Restoring%20and%20Protecting%20Chesapeake%20Bay%20and%20River%20Water%20Quality

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Restoring and ProtectingChesapeake Bay and
RiverWater Quality

• June 2005

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The Chesapeake Bay is North Americas largest and
most biologically diverse estuary, home to more
than 3,600 species of plants, fish and animals.
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For more than 300 years, the Bay and its
tributaries have sustained the regions economy
anddefined its traditions and culture.
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It is a resource of extraordinary productivity,
worthy of the highest levels ofprotection and
restoration.
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The Chesapeake Bay Program Partnership
Governor of MD
Governor of VA
Governor of PA
Mayor of DC
EPA Administrator
Executive Council
Chair of Chesapeake Bay Commission
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Purpose of This Presentation
To answer common questions about the efforts
related to protecting and restoring Bay and river
water quality

1. Whats the problem with Bay and river water
   quality?
2. What do we want to achieve?
3. How might the Bay and its tidal rivers look with
   restored water quality?
4. How far have we come?
5. How do we define restored Bay and river water
   quality?
6. What needs to be done?
7. Who is involved? What is the timeline?
8. How will other Bay agreement commitments help
   restore the complete ecosystem?

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Whats the Problem with Bay and RiverWater
Quality?
Because things on land are easily washed into
streams and rivers, our actions on land
ultimately affect the Bay.
Section 1 Whats the Problem
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Most scientists believe that nutrients and
sediment are the root of most water quality
problems in the Bay.
The amount of nutrients that would naturally
enter the Bay would be okay, but the amount going
into the Bay now has been amplified by
people. When we use fertilizers, dispose of
sewage, drive cars, and generate electricity, we
harm the Bay.
Section 1 Whats the Problem
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Water Quality Problems
Algae blooms and depleted oxygen levels are
caused by nutrient pollution.
When the algae die and decompose, they use up
oxygen needed by other plants and animals living
in the Bay's waters.
Poor water clarity is caused by algae blooms and
sediment pollution.
Algae blooms and sediment cloud the water and
block sunlight, causing underwater bay grasses to
die.
Section 1 Whats the Problem
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Sources of Nutrient Pollution to the Bay
Stormwater and groundwater carry nutrients into
rivers and the Bay from a variety of nonpoint
sources, such as farms, lawns, gardens, golf
courses and septic tanks. Scientists believe that
agricultural sources contribute the largest
portion of the nutrient pollution entering the
Bay.
Point sources, such as wastewater treatment
plants, are the second largest contributors of
nutrient pollution to the rivers and the Bay.
Section 1 Whats the Problem
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A significant amount of nitrogen pollution is
created when we generate electricity and drive
cars.
Generating electric power by burning fossil
fuels, such as coal and oil, releases nitrogen,
in the form of nitrogen oxide gas, into the
air. Nitrogen oxide gases from automobile exhaust
are another source of nitrogen pollution.
When it rains, this nitrogen is washed out of the
air and off of the land, eventually making its
way into rivers and the Bay.
Section 1 Whats the Problem
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What Do We Want to Achieve?
Achieve and maintain the water quality necessary
to support the aquatic living resources of the
Bay and its tributaries and to protect human
health.
Section 2 What Do We Want to Achieve
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Chesapeake 2000 The New Agreement
In June 2000, the Chesapeake Bay Program partners
signed a new agreement to guide the restoration
and protection of the Bay through the next decade
and beyond. In Chesapeake 2000, the partners
agreed that
Improving water quality is the most critical
element in the overall protection and restoration
of the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers.
Section 2 What Do We Want to Achieve
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Bay and River Water Quality Commitment
In order to achieve and maintain the water
quality necessary to support aquatic living
resources, one of the commitments the partners
made is to
By 2010, correct the nutrient- and
sediment-related problems in the Chesapeake Bay
and its tidal tributaries sufficiently to remove
the Bay and the tidal portions of its tributaries
from the list of impaired waters under the Clean
Water Act.
Section 2 What Do We Want to Achieve
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Impaired Waters and Clean-up Plans
Chesapeake Bay and Tidal Tributary Nutrient
and/or Sediment Impaired Waterbodies
Portions of the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal
rivers are listed under the Clean Water Act as
impaired waters largely because of low
dissolved oxygen levels and other problems
related to nutrient pollution. This listing
requires the development of a clean-up plan for
the Bay by 2011.
Note Representation of 303(d) listed waters for
nutrient and/or sediment water quality
impairments for illustrative purposes only. For
exact 303(d) listings contact EPA
(http//www.epa.gov/owow/tmdl/).
Impaired Water
Unimpaired Water
Section 2 What Do We Want to Achieve
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Watershed-wide Pollution Reductions Needed
The pollutants causing water quality impairments
drain into to the Bayand its rivers fromthe
entire watershed.
New York
Pennsylvania
Maryland
Delaware
West Virginia
Chesapeake Bay Watershed Boundary
District of Columbia
Virginia
Section 2 What Do We Want to Achieve
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Advantages of Cooperative Clean-up Plans

