Chesapeake Bay jurisdictions recount big wins in 2024

2024 was another big year for the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Each state in the region plus Washington, D.C. invested in conservation efforts that reduced pollution and improved wildlife habitat in both local waters and the Chesapeake Bay. While there is a wide range of work worth celebrating, here are just a few accomplishments from each jurisdiction of the Bay watershed.

New York: Buffering the Upper Susquehanna

In the farthest reaches of the Bay watershed, state agencies and nonprofits are helping to plant streamside trees (also known as forest buffers) along the upper Susquehanna River. With support from the New York Department of Environmental Conservation, the Upper Susquehanna Coalition has instituted a volunteer tree planting program that has planted on 73 acres of privately owned land over the past three years, installing a total of 14,490 plants and shrubs. The organization’s Buffer Team builds upon this community-level program by planting much larger areas of forest buffers—roughly 10,000 trees and shrubs a year.

Washington, D.C.: Continues underwater grass planting in the Anacostia

Underwater grass (also known as submerged aquatic vegetation or SAV) is a critical source of habitat for fish and shellfish throughout the Bay watershed. In the upper Anacostia River, a tributary that was once one of the most polluted in the country, Washington, D.C.’s Department of Energy and the Environment (DOEE) spent 2024 planting new SAV exclosures (fenced in areas where SAV grows) as part of its SAV restoration project, now in its third year. DOEE biologists successfully installed 22 SAV exclosures in 2024 and have installed 90 overall since the program started. With more SAV in the Anacostia, the river can continue its recovery and become a destination for recreational swimming and fishing.

Pennsylvania: De-listing streams at a rapid pace

In Pennsylvania, conservationists are focused on restoring the health of small, local streams that are on the Clean Water Act's impaired waters list. Partners within the Commonwealth are working to “de-list” 30 streams impaired by farm runoff by installing best management practices such as streamside trees, stream fencing and manure storage facilities. In 2024, five stream segments were delisted and an additional 12 segments are close to joining them. This effort was largely inspired by work completed in the Turtle Creek watershed, where 12.7 miles were delisted after farmers, local conservation groups and state leaders joined together to install roughly 1,368 stream-stabilizing structures and 10,927 feet of streambank fencing.

Delaware: Large scale stream restoration

Going into the new year, Delaware is focused on restoring local streams that eventually drain into the Chesapeake Bay. Within its portion of the Bay watershed, the state restored roughly 13,800 linear feet of streams in 2024, an increase of about 5,000 from the previous year. Conservation groups continued work on the Stafford Tax Ditch in 2024, which will include approximately 1,200 linear feet of stream restoration, multiple wetland areas and over 400 native tree and shrub plantings when completed in 2025. In recent years, the state has also completed major stream restoration projects including 350 linear feet on Buck’s Branch and 650 linear feet on Bridgeville Branch. All this work creates better habitat for migrating fish and cleaner water flowing to the Bay.

Maryland: Working towards a historic tree planting goal

Maryland is currently working toward an ambitious goal of planting five million trees in the state by 2031, with 500,000 of those going in underserved urban areas. The state has brought together a wide variety of cities, towns and nonprofits to get trees in the ground. So far, 892,491 trees have been planted with 57,799 of those in underserved urban areas. Leaders of this effort expect the initiative to have a gradual start as the state identifies available areas for tree planting, trains specialists to do this work and grows enough trees or seedlings to plant. So far it's the state’s rural areas that are making the biggest contribution to the five million tree goal since they have plenty of available land. Washington County in western Maryland has planted 12,204 trees in underserved areas alone!

Virginia: Homeowners embrace green infrastructure

Agricultural runoff is the largest source of pollution to the Bay, but close behind is all the polluted runoff that comes from roads, parking lots, lawns and other developed areas. In Virginia, the Commonwealth is working with homeowners and neighborhoods on installing green infrastructure that captures and treats stormwater runoff through its Virginia Conservation Assistance Program (VCAP). Since launching in 2016, VCAP has completed 844 projects and approved funding for another 85. This includes green infrastructure that not only captures runoff but beautifies homes and downtown areas, such as rain gardens, permeable pavement and green roofs. VCAP has also funded living shoreline projects that add critical near-shore habitat to fish and shellfish.

West Virginia: Brook trout continue to bounce back in Potomac River headwaters

Brook trout are seeing a resurgence in the headwaters of the Potomac River. Over the past several years, a coalition of conservation groups and West Virginia landowners have been repairing degraded streams and installing practices that reduce runoff pressure on waterways. These efforts have resulted in roughly 400 acres of forest buffers, 12 miles of stream fencing on farmland and 20 miles of restored stream habitat. Brook trout are the only native trout in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and beloved by local anglers. They require clean, cool water to survive, making them a good indicator of how healthy a stream is.

Since 1983, the Chesapeake Bay Program has been bringing partners together to reduce pollution and improve wildlife habitat. In the new year, these seven jurisdictions will continue working together to protect the lands and waters of the Chesapeake region.