Technical Resources for the Chesapeake Bay Area

Updated 07/11/2008

With watersheds from six states pouring into it everyday, the Chesapeake Bay is our Nation’s largest estuary, and an endangered wetland. The states that affect the health of the Bay are Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania and New York.  In each of these states the largest land use is by far agriculture.  Because of this, much of the water runoff that comes from these farms could contain large amounts of fertilizers and pesticides which ultimately find their way into the Bay. The accumulated effects of this water runoff results in high nitrogen levels which, when heated by the sun during the summer months, creates algae blooms which can be miles across and can suffocate wildlife in the waters of the Bay. The NRCS Plant Materials Program selects conservation plants and develops innovative planting technology to solve the nation's most important resource and environmental concerns, such as the Chesapeake Bay.

Related Publications

• Coastal and Shoreline Restoration Resources
• Wetlands Resources
• Conservation Buffers
• Riparian and Bioengineering Resources
• Publications by Plant Materials Centers
• Publications by Topic

Featured Publications

These documents require Acrobat Reader.

Plant Guide for Establishing Coastal Vegetation on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. (PDF; 333 KB) Sherry Surrette. 2007. Jackson, MS. 4/202007. 39p. (ID# 7271)

Native Plants for Mississippi Coastline Restoration. (PDF; 713KB) Sherry Surrette, Cassandra Meyer. 2007. Palnt guides, plants database, plant vendors guide, Coffeeville, MS. 6p. (ID# 7156)

Fact Sheet: Freshwater Submerged Aquatic Vegetation found in the Chesapeake Bay. (PDF; 57KB) Zinecker, B., R.J. Ugiansky, and J.M. Englert. 2007. USDA, NRCS, National Plant Materials Center, MD. September 2006. 1p. (ID# 7167)

News Release: Chesapeake Bay’s Extremity is Plant Materials Program’s Opportunity (118 KB) - July 11, 2005

Feature Stories

• USDA AND EPA FORMALIZE ACTIONS FOR CHESAPEAKE BAY - Press Release May 9, 2007 
• What You Do Comes Back to You (3/3/2006)
  "If It's In the Bay, It's in Us"...  The health of the Chesapeake Bay and the seafood that you eat are directly connected to how you use your own backyard, streets, and neighborhood.
• Grants Aim to Improve Chesapeake Bay Watershed - NRCS This Week
• Chesapeake Bay Conservation - NRCS Feature Story
• National Plant Materials Center Selects Chesapeake Bay for Recognition During National Wetlands Month
  - May 2006 Plant Solutions News Letter

See What other States are doing to save the Chesapeake Bay

• NRCS Chesapeake Bay Information
• New York's Connection to the Chesapeake Bay—The Upper Susquehanna - New York NRCS
• Delaware and the Chesapeake Bay - Delaware NRCS
• Chesapeake Bay Watershed "Helping Farms Help the Bay" - Maryland NRCS
• Virginia and the Chesapeake Bay - Virginia NRCS
• Pennsylvania and the Chesapeake Bay Watershed - Pennsylvania NRCS
• West Virginia Chesapeake Bay - West Virginia NRCS

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