Reporting Region Summary:

Scores & Conceptual Diagram

	Bay Health Index	65% B
Top-ranked grade: B A large improvement compared to 2006 score (38) due to improved aquatic grasses, benthic community, and chlorophyll a conditions. Health of this region tends to vary greatly between years.

	Index/Indicator	Score			Index/Indicator	Score
	Chlorophyll a	56%			Aquatic grasses	73%
	Dissolved oxygen	100%			Benthic Index of Biotic Integrity	78%
	Water clarity	8%			Phytoplankton Index of Biotic Integrity	ND
	Water Quality Index	55%			Biotic Index	75%

Excel Spreadsheet

Editable Vector Diagram (SVG)

Maps

This indicator map is already zoomed to the area of this region. You can pan and zoom and also change to another indicator map.

Trends Graph

This graph is dynamic, you can check and uncheck indicators ( checkboxes in legend), select year range ( click and drag), and export as an image (right click).

Editable Vector Version (SVG)

Excel Spreadsheet

Region Info

The Upper Western Shore watershed drains approximately 685 square miles of land. This area includes all of Harford County and portions of Carroll, Baltimore, and Cecil Counties. Larger bodies of water in the watershed include the Bush River, Gunpowder River, and Middle River. Land use in the region is approximately half forest and one-quarter urban and one-quarter agriculture. Major towns in the area include Bel Air, Carney, Middle River, Edgewood, and Perry Hill. Census population from 2000 for the basin was 487,000. There are seven major wastewater treatment plants in the area. (Based on MD DNR Tributary Strategy Report by Aadland et al., 2007 and updated 2000 land use classifications).

Editable Vector Version (SVG)

Additional Info

Relevant Websites

Maryland DNR - Tributary Strategies
Chesapeake Bay Program - Tributary Strategies