The Bay is located in the Mid-Atlantic region and is primarily separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Delmarva Peninsula (including the parts: the Eastern Shore of Maryland / Eastern Shore of Virginia and the state of Delaware) with its mouth of the Bay at the south end located between Cape Henry
What river runs into the Chesapeake Bay?
Major rivers emptying into the Bay include the James, York, Rappahannock, Potomac , Patuxent, Patapsco and Susquehanna from the west and the Pocomoke, Wicomico, Nanticoke, Choptank and Chester from the east.
What surrounds Chesapeake Bay?
While just two states, Maryland and Virginia , border the Chesapeake Bay, the Bay's watershed stretches much further. The watershed — the area that drains into the Bay — covers parts of six states: Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. Plus the District of Columbia.
What part of the Chesapeake Bay is freshwater?
In general, the lower Chesapeake Bay is salty and the upper Bay is fresh. Salinity gradually decreases as you move north, farther away from the ocean, and increases as you move south. Salinity is highest at the mouth of the Bay—averaging 25 to 30 ppt—where water from the Atlantic Ocean enters.
Where does the Chesapeake Bay watershed end?
The Chesapeake Bay watershed (drainage basin) extends about five hundred miles south from the headwaters of Otsego Lake, near Cooperstown, New York to the Atlantic Ocean and Suffolk, Virginia. It extends east from mountain streams near Blacksburg, Virginia to Berlin, Maryland (near Ocean City) .
Are there sharks in the Chesapeake Bay?
The Chesapeake Bay is visited by multiple species of sharks, typically in the summer. Most of these species are found in the higher salinity waters of the lower Bay.
Why is the Chesapeake Bay so dirty?
The Chesapeake Bay has been on EPA's “dirty waters” list for decades. ... This excess nitrogen and phosphorus feeds algal blooms that block sunlight to underwater grasses and contribute to the formation of dead zones, areas in the Bay and its tidal waters without sufficient levels of oxygen.
How deep is the water under the Chesapeake Bay Bridge?
The depth of the water ranges from 25 to 100 feet , according to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel Commission.
What is Chesapeake known for?
Chesapeake is consistently ranked by the FBI as one of the five safest cities of its size in the country. ... Chesapeake consists of more than 353 square miles of land area, which makes us the 11th largest city in the U.S. Chesapeake contains more miles of deepwater canals than any other city in the country.
Why is the Chesapeake Bay not healthy?
Unfortunately, the Chesapeake Bay faces serious problems due to human activities, including polluted stormwater runoff, over-fertilization and pollution from animal wastes, deforestation, wetland destruction from agricultural, urban, and suburban development, and sea level rise caused by global climate change.
Can you swim in the Chesapeake Bay?
They are especially dangerous for dogs and one of the main threats to the Bay's entire ecosystem. Despite these health concerns, beaches along the tidal rivers and the Chesapeake Bay are often safe for swimming, fishing and boating .
Is Chesapeake Bay saltwater or freshwater?
Brackish water, a combination of saltwater and freshwater , fills most of the Bay. The mingling of the freshwater with ocean water creates an estuary. The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in North America, and one of the largest in the world.
How cold is the water in the Chesapeake Bay?
| Description Value | Current water temperature / | Best Time to Visit: June, July, August, September |
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What is the largest watershed in America?
The Mississippi River watershed is the biggest watershed in the United States, draining more than three million square kilometers (one million square miles) of land.
What is the biggest watershed in Virginia?
| Name Area (sq. miles) Major Tributaries | Chesapeake Bay Coastal 2,577 Chesapeake Bay, Piankatank | Atlantic Ocean Coastal 580 Chincoteague Bay, Hog Island Bay | Rappahannock 2,714 Rappahannock River, Rapidan River, Hazel River | York 2,669 York River, Pamunkey River, Mattaponi River |
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What is polluting the Chesapeake Bay?
Excessive amounts of nitrogen and phosphorous come from fertilizers, wastewater, septic tank discharges, air pollution , and runoff from farms, cities, and suburbs. Excessive amounts of sediment are carried into our waterways from erosion and from construction sites.
