POSC350 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Chesapeake Bay Program, Nutrient Pollution, Estuary
13 Mar 2018
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Document Summary
64,000 sq. mile watershed including parts of 6 states: delaware, maryland, new york, Pennsylvania, virginia, west virginia, and the district of columbia. More than 2,700 species of plants and animals, including 348 species of finfish and 173 species of shellfish. Produces about 500 million pounds of seafood per year. 2013 pop:17. 8 million people; 21. 4 m by 2040. Used to be 95% forested, now 55% Algae use nutrient to grow and reproduce rapidly -> clouds water and blocks sunlight -> underwater grasses die -> loss of grass habitat and dissolved oxygen levels are decreased. Algae growth is limited -> sunlgiht penentrates clear water -> underwater grases use sunlight to make food -> healthy grass provide habitat for crabs and fish and grasses produce oxygen. Chesapeake bay commission: no regulatory authority, advises/makes recommendations to legislatures of md, pa & va; congress. 1983 first chesapeake bay agreement in response to epa m. study funded in 1976.
