The Stormwater Report

The Chesapeake Oyster Alliance (COA), a new coalition of non-profit groups, corporations, and universities in Virginia and Maryland, are working together to achieve a lofty goal: introduce 10 billion new oysters into the Chesapeake Bay by 2025. As oyster larvae grow, their shells accumulate algae and sediment from their surroundings. According to the Chesapeake Bay […]

To help lower monthly stormwater fees and the capacity for runoff generation at the Mount Olivet Cemetery in Washington, D.C., the Catholic Archdiocese of Washington (D.C.) has partnered with the D.C./Maryland chapter of The Nature Conservancy (TNC; Bethesda, Md.) to build more than $1.5 million of green stormwater infrastructure on the property. In 2013, DC […]

Chesapeake Bay, the third-largest estuary in the world, has a chronic nutrient pollution problem. In 2010, gradual runoff pollution from more than 13.6 million people living in the watershed grew to national concern, prompting the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to set strict total maximum daily load (TMDL) regulations limiting nutrient emissions. Meeting those regulatory […]

In Chesapeake Bay this year, the amount of algae that will decay will render a stretch of water approximately equal to the volume of 2.3 million Olympic-sized swimming pools unable to support life. According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and local partners in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, […]

In its latest effort to preserve and improve the health of vital waterways, the Chesapeake Bay Trust and the Environmental Protection Agency will bestow grants totaling over $800,000 to 17 organizations from Pennsylvania to Southern Virginia through the partnership’s annual “Green Streets, Green Jobs, Green Towns” (G3) program. The grant, which funds implementation of projects […]

In April, the CITGO Chesapeake Terminal in Chesapeake, Va., earned its fourth Sustained Distinguished Performance Award from the Elizabeth River Project, a nonprofit that leads community environmental restoration efforts along the river. Since partnering with the Elizabeth River Project in 2004, the CITGO Chesapeake Terminal has completed numerous environmental projects to achieve Model Level status, […]

Better management of roadside ditches could help improve water quality in the Chesapeake region, according to a workshop report from the Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee, which provides guidance to the Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) on measures to restore and protect the Chesapeake Bay. The workshop, “Re-plumbing the Chesapeake Watershed: Improving roadside ditch management to […]

The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) announced on Monday, Feb. 29, 2016 its denial to hear the American Farm Bureau and allies appeal regarding the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL). The denial of American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), et al. v. EPA, et al. by the high court affirms the ruling […]

A team of geologists from the University of Vermont (UVM), working with the U.S. Geological Survey and other institutions, confirmed that land under the Chesapeake Bay is sinking and forecasts that Washington, D.C. could drop by 6 or more inches (15 cm) over the next century. Such a drop would exacerbate problems associated with sea […]

On July 23, the Chesapeake Executive Council announced the release of 25 management strategies for restoring and protecting the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, including its tributaries, wetlands, and diverse ecological habitats. The announcement was made at the council’s annual meeting to set goals and guidance for the partnership. The strategies summarize the Chesapeake Bay Program’s plans […]