Chesapeake Bay Chesapeake Bay InitiativesInitiatives

John KennedyJohn KennedyVA DEQ, Chesapeake Bay ProgramVA DEQ, Chesapeake Bay Program

jmkennedy@deq.virginia.govjmkennedy@deq.virginia.gov804-698-4312804-698-4312

Maryland

Delaware

New York

DC

Virginia

West Virginia

Pennsylvania

Chesapeake Chesapeake Bay Bay

WatershedWatershed

Virginia’s Bay Virginia’s Bay WatershedWatershed

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT:USEPA, USGS, USFWS, NRCS, FS, NPS, NOAA,

DOD, USCG

STATE/DISTRICTGOVERNMENT:

MD, PA, VA, DCWV, DE, NY LOCAL

GOVERNMENT

PRIVATE INDUSTRY

ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS

CHESAPEAKE BAY PROGRAM

UNIVERSITIES & RESEARCHERS

CONCERNED CITIZENS

Bay Cleanup Bay Cleanup InvolvesInvolvesPartners at all Partners at all Levels:Levels:

Natural Resources Education

Transportation

Health & Human Res.

VA’s InteragencyVA’s InteragencyChesapeake BayChesapeake Bay

Team:Team:Commerce & Trade

• Living Resources Protection & RestorationLiving Resources Protection & Restoration

• Vital Habitat Protection & RestorationVital Habitat Protection & Restoration

• Water Quality Protection and RestorationWater Quality Protection and Restoration

• Sound Land UseSound Land Use

• Stewardship and Community EngagementStewardship and Community Engagement

Five key activity areas:

ChesapeakeChesapeake 2000 2000 Agreement Agreement : : A Watershed PartnershipA Watershed Partnership

Improving water quality is Improving water quality is the most critical element in the most critical element in the overall protection and the overall protection and restoration of Chesapeake restoration of Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. Bay and its tributaries.

Goal for NutrientsGoal for Nutrients: : By 2010, By 2010, correct the nutrient-correct the nutrient-related problems in the related problems in the Bay and its tributaries Bay and its tributaries sufficiently to remove sufficiently to remove them from the Federal them from the Federal “Impaired Waters” list“Impaired Waters” list

ChesapeakeChesapeake 2000 2000 Agreement Agreement : : A Watershed PartnershipA Watershed Partnership

Large portions of Large portions of the Chesapeake the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal Bay and its tidal rivers are listed rivers are listed under the Clean under the Clean Water Act as Water Act as “impaired waters” “impaired waters” primarily because primarily because of low dissolved of low dissolved oxygen levels and oxygen levels and other problems other problems related to nutrient related to nutrient pollution.pollution.

Impaired Water Unimpaired Water

ImpairedImpairedChesapeake BayChesapeake Bay

Sunlight Sunlight

HealthyHabitat

UnhealthyHabitat

BalancedAlgae Growth

Low Nutrient and Sediment Inputs

High Nutrient and Sediment Inputs

HealthyBay Grasses Reduced

Bay Grasses

Algae Die-off

Algae Decomposition

Low Oxygen

Lack of Benthic Community

Diverse Benthic Community

HealthyOyster Reef

AdequateOxygen

Algae Blooms

Barren Oyster Reef

Healthy vs. Unhealthy Water Healthy vs. Unhealthy Water QualityQuality

The Chesapeake Bay:How is it Doing?

Threats to the Bay and Threats to the Bay and RiversRivers

NUTRIENTS

SEDIMENT

TOXIC CHEMICALS

HABITAT LOSS

OVERFISHING

Industry ReducesIndustry ReducesChemical Chemical ReleasesReleases

Industrial plants have achieved a voluntary goal of reducing releases and transfers of chemicals by 65% from 1988 to 2000.

Since the YR 2000 goal has been achieved, the Bay Program is working with industry to set new targets.

1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998

Mill

ions

of l

bs/y

r

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0

OriginalGoal

0

20

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Bay

Gra

sses

(x

1,00

0 ac

res)

* Note - The hatched area of the bar includes estimated additional acreage.

Restoration Goal (185,000 acres by 2010)Acreage estimates vary year to year, data generally shows slow, steady increase from 38,000 acres in 1984 to nearly 78,260 acres in 2005.Record-setting decrease between 2002 and 2003, highlights the critical need to further control nutrient and sediment pollution flowing into the Bay in both wet and dry years.

Underwater BayUnderwater BayGrassesGrasses

Forest Acreage Forest Acreage DecliningDeclining

Landcleared foragricultureand timber

EarlyColonies

Landabandonedafter CivilWar and

Depression

D

e

v

e

l

o

p

m

e

n

t

1650 1700 1750 1800 1850 1900 1950 20000

20

40

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80

100

Per

cen

tag

e o

f W

ater

shed

Fo

rest

ed

Forests provide critical habitat and prevent pollutants from reaching the Bay and rivers.

About 59% of the Bay basin is currently forested.

