Chesapeake Bay Report Card “C”

By Linda Cicoira

An overall report card, given annually for the Chesapeake Bay by the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, was five points lower than in 2024, according to an announcement made on the institution’s website Tuesday.

A grade of “C” was given for the overall Bay, and there were decreases in almost all indicator scores, according to a report. The Chesapeake Bay Watershed Health, which includes ecology, society, and economy indicators, scored C+.

Last year, the overall score was a C+, which was substantially higher than for previous reviews.

“As 2025 marks a critical deadline for Chesapeake Bay restoration goals, this year’s report card provides essential data and trends analysis to assess progress,” the announcement stated. “The report card informs leaders and policymakers as they chart the strategy for the next phase of restoration and conservation goal setting.

“Over the long term … there is still an improving trend from the 1980s until now,” said Dr. Heath Kelsey, Director of the UMCES Integration and Application Network. “We think extreme weather may have had some impact on the scores this year.”

Dr. Kelsey was referring to the serious rainfall patterns and severe heat. While parts of the watershed experienced drought, brief but intense downpours also caused runoff into Bay waters.

Dr. Fernando Miralles-Wilhelm, the school’s president, said, “The Chesapeake Bay and Watershed Report Card has become a flagship reference for conservation practitioners working to improve the environmental quality of the Chesapeake Bay, policymakers charged with the regional economic development driven by the bay’s resources, and a wide range of industries dependent upon a healthy bay. This year’s report underscores the importance of continued investment and highlights the progress we’ve made over the last decade.”

Despite the decrease this year, the Bay continues to show long-term improvement compared to past decades. Six regions: the Elizabeth, James, Patapsco and Back Rivers, Upper Western Shore, Upper Bay, and Lower Bay are trending upward. Most indicators are also improving over time, specifically Dissolved Oxygen, Aquatic Grasses, Total Phosphorus, and Total Nitrogen.

Improving trends can be attributed to management and restoration efforts at the regional, state, and local levels, the announcement noted. Wastewater treatment plants have been upgraded, and programs have been put in place to reduce nutrient and sediment input. Efforts also include seagrass restoration, oyster plantings, and watershed planning. Communities also play a huge role in improving Bay health through local resource management activities, according to the announcement.

     The Chesapeake Bay Watershed score was moderate, with a good score for Ecology indicators and moderate scores for Society and Economy. The economic indicators showed a positive grade for job growth, but had a poor income equality score, meaning that although there are more jobs, there are still strong disparities in the amount of income people are earning. The most concerning societal indicator was heat vulnerability—communities may be under heat stress due to hotter air temperatures, less tree canopy cover, and more paved surfaces.