a manner beneficial to Bay resources, the relationship
of nutrients to water quality must first be thoroughly
understood, particularly for an estuarme environment.
The Chesapeake Research Consortium, under EPA's
sponsorship, is conducting a study addressing this
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watershed
studies
subject with specific attention to denning excessive
nutnent enrichment problems. Researchers are
identifying the fundamental processes involved in the
entire Bay system and historic trends in nutrient
enrichment as compared to current levels. This effort will
culminate in a final report, delineating eutrophication
trends and providing a better understanding of the
eutrophication process in the Bay and in estuaries in
general
Nonpomt sources of nutrients into the Chesapeake
originate on land bordering tributaries and the Bay
shores. Because it is difficult to pinpoint these nutnent
sources, one of the best ways to determine nutrient
loadings is to study the flows of the watersheds feeding
into the Bay. Part of EPA's eutrophication research
program involves the evaluation of five watersheds
of the Chesapeake Bay system. The selected watersheds
include a three-state area: Pennsylvania, Maryland, and
Virginia.
Five projects have been initiated to assess the relative
magnitude of nonpomt sources of nutrients from various
land-use categories: in Virginia (the Occoquan and Ware
River basins), performed by the Virginia State Water
Control Board: in Maryland (the Patuxent and Chester
River basins), performed by the Maryland Water
Resources Administration: and the Pequea Creek basin,
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, performed by the
Susquehanna River Basin Commission.
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In addition to the field verification of nonpomt source
runoff, these complimentary studies are providing data
necessary to evaluate tools for predicting the water
quality impacts of eutrophication, and the
cost-effectiveness and accuracy of these tools. Data from
the watershed studies are being used by EPA's
Environmental Research Laboratory in Athens, Georgia,
to evaluate computer models designed to identify the
factors affecting eutrophication in the Bay.
Through an interagency agreement with EPA, the U.S.
Geological Survey is conducting fall-line monitoring of
the Potomac, Susquehanna, and James Rivers. The
fall-line is the point of freshwater discharge to tidal
rivers. This two year intensive study will characterize the
chemical, physical, and organic inputs from major Bay
freshwater sources on a seasonal basis. It will assist in
evaluating impacts due to land and water use, and
economic developments in the non-tidal portions of
these rivers Information gathered during this effort will
also be used in the validation of Bay water quality
models.
Land use practices can significantly affect the nutrient
levels of receiving waters. For example, increased
municipal and industrial developments in watersheds
can create a corresponding increase in nutrient
discharges, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus. As
part of the eutrophication program area, analyses are
being performed on long range land use and point
source nutrient loading for the Chesapeake Bay region.
This information will be used to develop projections to
the year 2000 of land use patterns and nitrogen and
phosphorus loadings from municipal and industrial
sources.
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"
future
efforts
A knowledge of water circulation in the Chesapeake is
important to support resource management and
regulatory activities. This knowledge permits reasonable
predictions of pollutant and sediment flow. Under an
EPA research contract, a computerized model of
Chesapeake Bay water circulation is being developed
which will stimulate circulation patterns and assist in
understanding pollutant pathways. This model will also
serve as the basic building block for more specific
models relating to aspects of Chesapeake Bay water
quality.
Newly funded EPA research will assist in further
defining the nutrient composition of the entire Bay. This
will be accomplished by expanding the nutrient data
collection efforts to include comprehensive data from the
Bay proper augmented by nutrient data from the mouth
of the Bay and from other critical boundary areas.
Nutrient contributions from the atmosphere will also be
evaluated in order to account for other possible sources.
By mid-1981, water quality models of the main Bay and
tributaries will be developed. The nutrient data will be
used in the calibration and verification of these models.
Once this is accomplished, the models will be used to
determine likely trouble spots and to project future water
quality conditions under various management situations.
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toxic substances
Toxic substances are onemicals or chemical compounds
that can be hazardous or poisonous to plants and
animals, including humans. There are a large number of
potentially toxic substances having varying degrees of
toxicity. Some substances such as trace metals occur
naturally and can become environmental hazards when
u.tjij ^oucentidtiuiis are increased most often as a insult
of human activities. The vast majority of toxic
substances, however, are by-products of our
industrialized society. Pesticides, herbicides,
constituents of industrial waste streams, various organic
chemicals, and petroleum-based products are all
poujriti^liy toxic
Toxic substances enter the Bay just as do nutrients,
from either point or non-point sources. Toxic point
sources may be industrial plant discharges, or accidental
spills from vessels, or shoreline storage facilities.
Nonpoint sources can be as diverse as runoff from
agricultural lands and paved urban areas, to rainfall or
atmospheric fallout.