• Bay partners committed to remove Chesapeake water
  quality impairments by 2010, which allows state
  and local partners more flexibility in crafting
  cooperative, efficient and cost effective
  clean-up plans.
• If the partners are not successful in meeting
  their 2010 commitment to remove the Bay from the
  impaired waters list, only then will a regulatory
  clean-up plan for all impaired tidal waters be
  required.

Section 2 What Do We Want to Achieve
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Whats Different About the Approach Being Taken?

• We are taking a cooperative, non-regulatory
  approach over the next decade.
• New York, Delaware and West Virginia are now
  directly involved (in addition to MD, PA, VA and
  DC)
• Water quality needs of the aquatic living
  resources of the Bay and its tidal rivers will
  drive necessary pollutant loading reductions.

Section 2 What Do We Want to Achieve
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How Might the Bay and its Tidal Rivers Look with
Restored Water Quality?
The Honorable Bernie Fowler wades into the
Patuxent River every year to test water clarity.
One year he hopes to wade out up to his shoulders
and still see his white sneakers.
Section 3 How Might the Bay Look?
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Restored Water Quality Means

• Fewer algae blooms and better fish food.
• Clearer water and more underwater Bay grasses.
• More oxygen and improved habitat for more fish,
  crabs and oysters.

Section 3 How Might the Bay Look?
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Healthy vs. Unhealthy Water Quality
Sunlight
Sunlight
Minimal Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Sediment Inputs
Excessive Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Sediment Inputs
Algal Bloom
Balanced Algae Growth
Healthy Bay Grasses
Reduced Bay Grasses
Healthy Habitat
Unhealthy Habitat
Algae Die-off
Algae Decomposition
Healthy Oyster Reef
Adequate Oxygen
No Oxygen
Barren Oyster Reef
Lack of Benthic Community
Benthic Community
Section 3 How Might the Bay Look?
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How Far Have We Come?
The Bay and its rivers are doing better but we
have a long way to go.
Section 4 How Far Have We Come?
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Bay Grasses Show Annual Variation
Restoration Goal (185,000 acres by 2010)
Underwater bay grasses are slowly improving, but
further reductions in the pollutants flowing into
the Bay are needed to help them flourish. Annual
variations in bay grasses show the sensitivity of
the Bay ecosystem.
Note Hatched area of bar includes estimated
additional acreage. No Baywide surveys 1979-83
and 1988 Source Chesapeake Bay Program.
Section 4 How Far Have We Come?
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Some Waters Still Not Clear Enough for Bay
Grasses
All plants--even those underwater--need
light! Water clarity is a measure of the amount
of sunlight that penetrates the Bays waters and
reaches the surface of underwater Bay grass
leaves. The amount needed is determined by the
specific underwater grasses which grow in
different areas of the Bay. Increases in sediment
and nutrient concentrations in the water lead to
declines in water clarity. Improved water clarity
is important for Bay grass recovery and other
living resources.
Source Chesapeake Bay Program. Status and
trends are for surface waters during the relevant
SAV growing season.
Section 4 How Far Have We Come?
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Some Waters Still Have Too Much Algae
Chlorophyll a is a measure of the amount of algae
in the water. Excessive nutrients can stimulate
algae blooms resulting in reduced water clarity.
Section 4 How Far Have We Come?
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Many Water Habitats Still Lack Sufficient Oxygen
Excessive nutrients can stimulate algae blooms
resulting in reduced oxygen levels in the
water. Stressful dissolved oxygen conditions
occur during summer months throughout much of the
deeper waters of the mainstem Bay and up into the
Patapsco, Chester, Patuxent, Potomac,
Rappahannock, and York Rivers, and Eastern Bay.
Section 4 How Far Have We Come?
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How Do We DefineRestored Water Quality?

