Synthesis of U.S. Geological Survey Science for the Chesapeake Ecosystem and Implications for Environmental Management

The purpose of this report is to present a synthesis of the USGS Chesapeake Bay science related to the Chesapeake Bay Program's 2001–06 goals and their implications for environmental management. The report provides USGS findings that address the science needs of the Chesapeake Bay Program's restoration goals and includes summaries of land-use change, water quality in the watershed (including nutrients, sediment, and contaminants), long-term changes in climate and estuarine water quality, estuary habitats (focusing on submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) and tidal wetlands), and factors affecting fish and waterbird populations.