Polyhaline Zone (very salty): Underwater grass beds increased 17% from 16,371 acres to 19,200, a 57% achievement of the region’s 33,647-acre goal.Įxperts attribute the increases in the Polyhaline and Mesohaline zones to recovery from the SAV crash in 2019.Mesohaline Zone (moderately salty): Underwater grass beds increased 28% from 24,091 acres to 30,932 acres, a 26% achievement of the region’s 120,306-acre goal.Oligohaline Zone (slightly salty): Underwater grass beds dropped 15% from 8,384 acres to 7,145 acres, a 69% achievement of the region’s 10,334-acre goal.This still represents a 93% achievement of the region’s 20,602-acre goal. Tidal Fresh Zone: Underwater grass beds decreased 0.3% from 19,244 acres to 19,185 acres.In 2022, the Bay’s Tidal Fresh and Oligohaline (slightly salty) salinity zones experienced decreases in SAV, while its Mesohaline (moderately salty) and Polyhaline (very salty) zones showed increases: Loading Map View on ArcGIS Online Map Viewer For these unmapped areas, estimates of SAV acreage are based on the prior year’s survey. *Estimated Additional Acreage: Factors such as adverse weather conditions, water clarity, or security restrictions over military air space prevented researchers from collecting aerial imagery. Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (SAV) Abundance (1984-2022) Additional years of positive trajectory will help clarify whether the recent gains have begun a positive trend toward higher levels of SAV across the Bay, but it is unlikely that the 2025 goal of 130,000 acres will be met. The increase from 2020 to 2022 is positive, but these gains don’t yet offset the major decline of underwater grasses observed in 2019. The Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (SAV) Outcome is off course. The 76,462 acres mapped in 2022 represent a 12% increase from the 2021 total of 68,091 acres, and therefore represents an increase in progress for this outcome. This is 59% of the Chesapeake Bay Program’s 2025 restoration target of 130,000 acres and 41% of the partnership’s 185,000-acre goal. Climate Monitoring and Assessment OutcomeĪccording to preliminary data from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS), 76,462 acres of underwater grasses were mapped in the Chesapeake Bay in 2022.Environmental Literacy Planning Outcome.Land Use Methods and Metrics Development Outcome.Toxic Contaminants Policy and Prevention Outcome. Water Quality Standards Attainment and Monitoring Outcome.2025 Watershed Implementation Plans (WIPs) Outcome.2017 Watershed Implementation Plans (WIPs) Outcome.Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (SAV) Outcome.
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