• Map out the designated uses (habitat zones) for
  the Bays different living resource communities.
• Determine the water quality conditions or
  criteria necessary to protect those uses.

Section 5 How Do We Define Restored Water
Quality?
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Designated Uses of Bay and Tidal River Waters
The needs of the Bays living resources dictate
what the uses (habitat zones) should be

• Migratory Fish Spawning and Nursery Use
• Shallow-Water Bay Grass Use
• Open-Water Fish and Shellfish Use
• Deep-Water Seasonal Fish and Shellfish Use
• Deep-Channel Seasonal Refuge Use

Section 5 How Do We Define Restored Water
Quality?
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Refined Designated Uses forChesapeake Bay and
Tidal Tributary Waters
A. Cross Section of Chesapeake Bay or Tidal
Tributary
Shallow-Water Bay Grass Use
Open-Water Fish and Shellfish Use
Deep-Water Seasonal Fish and Shellfish Use
Deep-Channel Seasonal Refuge Use
B. Oblique View of the Chesapeake Bay and its
Tidal Tributaries
Migratory Fish Spawning and Nursery Use
Open-Water Habitat
Shallow-Water Bay Grass Use
Deep-Water Seasonal Fish and Shellfish Use
Deep-Channel Seasonal Refuge Use
Section 5 How Do We Define Restored Water
Quality?
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Migratory Fish Spawning and Nursery Use

• General Description of Designated Use
• Aims to protect migratory and resident tidal
  freshwater fish during the spawning and nursery
  season in tidal freshwater to low-salinity
  habitats.
• Critical time period is late winter to late
  spring (February through May).

Section 5 How Do We Define Restored Water
Quality?
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Migratory Fish Spawning and Nursery Use
The upper reaches of tidal waters and the upper
mainstem used as spawning and nursery grounds by
striped bass, shad, perch and other fish.
Spawning and Nursery Habitat
Section 5 How Do We Define Restored Water
Quality?
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Shallow-Water Bay Grass Use

• General Description of Designated Use
• Designed to protect underwater bay grasses and
  the many fish and crab species that depend on the
  vegetated habitat provided by grass beds.
• Critical timeframe is the bay grass growing
  season.

Section 5 How Do We Define Restored Water
Quality?
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Shallow-Water Bay Grass Use
Shallow Water Habitat
Tidal waters up to two meters in depth where
underwater bay grasses have been historically
observed.
Two Meter Bathymetry Contour
Section 5 How Do We Define Restored Water
Quality?
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Open-Water Fish and Shellfish Use

• General Description of Designated Use
• Designed to improve water quality in the surface
  water habitats within tidal creeks, rivers,
  embayments and the mainstem Bay.
• Aims to protect diverse populations of sportfish
  including striped bass, bluefish, mackerel and
  sea trout as well as important bait fish such as
  menhaden and silversides.

Section 5 How Do We Define Restored Water
Quality?
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Open-Water Fish and Shellfish Use
All surface tidal waters extending to the bottom,
or to the top of the pycnocline in areas where
it exists and presents a barrier to
re-oxygenation of deeper waters.
Open Water Habitat
Section 5 How Do We Define Restored Water
Quality?
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Deep-Water Seasonal Fish and Shellfish Use

• General Description of Designated Use
• Aims to protect living resources inhabiting the
  deeper transitional water column and bottom
  habitats between the well-mixed surface waters
  and the very deep channels.
• Protects many bottom-feeding fish, crabs and
  oysters, as well as other important species,
  including the bay anchovy.
• Critical timeframe is June through September.

