The Chesapeake Bay - An Introduction
December 26, 2007 | In Making A Diff. Lifestyle |
Table of contents for A Grand Vision
- Saving The Bay And Beyond
- The Chesapeake Bay - An Introduction
- The Chesapeake Bay - My Vision
In the first part of this series, I wrote my eulogy, which gave you a glimpse of the vision I have for fixing the Chesapeake Bay. However, before I can tell you about that, I feel I must explain just what the Chesapeake Bay is, and why I’ve chosen to focus my attention there.
Photo by michele_hayslett
What is the Chesapeake Bay?
The Chesapeake Bay is America’s largest estuary, a body of water that is a mix of fresh and salt water. According to Chesapeake Bay Blues, by Howard R. Ernst:
Today the Bay and its tributaries cover more than 4,500 square miles or 41 million acres, and are estimated to include 18 trillion gallons of water. Nearly 200 miles long and 35 miles wide at its widest point, it is one of North America’s largest bodies of water. Including tidal tributaries, the Bay contains approximately 11,700 miles of shoreline. Roughly half the Bay’s water is supplied from the 150 rivers, streams, and creeks that flow into it, draining a mammouth 64,000 square-mile watershed that spans six states - Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. The remainder of the Bay’s water comes from the Atlantic Ocean.
Below is a map of the Chesapeake Bay watershed:
Photo by USGS, MD-DE-DC Water Science Center
Incidently - the area is called the Chesapeake Bay, not just Chesapeake Bay. I know some folks who are sticklers for getting grammar correct - I’m a stickler for adding “the” in front of the name. The Chesapeake Bay, the Bay, or the Chesapeake, whichever you prefer, just don’t forget the “the”! (Same goes for the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay, by the way.)
Why the Chesapeake Bay?
Since I live in Maryland, the Chesapeake Bay is literally right in my backyard. As you will see in below, the Bay is in deep trouble. As an environmental activist, I can’t not by concerned with the Bay.
Oddly enough, the Chesapeake Bay wasn’t my first target for my activist pursuits. Originally, I had in mind that I wanted to focus on anything that made the world a better place. Then, as I started to think about it, I realized I needed to pick a focus. As I wrote in Choosing Our Support Carefully, I wanted to focus on beaches or the ocean. From this, I narrowed my focus to coastal ecosystems. I read about how coral reefs and shell reefs were in trouble, and I thought of the depleted oysters in the Chesapeake Bay. So, I started to read about the Chesapeake specifically. Once I realized how bad it was, I knew that I had to focus my efforts on the Bay.
Although I don’t want to get into the specifics on all that’s wrong with the Chesapeake Bay in this post, I did realize that a lot of the fixes for the Bay apply to other problems as well - from preserving coastal ecosystems, to fighting global warming. Even, as it turns out, to helping reduce stress, which can fight so many health problems as well. So, while I personally am fighting to help the Chesapeake Bay, the actions I will take, and detail in future blog posts, can be duplicated by anyone who is looking to help the environment, reduce stress, and make a difference.
What’s wrong with the Bay?
From the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s website:
- According to the CBF’s 2002 State of the Bay Report the Bay’s health rates a 27 out of 100 (a “pristine” Bay circa. 1600). At its worst in the early 1980s, the Bay would have scored a 23. A “saved Bay” would score a 70.
- Since colonial times, the Bay has lost half of its forested shorelines, over half of its wetlands, nearly 90 percent of its underwater grasses, and more than 98 percent of its oysters. During the 350 years between 1600 and 1950, approximately 1.7 million acres of the Bay watershed were developed. During the 30 years between 1950 and 1980, the Bay watershed lost an additional 2.7 million acres to development.
- In Maryland, from June to early August [2007] there were over 45 fish kills due to algae or oxygen-deprived dead zones. Some were small—others were as devastating as 26,000 dead in Marley Creek in northern Anne Arundel County.
- Along the Maryland/Virginia border, an algal bloom lasted for more than two months on the Potomac River, eventually killing over 300,000 fish.
This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the problems with the Bay. However, it gives you a taste as to why it needs help.
What are the obstacles to a solution?
The theory postulated by Mr. Ernst is that politics are the main obstacle to a resolution on the Bay. After reading his book, I agree, but I also see it as deeper than that. At the core, it all comes down to money. Since the Bay’s watershed covers six states, dozens of counties, and several large cities (including the nation’s capital - Washington DC), only the Federal Government has jurisdiction over the entire region. And, so it would appear, only the Federal Government has the money to actually fund the conservation efforts.
Which is really the biggest problem - money. Those who have it want to keep it, and those who don’t have it, want it for themselves. Conservationists know what needs to be done, but it costs money. Farmers and watermen don’t want to lose money to take environmental action. All governments, up to and including (especially including) the Federal government don’t want to anger the farmers and the watermen by making them spend the money. Lobbies and special interest groups fight to have Federal Funds spent elsewhere and not on conservation efforts or Federal Mandates and their enforcement. In the end, he who has the most money wins. Unfortunately, the Bay itself has no money, so it loses. And those fighting for the Bay have less money than the lobbies and interest groups, so the Bay loses again. Which brings me to…
The Grand Vision
This is the vision I’m referring to in my eulogy. However, this post is already rather long, so you will have to check back tomorrow for the details…
Want to make sure you don't miss future posts? Subscribe via RSS  Subscribe via e-mail |
Print This Post
Links to related topics: Chesapeake Bay, Conservation, Making a Diff. Lifestyle, Self Expression, Vision
Or go directly to a related post:
Comments (RSS) | Trackback URL | Comments Policy
No comments yet.