Chesapeake Bay Unit

Environmental Science

I. Physical Features of the Bay

A. Depth• not deep, 21 ft. average

B. Watershed size• very large watershed,

MD,VA,DC,PA,NY,WV,DE

C. Salinity• varies, saltier at mouth and bottom

D. Tides and Currents• water always moving

II. Wetlands

A. Definition• An area that is covered with water for some

period of time or whose soil and vegetation is of a certain type

B. Types– can be coastal or

inland, tidal or non-tidal

– 1. Marsh

– 2. Swamp

– floodplain or bottomland

– bog

– wet meadow

C. Importance of wetlands

1. Habitat for organisms• breeding ground

2. Prevent flooding 3. Trap sediment and pollution 4. Send water to aquifers (groundwater) 5. Protect shore from storm damage 6. About 67% of Bay wetlands have

been lost since colonial times

III. Uses of the Bay

A. Food source B. Transportation C. Recreation D. Tourism E. Waste disposal F. Commercial G. Habitat H. Aesthetic value

IV. Problems of the Bay

A. Siltation or sediment pollution B. Nutrient Pollution

– Eutrophication, “Dead Zones” C. Loss of vegetation (SAV) D. Declining harvests E. Pollutants F. Acid Rain G. Loss of wetlands H. Dams and blockages

V. Solutions to Bay Problems

A. Personal– for all of us in the watershed

B. Watermen and Bay residents C. State governments

– laws D. Federal Government

– laws and research