Section 5 How Do We Define Restored Water
Quality?
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Deep-Water Seasonal Fish and Shellfish Use
Tidal waters within the pycnocline where it
presents a barrier to re-oxygenation of deeper
waters.
Deep Water
Pycnocline marks a density change in the water
column due to a transition from the warm, fresher
water layer on the surface to the relatively
cold, saltier water at the Bays bottom.
Deep Water
Section 5 How Do We Define Restored Water
Quality?
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Deep-Channel Seasonal Refuge Use

• General Description of Designated Use
• Designed to protect bottom sediment dwelling
  worms and small clams that act as food for
  bottom-feeding fish and crabs in the deep channel
  habitats.

Section 5 How Do We Define Restored Water
Quality?
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Deep-Channel Seasonal Refuge Use
Very deep water and adjacent bottom sediment
located in the channels below the pycnocline at
the lower reaches of major tidal rivers and along
the spine of the upper and middle mainstem Bay.
Deep Channel
Deep Channel
Section 5 How Do We Define Restored Water
Quality?
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Chesapeake Bay Water Quality Criteria

• Water Clarity light for underwater Bay grasses
• Chlorophyll a base of the Bay food chain
• Dissolved Oxygen for fish, crabs and oysters

Together, these three criteria define the
conditions necessary to protect the wide variety
of the Bays living resources and their habitats.
Section 5 How Do We Define Restored Water
Quality?
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Water Clarity

• All plants--even those underwater--need light!
• Water clarity is a measure of the amount of
  sunlight that penetrates the Bays waters and
  reaches the surface of underwater Bay grass
  leaves.
• The amount needed is determined by the specific
  underwater grasses which grow in different areas
  of the Bay.

Section 5 How Do We Define Restored Water
Quality?
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Whats Blocking the Light?
Good Water Clarity
Poor Water Clarity

• Percent of sunlight at the water surface that
  penetrates the water
• 13 in low salinity waters
• 22 in high salinity waters

Sediment and other particles in the water

Algae in the water

Algae on the leaves
equals
Very low percentage of sunlight reaching leaves
Bay grasses grow poorly or die.
Section 5 How Do We Define Restored Water
Quality?
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Chlorophyll a

• Chlorophyll a is a measure of the amount of algae
  in the water.
• Some algae are good sources of fish food and
  others are poor sources.

• Excessive nutrients can stimulate nuisance algae
  blooms resulting in reduced water clarity,
  reduced amounts of good fish food, and depleted
  oxygen levels in deeper waters.

Section 5 How Do We Define Restored Water
Quality?
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Dissolved Oxygen

• Living things--even those underwater--need
  oxygen!
• The amount of oxygen needed in the water depends
  on the specific needs of the Bays living
  resources.
• The amounts depend on where and when certain
  areas are used by different living resources.

Section 5 How Do We Define Restored Water
Quality?
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Oxygen Requirements (mg/L) of Bay Species
Migratory Fish Spawning Nursery Areas
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Striped Bass 5-6
American Shad 5
Shallow and Open Water Areas
5
White Perch 5
Yellow Perch 5
4
Hard Clams 5
Deep Water
Alewife 3.6
3
Bay Anchovy 3
Crabs 3
2
1
Spot 2
Deep Channel
Worms 1
0
Section 5 How Do We Define Restored Water
Quality?
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Section 5 How Do We Define Restored Water
Quality?
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Chesapeake Bay Water Quality Criteria
Dissolved Oxygen (milligrams per liter) Chlorophyll a Water Clarity ( surface light)
Migratory Spawning and Nursery (Feb. May) 6 mg/L (7-day mean) 5 mg/L (instantaneous minimum)
Shallow Water (SAV growing seasons) Same as open water Lower salinity 13 Higher salinity 22
Open Water (year round) 5.5 mg/L in lower salinity waters and 5 mg/L in higher salinity waters (30-day mean) 4 mg/L (7-day mean) 3.2 mg/L (instantaneous min) Narrative criteria (see next page)
Deep Water (June Sept.) 3 mg/L (30-day mean) 2.3 mg/L (1-day mean) 1.7 mg/L (instantaneous minimum)
Deep Channel (June Sept.) 1 mg/L (instantaneous minimum)
Section 5 How Do We Define Restored Water
Quality?
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Chesapeake Bay Narrative Criteria for Chlorophyll
a
Concentrations of chlorophyll a in free-floating
aquatic plants (algae) shall not exceed levels
that result in ecologically undesirable
consequences such as reduced water clarity, low
dissolved oxygen, food supply imbalances,
proliferation of species deemed potentially
harmful to aquatic life or humans or
aesthetically objectionable conditions or
otherwise render tidal waters unsuitable for
designated uses.
Section 5 How Do We Define Restored Water
Quality?
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What needs to be done?
Now that restored water quality has been defined,
what actions will need to be taken to remove the
Bay and its rivers from the impaired waters list
by 2010?
Section 6 What Needs to Be Done?
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Adopting Water Quality Standards

