The waters of the bay are a mix of salt water and fresh water. Salt water comes to the bay from the Atlantic Ocean and fresh water enters through rivers and streams, as well as through groundwater flows called groundwater. The Chesapeake Bay watershed, home to more than 18 million people and 3,600 species of plants and animals, is truly an extraordinary place. The Bay watershed, which spans six states and the District of Columbia, never ceases to amaze with its rich history, its vital importance economic and its amazing beauty.
Below is just a sampling of some of the impressive facts and numbers about our wonderful watershed. The Chesapeake Bay watershed covers more than 64,000 square miles and encompasses parts of six states: Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia, and the entire District of Columbia. More than 18 million people live in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. If you live far away from Chesapeake Bay, you may not feel identified with the importance of cleaning bay.
The Chesapeake Bay Flotilla, which was built with shallow barges and ships to counter British naval attacks during the War of 1812. Over the past 30 years, the average water temperature in Chesapeake Bay has increased by 1 degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit). The Chesapeake Bay watershed has been heavily affected by natural forces such as erosion, tides, and a history of hurricanes and other storms. In September 1781, during the War of Independence, the British sank more than a dozen ships in the York River, near the mouth of Chesapeake Bay. NOAA works with other agencies and organizations to restore oyster reefs in Maryland waters and Chesapeake Bay Virginia.
Despite their central role in coastal food webs, surprisingly little is known about missile ecology and dynamics in Chesapeake Bay. We administer programs designed to increase environmental literacy for students in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Over time, communities around Chesapeake Bay formed confederations such as the Powhatan, Piscataway and Nanticoke. This plan explains the steps Virginia localities can take to ensure cleaner rivers and streams and, ultimately, a cleaner Chesapeake Bay.
The arrival of the English colonists Sir Walter Raleigh and Humphrey Gilbert in the late 16th century to found a colony, which was later established on Roanoke Island (off the current coast of North Carolina) for the Virginia Company, marked the first time that the English approached the gates of Chesapeake Bay, between the capes of Cape Charles and Cape Henry. For students, these meaningful, decisive educational experiences often awaken a lifelong love for Chesapeake Bay. Chesapeake Bay is an estuary in the North Atlantic, which extends between the Delmarva Peninsula to the east and the North American mainland to the west. NOAA also leads the Chesapeake Bay Program educational task force, which provides expertise and coordination that lead to policies that support environmental literacy throughout the watershed.