Bay grasses grow, but far from enough

Underwater grasses made robust gains in the Chesapeake Bay last year, scientists report, reaching their greatest extent in seven years. But the submerged vegetation, which provides shelter and food for fish and crabs and helps clear the water, is still less than half what it once was.

Reporting on the results of an annual aerial survey, Maryland and Virginia scientists say bay grasses spread across 12 percent more of the Chesapeake's bottom, covering a total of 85,899 acres. That's the best it's been since 2002, though it's only 46 percent of the extent experts say would reflect a healthy bay.

For the first time since 2001, grasses spread in all regions of the bay, scientists say. The healthiest crop grew in less salty waters from the Bay Bridge north, where it nearly reached its restoration goal. The area was dominated by massive grass beds in the Susquehanna Flats. Big increases were seen in the Northeast and Sassafras rivers and in the bay just north of the bridge. But grasses decreased in the Bush and Magothy rivers.

Lee Karrh with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources said in a statement that the grass gains in fresher waters seemed to be driven by reductions in nutrient pollution entering the bay.

In the mid-Bay, bottom vegetation increased by 15 percent overall, but gains along the Eastern Shore were offset by declines on the Western Shore, scientists say. Widgeon grass expanded its reach in the Honga River and Pocomoke and Tangier sounds, while eelgrass continued to come back in Tangier. Sharp declines occurred, though, in the Severn River and in Piscataway Creek, a tributary of the Potomac River.

The biggest gains happened in the lower bay, where grasses expanded 15 percent overall, researchers report. Bob Orth with the Virginia Institute of Marine Science said in a statement that eelgrass there seems to be rebounding from its die-off five years ago, but it has yet to come back around Smith Island and in several other spots.

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The bay grass gains were reported by the Chesapeake Bay Program, the partnership of federal and state governments working to restore the estuary. Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley wasted no time hailing the results, issuing his own press release saying the expansion was "an encouraging sign that our pollution control efforts are working."

For more detailed results, go here and here.

(Photo and graph, Chesapeake Bay Program)

Bay grasses grow, but far from enough

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