Natural Ecology of
the Bay
Filter
As natural lands, from forest and wetlands to well-managed
farms, are converted to developed land, the green filter of
the Bay watershed is converted into a gray funnel. The increase
in hardened surfaces from rooftops and roads increases the
rate and volume of runoff, and the amount of sediment, nutrients,
and other pollutants carried into streams and the Bay. At
the same time, the ability to recharge groundwater aquifers
is decreased, leading to lower water levels during dry times
in both wells and streams. In addition to carrying more pollutants,
the increasing fluctuations in water flow make it more difficult
for stream and estuary ecosystems to function, further reducing
the vitality of the Bay as a whole. By maintaining the ability
of rainwater to filter back into the ground, through such
common-sense measures as clustering development in and next
to existing communities, we can maintain the health of the
Bay while reducing costs for storm water management.
Filter
| Growth Patterns | CBF
Land Conservation Program
Data on Natural Resources | Green
Infrastructure
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