as the Maryland Coastal Bays
Program (MCBP) released its
annual report card for the estuar-
ies in and around the resort area
with an overall grade of C+, al-
though some regions continued to
do better than others.
partners, each year since 2008
has compiled a comprehensive
report card for the six individual
regions within the larger coastal
bays estuary and assigns an
overall grade for the entire water-
shed along with individual grades
for each specific estuary. The
report card considers six main
indicators each measured on a
100-point scale with 100 repre-
senting a healthy ecosystem.
2012, the MCBP determined
there were areas where the
health of the bays improved and
areas that declined.
Chincoteague Bay saw improve-
ments in all four water quality indi-
cators, and because of its large
area, it boosted an increase in the
Health Index. Every indicator im-
proved in at least one region, but
degraded in others, but overall,
there were more improvements
than degradations."
2012 report card, just as there
remain reasons for concern.
helped to raise the overall report
card grade," the report reads.
"The overall improvement in wa-
ter quality indicators is encourag-
ing and offers hope that pollution
reduction efforts are having the
desired results. We must continue
to expand these efforts to ensure
sustainable improvements over
time."
coastal bays graded in the annual
report card with a B- grade in
2012. Nitrogen and chlorophyll re-
mained good to excellent, while
phosphorous declined to moder-
ate. Dissolved oxygen and sea-
grasses were also in moderate
condition in 2012, while hard
clams remained poor.
report card, For the second year
in a row, Chincoteague saw im-
provements in all indicators but
seagrasses, which is a concern-
ing trend, according to the report.
Nitrogen and chlorophyll a were in
good condition in the Chinco-
teague Bay in 2012, while dissolv-
ed oxygen and phosphorous were
moderate.
grade it received last year. There
were improvements in phospho-
rous, hard clams and sea grasses
in 2012, but declines in dissolved
oxygen, nitrogen and chlorophyll.
report card. Improvements in
chlorophyll, hard clams and sea
grasses were offset somewhat by
declines in dissolved oxygen and
nitrogen. Dissolved oxygen was
poor and phosphorous were in
moderate condition.
Martin's River and Newport Bay,
which each earned a low score of
D+. Similar to 2011, the St. Mar-
tin's River had lower scores for
phosphorous, chlorophyll and sea
grasses than any other region. St.
Martin's River received the sec-
ond lowest grade of any reporting
region in 2012, with most indica-
tors scoring very poor. However,
the region showed slight improve-
ment over the 2011 report.
ed the lowest score of all of the
sub-regions and was actually the
only one to show an overall de-
cline in ecosystem health.
Rib Dinner