EcoCheck is a partnership program between NOAA Chesapeake Bay Program Office and the Integration and Application Network (IAN) at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES). EcoCheck is located at the Cooperative Oxford Laboratory, on the Eastern Shore of Chesapeake Bay. The purpose of EcoCheck is to enhance and support the science, management and restoration of Chesapeake Bay through the integration of geographically detailed assessments and forecasts. Effective management is essential for improved health of Chesapeake Bay and EcoCheck helps provide the support and knowledge needed for this effort.

Latest newsletternewsletter thumbnailNitrogen in the Chesapeake Bay: A Retrospective
Nitrogen pollution has been a primary cause of a degraded Chesapeake Bay ecosystem for over a century. Since the Clean Water Act of 1972, Bay monitoring programs have measured the amount of nitrogen coming from human activities and on land (urban, suburban, rural, and industrial) and from natural cycling in the water column. This information is used to evaluate management actions for nutrient reduction. This newsletter summarizes monitoring data and describes nitrogen trends in both the non-tidal and tidal areas of the Chesapeake Bay. Latest reportreport thumbnail2010 Chesapeake Bay Forecast
This summer it is predicted that the anoxic condition (no dissolved oxygen) in the Bay's mainstem will be moderately poor, with the average anoxic volume forecast to be 0.8 ± 0.3 km3. Compared to the previous 25 summers, 2010 could have the 5th smallest anoxic volume if this prediction holds true.

 

 Latest Report Cardnewsletter thumbnail2009 Chester River Report Card
This report card summarizes 2009 water quality results, which are based on data collected by the Chester River Association and various partners. It helps to clarify the Chester River's health in both tidal and non-tidal regions, and provides information on what individuals can do to help improve water quality. Latest posterposter thumbnailSupporting management through an annual cycle of ecological forecasting and assessment
This poster describes a novel approach to supporting management through an annual cycle of ecological forecasting and integrated assessment. The cycle consists of: (1) forecasting Chesapeake Bay summer ecological conditions in spring; (2) tracking summer ecological conditions and assessing the accuracy of the forecast until fall; and, (3) completing the cycle in early spring by assessing overall Bay health and producing a geographically detailed ecosystem health report card.

The areas that EcoCheck focuses on are highlighted below.

conceptual diagram

 

 

• Increased understanding of how climatology affects fish recruitment in Chesapeake Bay.

• Incorporation of spatially explicit data into current management tools.

• Effective use of ecosystem health indicators.

• Prediction of fisheries variability with forecast models.

ecocheck approach



The EcoCheck approach builds on the circular relationship between assessment and forecasting. Assessments provide the data and questions from which quantitative forecast models are developed. Continued assessment enables the forecast models to be tested and refined. Given the size and complexity of the issues affecting the Bay, EcoCheck projects aim to be as geographically detailed as possible. Communication tools will be used to maximize impact of the project findings in terms of improving Bay management. We hope to make a maximum impact for a small program by working collaboratively with other programs.