• The Bay watershed partners are working to
  establish new state water quality standards that
  will more realistically reflect the needs of fish
  and other aquatic life.
• Using the recently defined water quality
  conditions necessary to protect aquatic living
  resources (criteria and designated uses),
  jurisdictions with tidal waters DE, MD, VA, and
  DC will make their best efforts to adopt new or
  revised water quality standards consistent with
  the necessary water quality conditions.

Delaware
Maryland
Virginia
District of Columbia
Section 6 What Needs to Be Done?
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Reduce Nutrient Pollution Loads
In order to achieve the water quality conditions
necessary to protect aquatic living resources,
certain amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus
reductions need to occur.
we improve water quality conditions.
As we reducenutrient loads...
Section 6 What Needs to Be Done?
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Reduce Sediment Pollution Loads
In order to achieve the water quality conditions
necessary to protect aquatic living resources,
certain amounts of sediment reductions need to
occur.
we increase underwater bay grasses.
As we reduce sediment loads...
Section 6 What Needs to Be Done?
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Nutrient and Sediment Load Reduction Goals
The 2010 pollutant reduction goals are Nitrogen
- Reduce annual loads to no more than 175 million
pounds. Phosphorus - Reduce annual loads to no
more than 12.8 million pounds. Land-based
Sediment - Reduce annual loads to no more than
4.15 million tons.
Source CBP Phase 4.3 Watershed Model. Estimates
of nutrient and land-based sediment reductions
that may occur when the reported management
practices and reduction technologies are
implemented within watershed portions of NY, PA,
MD, DC, DE, WV, VA. The model's nonpoint source
load reductions are estimates of what would occur
under long-term avergaed rainfall conditions
based on the years 1985-1994. The point source
load reductions are actual measurements and are
influenced by the reporting years rainfall.
Section 6 What Needs to Be Done?
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Pollutant Load Allocations For the Bays Nine
Major Basins

• The pollutant reductions need to occur throughout
  the entire watershed.
• Each of the 9 major watershed basins have been
  allocated maximum loadsor caps.

Susquehanna
Upper Western Shore
Potomac
Pax
Upper Eastern Shore
Rapp
York
James
VA Eastern Shore
Section 6 What Needs to Be Done?
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Pollutant Load Allocations For Each State in the
Bays Nine Major Basins

• Further allocations have been made to each
  jurisdiction within the 9 major watershed basins.

New York
Pennsylvania
Maryland
District of Columbia
West Virginia
Delaware
Virginia
Section 6 What Needs to Be Done?
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Developing and Implementing Strategies

• Tributary strategies will be developed to achieve
  and maintain the allocated nutrient and sediment
  pollutant loading caps in each basin.
• The strategies will be developed in each
  jurisdiction with extensive local government and
  public involvement.
• Achieving the reductions and maintaining the
  loading caps will result in the achievement of
  the water quality conditions needed for aquatic
  living resources.

Section 6 What Needs to Be Done?
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Inclusive and Innovative Strategies

• Strategies will need to involve everyone as
  personal responsibility and life style change may
  become components.
• Strategies will encompass complete watersheds.
• Strategies may include new ideas/new technologies
  (BNR to 3mg/L nutrient trading more wetlands,
  forest buffers, oyster reefs innovative
  management of filter feeders low impact
  development).

