Streams and Rivers
Thousands of streams such as this one feed the larger rivers that eventually drain into the Chesapeake Bay.
Within the Chesapeake Bay watershed, five major rivers — the Susquehanna, Potomac, Rappahannock, York and James — provide almost 90 percent of the fresh water to the Bay. These and other rivers, along with the hundreds of thousands of creeks and streams that feed them, provide vital habitat for many aquatic species. The streams and rivers that flow into the Bay are also called tributaries.
How Are Streams and Rivers Important?
The Chesapeake Bay watershed's streams and rivers are home to a diverse population of fish, invertebrates, amphibians and other types of wildlife.
- The Bay's anadromous fish species — such as shad and sturgeon — spend their adult lives in the Bay or the ocean, but must spawn in freshwater tributaries. Semi-anadromous fish such as white perch live in tidal tributaries but also need fresh water to spawn.
- Catfish and sunfish are just two of many fish species that only live in freshwater rivers and streams.
- Frogs, turtles and salamanders also live in freshwater tributaries during some part of their lives.
- Freshwater tributaries support thriving, diverse benthic communities of worms, bacteria, crustaceans and insect larvae. All of these are necessary for a healthy stream ecosystem.
- In spring, hatching aquatic insects are an important food source for fish, birds and amphibians.
- Aquatic plants in freshwater tributaries include algae and mosses, as well as many species of underwater bay grasses.