There are many impacts of water pollution throughout the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Pollution, including excess Nitrogen, Phosphorous and sediment in surface waters, is common throughout the watershed.  This pollution affects local streams, but compounds when those streams empty into the Bay, and dramatically affects the Chesapeake Bay itself.

The Chesapeake Bay watershed is impacted by pollution sources from agriculture, stormwater runoff, sewage, and air pollution.  Nitrogen and phosphorus pollution are the most serious problems facing the Chesapeake Bay watershed.  This pollution can be attributed partially to agricultural runoff accumulating throughout the watershed.

Too Many Nutrients

Too much nitrogen and phosphorus can cause algal blooms that block sunlight to underwater vegetation.  When the algae dies, decomposition consumes available oxygen creating a “dead zone.” Dead Zones occur where dissolved oxygen levels are too low to sustain marine life.

The “dead zone” in the Chesapeake Bay has expanded over the past several decades, coinciding with increasing levels of nitrogen and phosphorus in the Chesapeake Bay watershed due greatly in part to human activity.

To alleviate this environmental problem, the federal government has put into place regulations defining the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for the Chesapeake Bay.  TMDL is the maximum amount of a pollutant that a water body can receive while continuing to meet water quality standards according to the U. S. Clean Water Act.

The USC Ag Team promotes local implementation of water pollution control measures and practices to improve water quality within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.  We place an emphasis on the importance of implementing best management practices in the headwaters to meet Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Regulations. We are also responsible for tracking all of the BMPs installed throughout our watershed, and providing that data to the Chesapeake Bay Program and their modelers.  Visit our BMP Data Collection page for information on how and why we collect BMP data.