 Environment
The Chesapeake Bay is
comprised not only of the tidal waters in the Bay itself, but
of all the waters that flow into the Bay from the 64,000 square
miles of the watershed. Before European settlers began to arrive
here some 400 years ago, the lands of the Chesapeake Bay watershed
were largely in a natural state. As such, they served to regulate
and filter rainwater as it ran across the watershed and into
the Bay. Today, with over 15 million residents in the watershed,
there are greater stresses and less filtering capacity in the
ecosystem we call home.
To best understand how we can maintain the health of the
Bay and its watershed, there are two fundamental aspects of
the environment to explore – the naturalecology and the
sources and effect of pollutants.
Natural
Ecology of the Bay | Pollution:
Air and Water Quality
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