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Chesapeake Bay ecosystem health 2008 summer review

Several large river flow events during winter and spring were forecast to result in worse than average dissolved oxygen and harmful algal bloom conditions this summer. However, observed summer conditions were not as bad as predicted with dissolved oxygen levels being close to the long-term average and Potomac River harmful algal blooms (Microcystis) were relatively small and of shorter duration. These better than predicted levels may in part be attributed to the relatively dry summer. Despite the average mainstem Bay dissolved oxygen levels, harmful algal blooms and fish kills were reported in many of the Bays tributaries. Here we summarize summer conditions and offer some explanations as to why they may have occurred.

For a comparison of summer conditions to the forecast made this past spring visit the Forecast Accuracy page.

Click on the icons below for more information on this summer's conditions.

summer review map Sea Nettles Water Clarity Fish Kills Harmful Algal Blooms Dissolved Oxygen River Flow Dissolved Oxygen - Hypoxia Dissolved Oxygen - Anoxia


Acknowledgements:
These web pages have been produced in collaboration with members of the Chesapeake Pay Program's Tidal Monitoring and Analysis Workgroup (TMAW). The following individuals are acknowledged for their contributions: Mark Trice (MD Dept. Natural Resources), Richard Lacouture (Morgan State University), Harold Marshall (Old Dominion University), Dave Jasinski, Maggie Sexton (UMCES/HPL), Mike Lane (ODU), Jon Anderson (Morgan State), Peter Tango (CBP/USGS), Don Scavia (U of Michigan), Charlie Poukish (MD Dept. Env.), Rick Hoffman (VA Dept. Env. Quality), Jeni Keisman (CBP/UMCES) and Jake Goodwin (CBP/CRC).