The grass really is greener.
Underwater grasses that are vital to the health of the Chesapeake Bay grew by nearly 12,000 acres last year, an 18 percent increase, according to data released this morning by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Chesapeake Bay Program.
This means more habitat for blue crabs and fish, and a better filtration system for the Bay’s waters. Clearer waters allows more light to penetrate, which encourages more grasses to grow on the bottom – providing a positive feedback loop.
“It’s definitely good news,” said Bill Goldsborough, director of fisheries for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. “Grasses are a prominent indicator of the Bay’s resilience, and given half a chance, they will bounce back.”
On a more sober note, however, it is important to also realize that the total amount of underwater grasses in the Bay is still far reduced from the lush jungles of the past. Even after last year’s increase, the grasses are only at 45 percent of the goals set by scientists for a healthy Bay.
Still, the information released this morning by the EPA Chesapeake Bay Program provides another reason for hope.
Underwater grasses grew by 2,642 acres in the northern part of the Bay last year, near where the Susquehanna River pours in. The plants “are filtering water so effectively that plumes of clear water are visible flowing down-bay,” according to the Bay Program.
Another positive sign can be seen in the southern Bay. During an extremely hot summer in 2005, vast swaths of heat-sensitive eelgrass died off, depriving young crabs of shelter during a vulnerable part of their lifecycle. But since then, eelgrasses have been recovering. And last year, an additional 1,337 acres of eelgrass flourished in the Tangier Sound/Smith Island region, 1,095 more acres grew in the eastern lower Chesapeake Bay, and another 1,793 acres sprouted in Mobjack Bay.
“The continuing recovery of eelgrass in the lower portions of the Bay is an extremely positive sign, particularly in light of the dramatic losses of eelgrass in 2005 following its baywide die-off,” said Bob Orth, a professor at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, in a written statement.
Grasses also continued to show their rebound in the upper Potomac River. But other areas suffered losses of underwater grasses, including in the lower Potomac River and at the mouth of the Choptank River.
What does all this mean? Let’s hope that it's an indication that efforts to reduce runoff pollution and improve sewage treatment plants and are beginning to show signs of progress.
This hint of improvement provides all the more reason to push harder now for strong federal action to create enforceable limits on pollution in the Bay, so that these grasses have a chance to hang on and multiply.
(Photo by Jessica Earle)
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