Annapolis, Baltimore, Cambridge, Cape Charles, Chesapeake, Chesapeake Beach, Elkton, Hampton, Havre de Grace, Newport News, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach. Baltimore is the main port in the upper (north) part of the bay. The Chesapeake and Delaware Canal connects the headwaters of the bay to the Delaware River estuary. The Hampton Roads port group, around Norfolk, Virginia, at the mouth of the James River, exports coal and tobacco.
A major naval base is located in Norfolk. The City of Annapolis, Maryland, Bay Bridge and the East Coast with the text label The City of Annapolis, Maryland, Bay Bridge and the East Coast. Bring your bike to ride the bike trails on the picturesque highways that take you to the sights of Chesapeake. A popular circuit connects Easton with Oxford and St.
Michaels, which includes a pleasant trip across the river on the Oxford-Bellevue ferry.
Plan your visit to attend the Waterfowl Festival, held in mid-November, to see lures being carved in action and enjoy the exhibits, music and cuisine of Chesapeake Bay.
Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It extends from north to south from the mouth of the Susquehanna River to the Atlantic Ocean. It is one of the most productive estuaries in the world, with more than 3,600 species of animals and plants.The bay provides vitally important habitats for wildlife, many recreational opportunities for people, and is an important fishery on which both people and wildlife depend. The Chesapeake Bay watershed includes parts of six states and is home to some 17 million people, including cities in Washington, D.C. The numerous rivers in the watershed provide people not only with drinking water, but also places to fish, go for walks boating and birdwatching. Its wetlands are also places for boating, birdwatching and waterfowl hunting.
The bay itself is popular for boating and recreational fishing. The Chesapeake commercial fishery is worth billions of dollars and includes blue crabs, rockfish, menhaden and oriental oysters. The bay also includes two of the largest commercial ports on the East Coast.: Baltimore and Hampton Roads. Chesapeake Bay is a very large and complex ecosystem with many types of wildlife habitats, including forests, wetlands, rivers, and the bay's own estuary.
The bay is home to more than 3,600 species of plants and animals, including more than 300 species of fish and 2,700 types of plants. The waters of the bay are a mix of salt and fresh water. Saltwater comes to the bay from the Atlantic Ocean and freshwater enters through rivers and streams, as well as through groundwater flows called groundwater. Much of the bay's wildlife, including blue crab and waterfowl, rely on the bay's underwater grasses that grow in the shallow waters.
Hundreds of invertebrates, such as the blue crab and oyster, and other less edible but important species, such as the horseshoe crab, also live in the bay. Oysters, which were once heavily populated in the bay, have declined considerably. Oysters filter and clean water, and their loss has affected the quality of the bay's water and the health of other species. Different birds inhabit the bay at different times of the year, from birds of prey such as bald eagles and ospreys, to aquatic birds such as swans and ducks, and migratory birds such as leeches and ruby-throated hummingbirds.
The region's beaches are home to some of the largest shorebird populations in the Western Hemisphere, such as the red knot and the common plover. For waterfowl, Chesapeake is an important stopping place and wintering place along the Atlantic migratory route. Every year, one million waterbirds winter in the Chesapeake Bay region. The millions of people who live in the Chesapeake Bay watershed have left their mark on their lands and waters.
About 55 percent of the watershed is forest, while the rest has been converted by people for agricultural (30 percent) and suburban and urban (9 percent) uses. These land-use changes have an impact on the bay. One of the bay's biggest problems is the excess of nutrients in the water. Excess nutrients come from many sources, including treated wastewater, runoff from agricultural areas, runoff from suburban areas, such as lawn and garden fertilizers and septic systems, and even air pollution. Although it doesn't seem like a bad thing, excess nutrients can cause a lot of problems in the bay.
Phosphorus and nitrogen are limiting factors for plants. With the addition of nutrients that drain away, algae have nothing to keep them under control, so they grow and turn into giant flowers. The growth of algae blocks the sunlight that the grasses in the underwater bay need to survive. Many species of bay leaves rely on grasses for food and protection. Algae blooms also absorb oxygen from the water that species such as crabs and oysters need to survive.
Forests and wetlands can serve as sinks for excess nutrients, absorbing them before they reach the bay. However, in urban and suburban areas around Chesapeake Bay, many of the forests and wetlands have been removed. One hundred acres of forest habitat in the bay's watershed are lost every day primarily due to development. The watershed is covered with too much pavement and other hard surfaces that water cannot flow through, such as roads, roofs, sidewalks and parking lots (also called impermeable surfaces).
These hard surfaces constitute 21 percent of all urban land in the hydrographic basin of the bay. Not only do they contribute to excess nutrients (by making it easier for rain to pick them up), but they also have their own problems. The water that falls on these surfaces cannot be slowly absorbed into the ground to replace groundwater in the area, but it flows rapidly into streams and rivers, causing erosion, or directly into storm sewers, causing flooding. Not only does climate change threaten to exacerbate many of the environmental threats that Chesapeake Bay already faces, but it is also causing a rise in sea levels that are consuming diverse estuaries and wildlife habitats.
Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in our country and is home to more than 3,600 species of plants, fish and animals. If climate change continues unabated, the expected rise in sea level will significantly reshape the region's coastal landscape, threatening waterfowl hunting and recreational saltwater fishing in Virginia and Maryland. The site is expected to lose more than 90 percent of its fresh swamps, tidal swamps and brackish swamps, which become salt marshes and eventually open water. The loss of brackish swamps could be particularly detrimental to species that have adapted to these habitats, such as rockfish and white perch, as well as to anadromous species, such as herring and tarragon, which use the habitat of brackish marshes in the transition between their freshwater and saltwater life cycles.
Similarly, the loss of fresh swamps due to tides could affect minnows, carps, sunfish, crabs and bass, which rely on these habitats for shelter, food and spawning. Extremely rare sea-level swamps are also at risk. These habitats, located on highlands of wide marshes next to the ocean, in the upper eastern part of the peninsula, are composed entirely of open freshwater wetlands whose main source of water is groundwater. Only certain types of plants and animals can thrive in swamps, such as the carnivorous sundew, the dragonfly, the skinning elf dragonfly, and the oriental mud turtle. At the same time, this amount of sea level rise is expected to cause a 33 percent expansion of the freshwater wetland, which includes forest and scrub habitats, with a notable expansion into undeveloped drylands along Mobjack Bay. Overall, the area of undeveloped dry land on this site decreases by 17 percent, or 45,611 acres.
Nearly 20 percent of the undeveloped drylands on this site are at risk of flooding, primarily as rivers widen and transitional marshes expand. While these undeveloped lands provide opportunities for habitats to migrate inland, pressure to develop some of these lands is likely to increase because the human population in this part of Virginia is expected to grow considerably in the coming decades. Proactive measures to identify and protect lands where habitats can migrate will be of vital importance. In addition, the region is projected to face a 79 percent loss of ocean beaches by 2100, without extensive beach undernourishment.
The thousands of acres of brackish wetlands in this region will be converted to salt marshes and open waters, which could end lucrative commercial and recreational fisheries that depend on the health of the marshes. The main seagrass beds in this area are also at significant risk due to rising sea levels and increased sediment deposition in the Blackwater area to the north. Chesapeake Bay Program, Chesapeake Mid-Atlantic Regional Center, National Wildlife Federation National Park Service, Chesapeake Bay Office, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Chesapeake Bay Office A new plot map connects the dots between extreme weather and climate change and illustrates the damage these disasters cause to communities and wildlife. Take part in the Clean Earth Challenge and help make the planet a happier and healthier place. Fish and wildlife species are at risk of extinction in the coming decades.
We are present in seven regions across the country and collaborate with 52 state and territorial branches to reverse the crisis and ensure that wildlife thrives. Inspire a permanent connection to wildlife and wild places through our publications, products and activities for children. In 4 seconds, you will be redirected to the NWF Action Fund, an independent nonprofit organization distinct from the 501 (c) (not-for-profit) organization affiliated with the NWF. Ways to enjoy Chesapeake Bay and everything it has to offer include Westmoreland State Park with its beach, Caledon State Park with its trails to the Potomac River and rental boats, which show the charm of this region. It sank that same year in the Potomac River, off Chesapeake Bay, after a high-powered test organized by the U.
Surrounding parks and wildlife refuges, such as the Chesapeake Bay National Estuary Research Reserve, offer trails that wind through forests and wetlands, showcasing the area's diverse ecosystems. 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 those who prefer a more relaxed experience, Chesapeake Bay also has several panoramic viewpoints and oceanfront parks. From the historic streets of Annapolis to the remains of colonial plantations, Chesapeake Bay offers a fascinating glimpse into America's past and invites travelers to reflect on the events that shaped the nation. The size and geographic diversity of Chesapeake Bay allow for a wide range of recreational activities, from boating and boating to hiking and birdwatching.
In addition, many accommodations and restaurants in the Chesapeake Bay Area are adopting sustainable practices, such as sourcing local ingredients, minimizing waste and using green products. Whether you're exploring the coast by boat or taking a stroll along the beaches, the natural beauty of Chesapeake Bay is sure to leave a lasting impression on every visitor. With so much to see and do, the Chesapeake Bay Area promises an unforgettable adventure for all travelers. The Chesapeake Bay Hyatt, located in Cambridge, Maryland, is a luxurious, kid-friendly resort that combines modern amenities with stunning ocean views.
Sustainable tourism initiatives not only benefit the environment, but they also improve the overall visitor experience, making Chesapeake Bay a a responsible travel model. 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.