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Since most of these substances are persistent in the
environment, the accumulation of toxics in the food
chain and the potential adverse ecological and human
health impacts are a primary concern of the Chesapeake
Bay Program. In order to establish the role of toxics in
the Bay ecosystem, a thorough understanding of the
Bay's chemical, physical, and biological dynamics is
necessary. It is particularly important to develop reliable
information on the current levels of toxics in the Bay, as
well as information on the sources, pathways and fate of
these substances in the estuanne environment.
Research efforts in the toxics program area center on
obtaining this information by studying the behavior of
toxic materials from industrial, agricultural, and
atmospheric sources. From such studies, resource
management and regulatory strategies can be designed
to reduce or eliminate environmental hazards and
protect and improve the quality of the Bay.
baseline
studies
The Virginia Institute of Marine Science is conducting
an investigation of organic pollutants in the Chesapeake
Bay. Baseline data on the abundance and distribution of
toxic organic compounds in the water, sediments and
shelllioh ate being developed along with a system for
monitoring organic pollutants Water and sediment
samples are being collected from various sites. Shellfish
tissue samples are being obtained from the American
oyster (Crassotrea virgmica) because it is located
throughout most of the Bay and has an affinity for
concentrating pollutants in its tissues In areas where
oysters may not be found, tissues of the brackish water
clam (Rangia cuneata) will be substituted.
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Through an interagency agreement with EPA, the
National Bureau of Standards (NBS) is conducting a
baseline analysis of toxic trace elements for the
Chesapeake Bay Program. Water samples from the top
and bottom of the water column, collected at fixed
locations throughout the Bay, are being analyzed for
concentrations of twelve key trace elements: copper,
lead, zinc, cadmium, manganese, molybdenum, nickel,
chromium, tin, mercury, arsenic, and selenium. This
baseline data, when complete, will serve as a
benchmark for future testing of toxic trace element
concentrations.
transport In order to efficiently assess the effects of pollutants
and fate and, on occasion, to find pollutant sources, it is
necessary to understand the mechanisms and pathways
by which they travel through the environment. The
prevention of environmental degradation due to
estuarine shoreline development depends on a
knowledge of the transport mechanisms which disperse
discharged wastewater and its potentially damaging
constituents. Recognizing the importance of this aspect
of toxic substances research, several projects in this
program area address the transport and fate of toxics in
the Bay.
The Chesapeake Bay Institute of the Johns Hopkins
University is conducting a study monitoring toxic
substances associated with sediment particles and
suspended sediment in the Bay. Rates and patterns of
movement of toxics associated with suspended particles
are being established. An analysis of the seasonal
fluctuation of physical and chemical characteristics of
suspended sediment is also being undertaken both in
the main Bay and in selected major tributaries.
In a companion study performed by the Virginia
Institute of Marine Sciences, researchers are
determining the role of suspended sediment and fluid
mud in the fate, transport, and transformation of toxics.
The types and concentrations of toxic metals are being
examined by season and by location to determine
patterns of occurrence. Along with this, investigations
are in progress to determine the affinity of toxic metals
to certain types of suspended sediments, and the rates
and pathways of pollutant transport from the source to
the deposition area.
As an adjunct to the above studies, the University of
Maryland is performing a geochemical survey of
Chesapeake Bay bottom sediments in an effort to
determine the types and amounts of trace metals
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IUMER1CA
present. Data generated from this study will allow
estimates to be made of the rates at which individual
trace metals enter bottom sediments. This project will
yield maps showing the current chemical quality of Bay
sediments in relation to trace metals, and will result in
data on the areas of deposition of trace metals in the
bottom
sediment
The mechanisms by which toxics move from the
water column into bottom sediments and vice versa,
are a very important aspect of pollutant transport.
One such mechanism involves interstitial water,
which is the water occurring from the estuary bottom
to about one meter below the sediment surface. The
water is trapped by the sediment and provides a
medium by which pollutant exchange between
sediment and the water column can occur. A study
by the Maryland Geological Survey is being conducted
to elucidate the chemistry of interstitial water.
Researchers are working to understand the chemical
reactions that govern the concentrations of trace
metals and chemical compounds that are active in
this zone, and are identifying the transport mechanisms
present in interstitial water. Chemical analyses of water
samples are also being performed by chemists at the
College of William and Mary This study will result in a
better understanding of interstitial waters as a source of
trace metals and will generate the data necessary to
develop a computer model of the behavior of trace
metals in the Chesapeake Bay.
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Another mechanism by which pollutants can be
transferred between bottom sediments and the water
column is through the activities of benthic or
bottom-dwelling organisms. Most of these organisms are
concentrated in the top few centimeters of sediment.