The forest that regrew from the 19th to the mid-20th centuries is steadily declining. Current losses represent permanent conversions.

Wetlands protection is vital to restoring the Bay ecosystem. Tidal wetlands losses were reduced in the 1980’s, but freshwater wetlands, like forested swamps, were lost at an increasing rate -- up from2,400 ac/yr 1950s-70s, to 2,800 acres/yr during the 1980s.“C2K” Goal is no-net loss in regulated wetlands, and a net resource gain of 25,000 acres of tidal and non-tidal wetlands by 2010.

Wetlands Wetlands ProtectionProtection

Striped bass have responded to a moratorium followed by harvest restrictions, stocking efforts and improved habitat conditions.

The stock was declared restored in January 1995.

Fishing moratoria:MD & DE: 1985-1990

VA: 1989-1990

Baywide Female Spawning Stock Biomass

0

10

20

30

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60

1982

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SS

B (

fem

ales

ag

es 4

+yrs

, mill

ion

s o

f lb

s)

Striped Bass Striped Bass Recover!Recover!

Mature Female Blue Crabs

-2

-1.5

-1

-0.5

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

1968

1971

1974

1977

1980

1983

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1989

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2001

Sp

aw

nin

g F

em

ale

Ind

ex

Average

2003

Mature female abundance has trended upwards for the past three years after hitting an historic low in 2000, but has been below the long-term average for six straight years and ten of the past 12 years.

Bay partners agreed to increase spawning potential by reducing harvests 15% by 2003.

Blue Crabs Blue Crabs Hanging OnHanging On

A “keystone” species: filter feeding an important part of Bay ecosystem.

Oyster harvests are only 2% of harvest highs recorded in the 1950s.Declines since the 1950s are due to overharvest, disease, pollution and loss of oyster reef habitat.

2002

0

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53 58 63 68 73 78 83 88 93 98

Co

mm

erci

al L

and

ing

s (m

illi

on

lb

s)

VA

MD

Oyster Harvests Oyster Harvests and Population are and Population are

DownDown

Watershed Approach Watershed Approach to Nutrient Reductionto Nutrient Reduction

• Virginia’s Virginia’s Tributary StrategiesTributary Strategies define needed define needed point and nonpoint source control actionspoint and nonpoint source control actions

• Point source (wastewater treatment) controls Point source (wastewater treatment) controls recognized as highly reliable, cost effective, recognized as highly reliable, cost effective, measurable, enforceable, and critical to measurable, enforceable, and critical to achievement of water quality objectivesachievement of water quality objectives

• Remaining nutrient reduction must be Remaining nutrient reduction must be accomplished by nonpoint source runoff accomplished by nonpoint source runoff controlscontrols

VA’s Point Source Control VA’s Point Source Control InitiativeInitiative

• Discharge regulations = mandatory Discharge regulations = mandatory treatmenttreatment

• Nutrient Credit Exchange ProgramNutrient Credit Exchange Program

• Water Quality Improvement Fund: Cost-Water Quality Improvement Fund: Cost-share grants for technology installationshare grants for technology installation

WQIF Current WQIF Current Status:Status:

• ~ $284 million available~ $284 million available

• ~ $631 million requested~ $631 million requested

WQ

IFW

QIF

G

RANT

GRANT

APPLICATIONS

APPLICATIONS

WQIF Funding WQIF Funding Prospects:Prospects:

• Grant funds available ~ $284 millionGrant funds available ~ $284 million

• Grant Funds needed through 2025: Grant Funds needed through 2025: ~$750 M - $1 B~$750 M - $1 B– Cost range: depends on compliance Cost range: depends on compliance

dates, project scheduling, technology, dates, project scheduling, technology, construction market, trading, etc.construction market, trading, etc.

– 60 – 70% of funds needed by ~201160 – 70% of funds needed by ~2011– $17 M appropriated in FY07-08 for $17 M appropriated in FY07-08 for

projects outside Ches Bay watershedprojects outside Ches Bay watershed

• General Assembly Policy: General Assembly Policy: “…provide annually “…provide annually its share of financial support…to fulfill the its share of financial support…to fulfill the Commonwealth’s responsibilities under Commonwealth’s responsibilities under Article XI of Constitution of VA”Article XI of Constitution of VA” ( (§10.1-2128.B)§10.1-2128.B)

Federal-Interstate CBP Homepage:Federal-Interstate CBP Homepage:http://www.chesapeakebay.nethttp://www.chesapeakebay.net

VA Sect. of Natural Resources Homepage:VA Sect. of Natural Resources Homepage:http://www.naturalresources.virginia.govhttp://www.naturalresources.virginia.gov

Dept. of Env. Quality Homepage:Dept. of Env. Quality Homepage:http://www.deq.virginia.govhttp://www.deq.virginia.gov

Dept. of Cons. & Recreation Homepage:Dept. of Cons. & Recreation Homepage:http://www.dcr.virginia.govhttp://www.dcr.virginia.gov

Other Reference Other Reference Sources:Sources:

Questions?Questions?