Section 6 What Needs to Be Done?
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Who is involved? What is the timeline?
We are all a part of the problem All of us
need to become part of the solution.
Section 7 Who? When?
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Timeline for Publishing Criteria, Adopting
Standards, Setting Allocations and Implementing
Tributary Strategies

• April 2003 - Bay water quality criteria and
  recommended designated uses published pollutant
  load allocations for each jurisdiction within the
  9 major basins proposed begin development of
  tributary strategies to achieve pollutant load
  reductions.
• July 2003 - jurisdictions with tidal waters
  propose new or revised water quality standards.
• April 2004 - complete development and begin
  implementation of revised Tributary Strategies.
• 2005 - jurisdictions with tidal waters finalize
  adoption of new or revised water quality
  standards pollutant load allocations for each
  jurisdiction within the 9 major basins finalized
  Tributary Strategies finalized.

Section 7 Who? When?
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Timeline for Removing Impairments toBay and
River Water Quality

• 2010 The Chesapeake 2000 agreement calls for
  Bay Program partners to have corrected the
  nutrient and sediment-related problems in the
  Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries
  sufficiently to remove the Bay and the tidal
  portions of its tributaries from the list of
  impaired waters under the Clean Water Act.
• 2011 Bay Program partners will begin
  development of TMDLs for any areas of the Bay
  that may still be listed for impairments due to
  nutrient and sediment related problems.

Section 7 Who? When?
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Whos involved?

• Bay Program partners in this effort include the
  signatories to the Chesapeake Bay agreement --
  EPA (representing the Federal government), the
  jurisdictions of MD, PA, VA and DC, and the
  Chesapeake Bay Commission (representing MD, PA
  and VA state legislatures).
• The partnership for this effort was expanded
  through a Memorandum of Understanding to include
  the jurisdictions of DE, NY and WV.

District of Columbia
EPA
CBC
Maryland
Virginia
Pennsylvania
Delaware
New York
West Virginia
Section 7 Who? When?
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Who Needs to be Involved?

• Local governments and citizens and
• YOU need to become informed and get involved

• Participate in restoration and protection
  efforts.
• Hold Bay Program partners accountable!

We are all a part of the problem All of us
need to become part of the solution. WE ARE ALL
IN THIS TOGETHER
Section 7 Who? When?
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Key Opportunities for Citizen Involvement

• 2003 - 2005 participate in the state water
  quality standards development process
• 2003 - 2004 get involved with teams developing
  tributary strategies
• From now until 2010 stay informed and involved
  andhold Bay Program partners accountable!

Section 7 Who? When?
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How Will Other Bay Agreement Commitments Help
Restore the Complete Ecosystem?
We must encourage all citizens of the Chesapeake
Bay watershed to work toward a shared vision a
system with abundant, diverse populations of
living resources, fed by healthy streams and
rivers, sustaining strong local and regional
economies, and our unique quality of life.
Section 8 Restoring the Complete Ecosystem
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Additional Water Quality Restoration Efforts
Status of Chemical Contaminant Effectson Living
Resources in the Bays Tidal Rivers
The Chesapeake 2000 agreement also commits to
reduce or eliminate chemical contaminants to
levels that result in no toxic or bioaccumulative
impact on living resources that inhabit the Bay
or on human health. Many of the efforts necessary
to reach the chemical contaminant reduction goal
will also help to reach the nutrient and sediment
reduction goals (and vice versa).
Section 8 Restoring the Complete Ecosystem
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Water Quality Improvements Alone Will Not
Restore the Bay
If we do not manage fisheries, no matter how
clean the water becomes, we still may not have
sustainable populations.
Section 8 Restoring the Complete Ecosystem
67
Water Quality Improvements and Fisheries
Management Are Still Not Enough
We need to protect and restore all habitats, not
just water habitats.
Section 8 Restoring the Complete Ecosystem
68
Water Quality Improvements,Fisheries Management
and Habitat Protection and Restoration Are Still
Not Enough
We need to manage the way we use the land in
watersheds.
Section 8 Restoring the Complete Ecosystem
69
Water Quality Improvements, Fisheries
Management, Habitat Protection and Restoration,
and Sound Land Useare Still Not Enough
We need to engage everyone to become better
stewards of the watershed.
Section 8 Restoring the Complete Ecosystem
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Only By Integrating ALL Components of Chesapeake
2000 Can We Expect toRestore the Bay
The agreement reflects the Bays complexity in
that each action taken, like the elements of the
Bay itself, is connected to all the others.
Section 8 Restoring the Complete Ecosystem