Their activities, such as feeding and burrowing, can
keep sediment particles in a state of flux enhancing the
exchange of dissolved particles between sediment and
water. Companion studies by the Virginia Institute of
Marine Science and by the Maryland Geological Survey
are being conducted to investigate this animal-sediment
relationship to obtain a better understanding of the role
of benthic organisms in the pollutant transport process.
Complimentary projects are being performed by the
Virginia Institute of Marine Science and the Maryland
Geological Survey to investigate Bay sedimentology.
Shoreline erosion and runoff from sparsely vegetated and
unvegetated land are major sources of suspended
sediments. These sediments enter the Bay through
tributaries and from the Bay shoreline. In addition to
identifying the distribution and physical properties of
sediments, these studies are being conducted to locate
areas of erosion and, most importantly, the areas in the
Bay where these sediments are deposited.
point source EPA's Industrial Environmental Research Laboratory
assessment (IERL) in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, is
coordinating contractor research in toxic point source
assessment. This involves characterizing, inventorying,
and prioritizing the potential toxicity of industrial
effluents discharged into the waters of the Chesapeake
Bay basin.
The initial phase of the assessment involves
developing an inventory of industrial sources
discharging potentially toxic substances, determining
the chemical composition and quantities of these
discharges, and prioritizing the industrial facilities
according to potential toxicity of their effluents. As a
result of this, the Chesapeake Bay Program Toxics Work
Group (consisting of representatives from Maryland,
Virginia, EPA Region HI headquarters in Philadelphia,
and Chesapeake Bay Program Staff) has selected the
effluents of 80 industrial discharge points for more
comprehensive study and testing.
The final phase of the toxic point source assessment
will describe the 80 selected effluents, by identifying
individual organic compounds within each effluent
stream and testing their potential for being absorbed by
estuarine organisms.
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individual
research projects
submerged
aquatic
vegetation
Distribution of Submerged Aquatic Vegetation in
Chesapeake Bay, Maryland. (The Chesapeake Bay
Foundation, and the American University)
Distribution and Abundance of Submerged Aquatic
Vegetation in the Lower Chesapeake Bay.
(Virginia Institute of Marine Science)
Biostratigraphy of the Chesapeake Bay.
(Johns Hopkins University)
The Functional Ecology of Submerged Aquatic
Vegetation in the Lower Chesapeake Bay.
(Virginia Institute of Marine Science)
Zostera Marina: Biology, Propagation and Impact of
Herbicides.
(Virginia Institute of Marine Science)
Submerged Aquatic Vegetation in the Chesapeake
Bay: Its Role in the Bay ecosystem and Factors
Leading to its Decline.
(Center for Environmental and Estuarine Studies, Horn
Point Environmental Laboratories, University of
Maryland)
Effects of Recreational Boating on Turbidity and
Sedimentation Rates in Relation to Submerged
Aquatic Vegetation.
(U.S. Naval Academy and Anne Arundel Community
College)
Factors Affecting, and Importance of Submerged
Aquatic Vegetation in Chesapeake Bay.
(Migration, Bird and Habitat Research Laboratory,
Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service)
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eutrophication
Definition of Chesapeake Bay Problems of Excessive
Enrichment or Eutrophication.
(Chesapeake Research Consortium, Annapolis,
Maryland)
Evaluation of Management Tools in Two Chesapeake
Bay Watersheds in Virginia.
(Virginia State Water Control Board)
Evaluation of Water Quality Management Tools in the
Chester River Basin.
(Maryland Water Resources Administration)
Intensive Watershed Study (Patuxent River Basin).
(Water Resources Administration, Maryland
Department of Natural Resources)
An Assessment of Nonpoint Source Discharge, Pequea
Creek Basin, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
(Susquehanna River Basin Commission)
Modeling Philosophy and Approach for Chesapeake
Bay Program Watershed Studies.
(U.S. EPA Environmental Research Laboratory, Athens,
Georgia)
Fall Line Monitoring of the Potomac, Susquehanna,
and James Rivers.
(Water Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey)
Land Use and Point Source Nutrient Loading in the
Chesapeake Bay Region.
(GEOMET, Incorporated)
Chesapeake Bay Circulation Model.
(Water Resources Engineers, Inc.)
toxic substances
Investigation of Organic Pollutants in the Chesapeake
Bay.
(Virginia Institute of Marine Science)
The Characterization of the Chesapeake Bay: A
Systematic Analysis of Toxic Trace Elements.
(Office of Environmental Measurements, National
Bureau of Standards)
Monitoring Particle-Associated Toxic Substances and
Suspended Sediment in the Chesapeake Bay.
(Chesapeake Bay Institute, The Johns Hopkins
University)
Fate, Transport and Transformation of Toxics:
Significance of Suspended Sediment and Fluid Mud.
(Virginia Institute of Marine Science)
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Chesapeake Bay Sediment Trace Metals.
