Using monitoring and partnerships to provide management-relevant information about Chesapeake Bay rivers

Abstract

The lands and waters of the Chesapeake Bay watershed provide more than $100 billion in economic benefits—an amount that is expected to increase by achieving the region’s clean-water goals. Achieving those goals requires accurate and timely information about the health of the watershed’s rivers and streams. The Chesapeake Bay nontidal monitoring network (NTN), a partnership of local, state, and federal agencies, as well as other partners, was established in 2004 to provide this information. The U.S. Geological Survey analyzes data collected from NTN stations to provide monitoring-based information about the amount of nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment entering the Chesapeake Bay through its nontidal rivers. Thus, data collected from the NTN inform watershed management by providing decision makers with information on which to base their restoration and conservation actions.