| Accomplishments |
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The U.S. Geological Survey provides integrated
science that helps formulate, implement, and assess the effectiveness
of conservation and restoration actions in the Bay and its
watershed. The success of the USGS Chesapeake Bay Science
studies depends on the coordination of multiple USGS programs,
science centers, scientists, and partners.
Selected accomplishments for each of the USGS Chesapeake
Bay science themes are listed below and accomplishments for
FY2007 are also summarized.
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FY 2007
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Science Theme
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Accomplishments
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| The Impact of Human Activities
on Land Use |
Some of the USGS accomplishments
toward this theme include:
—Producing data on land cover and hydrography
for the Bay watershed,
—Generating information on land
cover and watershed characteristics to improve the two primary
predictive models of nutrient and sediment sources and transport
in the Bay watershed. An enhanced database of the information
is near completion.
—Generating information on the land-cover change
and watershed characteristics to better interpret the sources
of sediment in the lower Susquehanna Basin.
—Establishing the CBP/USGS Land Data Manager, who
oversees and guides data compilation and analysis at the CBO
office.
—Helping to develop the Resource Lands Assessment,
which identified critically important economic and ecological
lands in the Bay watershed.
—Beginning to develop and test models to forecast
land-use change.
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| Factors Affecting Water Quality and Quantity |
The USGS has significant accomplishments for this theme
including:
—Developed partnerships with the CBP to have USGS
employees serve as Monitoring Coordinator and Quality-Assurance
Officer.
—Provided study results and participated in development
of water-clarity and dissolved oxygen criteria for the Bay.
—Led the CBP sediment workgroup in completion
of a report that summarized existing sediment information
for the Bay and its watershed. Findings from the report were
used to help develop an approach for assessing sediment-reduction
strategies and begin improvement of predictive models.
—Developed techniques to fingerprint the sources
and erosion of sediment, and use the results with historical
monitoring data to identify areas of high sediment generation.
—Conducted investigations to further identify
sediment sources to the estuary that will help formulate improved
sediment-reduction strategies by 2007.
—Conducted interpretation of the relation between
river flow, sediment loads, and changes in water clarity and
occurrence of SAV in the major tributaries of the Bay.
USGS also continued work in the Potomac and Pocomoke Rivers
during 2003 to understand the importance of light transmittance,
water quality, propagule availability, sediment quality, and
other biotic and abiotic factors on SAV. These findings were
used to help set the water-clarity criteria for the Bay.
—Began to determine the relative contributions
of TSS (inorganic and organic material), chlorophyll, and
other components affecting water clarity in shallow water
zones of the Potomac Estuary, and continued study of factors
affecting growth of SAV. These results will help to guide
the balance of nutrient and sediment controls in different
areas of the Bay.
—Used the results from the USGS SPARROW model
to help states develop revised nutrient-reduction strategies.
—Led the design of a nontidal water-quality network
that will be used to help assess progress for reducing nutrients
and sediment.
—Summarized the factors affecting nutrients and
sediment in the watershed including results on the discharge,
nitrogen, and residence time of ground water to help understand
the implications for implementing nutrient-reduction strategies
and improving simulation in water-quality models.
—Identified the occurrence of arsenic, pesticides,
and antibiotics in bottom sediments of some systems that can
impact the microbial populations that affect the cycling of
nutrients.
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| The Ability of Habitat to Support Fish and Bird
Populations |
Some of the accomplishments related to this theme include:
—Monitored and analyzed habitat loss and displacement
due to sea-level rise and other factors at the USFWS Blackwater
National Wildlife Refuge, which showed that wetland loss is
being impacted by both sea-level rise and subsidence of the
land surface. The information is being used to help plan wetland
restoration.
—Conducted investigations of wetland and near-shore
restoration at Poplar Island and the Anacostia watershed to
help determine approaches and suitability of using dredge
materials for reconstructed wetlands. Additionally, techniques
were developed to assess exposure to, and effects of, organic
and inorganic contaminants in reconstructed wetlands on wildlife.
—Improved the understanding of the factors affecting
the population of seaducks that winter in the Chesapeake Bay
including study of the movement, habitat use, and feeding
ecology of seaducks to better assess the potential degradation
of feeding habitat in Chesapeake Bay.
—Conducted an assessment of the distribution of
the Diamondback Terrapin, which is the only brackish water
turtle species in the United States. Over 1,500 terrapins
were tagged in the Chesapeake Bay to establish baseline monitoring
of the population, and help develop options for protection
and conservation.
—Completed a study with the USFWS to determine
the cause of the decline in night heron populations in Baltimore
Harbor, and identify potential effects of environmental contaminants
on reproduction of osprey nesting in the regions of concern
in the Bay watershed (Baltimore Harbor, Anacostia River, and
the Elizabeth River). The USGS also completed an assessment
of the available contaminant data to determine impacts on
wildlife near Chesapeake Bay.
—Conducted studies to better understand the causes
of the numerous outbreaks of fish lesions/disease and fish
kills in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. Studies included:
1. assessment of Pfiesteria (a toxic
dinoflagellate)-related fish kills and Aphanomyces (an invasive
fungal pathogen) in menhaden,
2. Mycobacteria (a systemic bacterial
infection) in striped bass, and
3. a comprehensive health assessment
of white perch in five tributaries.
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| Synthesis and Forecasting to Improve Ecosystem
Assessment, Conservation, and Restoration |
Accomplishments include:
—Continued participation in CBP subcommittees,
workgroups, and STAC Chesapeake Bay workshops.
—Prepared several synthesis products to help the
CBP develop the strategies to reduce nutrients and sediment
improved water-quality criteria can be achieved.
—Increased emphasis on presentations to the USFWS
Chesapeake Bay Ecosystem Team. Based on the presentations,
the USFWS requested that USGS become members of the team to
increase interaction between the two agencies.
—Presentations at numerous National meetings including
the World Watershed Summit, National Conference on Ecosystem
Restoration, and the American Association for the Advancement
of Science (AAAS).
—Continued progress on development of web-based
decision-support tools that focused on delivering information
from the USGS SPARROW models and water-quality monitoring
data.
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U.S. Department of the Interior |
U.S. Geological Survey