(University of Maryland)
Interstitial Water Chemistry Chesapeake Bay Earth
Science Study
(Maryland Geological Survey. The Johns Hopkins
University)
Sediment and Pore Water Chemistry.
(College of William and Mary)
The Biogemc Structure of Chesapeake Bay Sediments.
Division of Biological
(Virginia Institute of Marine Science)
Animal-Sediment Relationship.
(Maryland Geological Survey The Johns Hopkins
University)
Baseline Sediment Studies to Determine Distribution,
Physical Properties, Sediment Budgets and Rates.
(Virginia Institute of Marine Science)
Sedimentology of the Chesapeake Bay Chesapeake
Bay Earth Science Study
(Maryland Geological Survey, The Johns Hopkins
University)
Inventory and Toxicity Prioritization of Industrial
Facilities Discharging into the Chesapeake Bay Basin.
(GCA Corporation)
Toxic Point Source Assessment of Industrial
Discharges to the Chesapeake Bay Basin.
(Monsanto Research Corporation)
Peter Mavraganis
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for further
information
publications
EPA Research Highlights 1979. January 1980.
EPA-600/9-80-005. 100 Pages.
Highlights of the EPA research program
accomplishments of 1979.
EPA Research Outlook. February 1980.
EPA 600/9-80-006.224 Pages.
A concise description of the EPA's plans for future
environmental research.
EPA/ORD Program Guide. October 1979.
EPA 600/9-79-038. 85 Pages.
A guide to the Office of Research and Development
its organizational structure, program managers, and
funds available for contracts, grants, and cooperative
agreements.
other research
summaries
EPA Research Summary: Controlling Nitrogen Oxides.
February 1980. EPA-600/8-80-004. 24 Pages.
EPA Research Summary: Acid Rain. October 1979.
EPA-600/8-79-028. 24 Pages.
EPA Research Summary: Oil Spills. February 1979.
EPA-600/8-79-007. 16 Pages.
i
EPA Research Summary: Controlling Hazardous
Wastes. May 1980. EPA-600/8-80-017. 24 Pages.
Information on the availability of these publications may
be obtained by writing to:
Publications
Center for Environmental Research Information
U.S. EPA, Cincinnati, OH 45268
or by calling (513) 684-7562
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technical reports
Chesapeake Bay Program: Summary of Projects.
October 1979. EPA-600/8-79-030/Program Report 1.
72 Pages.
Chesapeake Bay Program: Distribution and
Abundance of Submerged Aquatic Vegetation in the
Lower Chesapeake Bay, Virginia. October 1979. EPA
600/8-79-029/SAV 1. 219 Pages. (PB-80-140-726, $13.00)
Summary of Available Information on Chesapeake Bay
Submerged Vegetation. August 1978.
FWS/OBS-78/66. 335 Pages. (PB-285-795, $19.00)
Decline of Submerged Aquatic Plants in Chesapeake
Bay. July 1979. FWS/OBS-79/24. 12 Pages.
(PB-80-114-747, $5.00)
Technical Reports may be obtained by writing to:
National Technical Information Service
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield, VA 22161
or by calling (703) 557-4650
questions or
comments
The Office of Research and Development invites you to
address any questions or comments regarding the EPA
Chesapeake Bay Program to the appropriate individuals
listed below:
Contact
William A. Cook
Thomas H. Pheiffer
Owen B. Bricker
Gregory E McGinty
Thomas B. DeMoss
Deputy Director
David A. Flemer
Senior Science Advisor
These individuals may be contacted by writing to:
Chesapeake Bay Program
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
2083 West Street, Suite 5G
Annapolis, Maryland 21401
Topic
Submerged Aquatic
Vegetation
Eutrophication (Nutrient
Enrichment)
Toxic Substances
Environmental Quality
Management Study
Program Management
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EPA Region III Coordinators:
Alvin Morris
Deputy Regional
Administrator,
EPA Region IE,
6th & Walnut Streets
Philadelphia, PA 19106
Greene Jones
Director,
Water Division,
EPA Region IH,
6th & Walnut Streets
Philadelphia, PA 19106
State Participation Coordinators:
Maryland Thomas Andrews
Director, Water Resources
Administration
Department of
Natural Resources,
Annapolis, MD 21401
Virginia Michael Balanca
Deputy Executive
Secretary,
Virginia State Water
Control Board,
Richmond, VA 23230
Pennsylvania Louis W. Berchini
Director, Bureau
of Water Quality
Management, Dept.
of Environmental
Resources,
Harrisburg, PA 17102
Public Participation Coordinator:
Frances Flanigan
Citizens Program for
the Chesapeake Bay, Inc.
6600 York Road
Baltimore, MD 21212
The Director of the EPA Chesapeake Bay Program is
Tador T. Davies.
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