In a report made in December of this year, the Web site www.chesapeakebay.net stated that the health of the Chesapeake Bay has improved slightly over the past two years but that the overall ecosystem which supports the bay’s health is still out of balance.
The Web site provided a link to the full report compiled by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s 2010 State of the Bay report which can be found here: http://www.cbf.org/Page.aspx?pid=2220.
According to the Web site, the Bay is currently ranked 31 out of 100 on the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s health index. The assessment is a three point improvement over two years ago. According to the Foundation, a rating of 40 is considered as improving. A rating of 50 indicates a stable situation and a rating of 70 would indicate a saved condition. The best possible rating of 100 would mean the bay had attained a pristine condition which most experts reason is an unrealistic expectation.
In the Foundation’s Report, President, Will Baker stated that, “The Bay is a system that is starting to get better,” which he considered a ‘huge improvement’ but cautioned that the gains achieved are fragile.
The article on Chesapeakebay.net explained that the Bay’s overall score was compiled from 13 different measurements covering everything from pollution, habitat and fisheries. In the Foundation’s assessment, eight of the 13 measurements had improved while two had shown a loss of progress.
Discouraging was the assessment of five specific areas: nitrogen pollution, dissolved oxygen, water clarity, oyster and shad populations; all of which received declining measurements.
Those wishing to help with efforts to restore the Bay should visit www.cbf.org.
