Scientific, Technical Assessment and Reporting (STAR)

Better Targeting CBP Resources to Achieve Multiple Outcomes: Approach and Tools

The USGS has initiated an effort to take a more comprehensive approach for targeting resources, working with several partners including the USEPA (CBP office, Office of Research and Development, and Region 3) and the Chesapeake Conservancy. The objective is to develop a strategic, science-based approach to better target federal and state resources to the places, and towards the types of activities, that accelerate progress for multiple outcomes. The proposed approach is organized around several topics (figure 1), which include many outcomes in the Chesapeake Watershed Agreement: (1) accelerate water-quality improvements, (2) coordinate habitat restoration, (3) expand land-conservation efforts, and (4) increase benefits to people, with all considering climate resiliency.

Access the DRAFT tool hub here.

• Approaches for Targeting CBP Resources - Updated May 4 2022 [PDF, 1.0 MB]

Improving CBP Monitoring Networks

An overview was provided to the Principal Staff Committee (PSC) at their March 2, 2021 meeting about the status of, and potential reductions to, the current Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) monitoring networks. The CBP monitoring programs presented included the nontidal nutrient and sediment network, tidal water-quality monitoring network, submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), tidal benthic monitoring network, and Citizen Science monitoring. The reduction of stations and data in the CBP monitoring networks is mostly due to inflation in the cost of monitoring over the past 5 years, while funding for the networks has been held constant. The Scientific Technical Assessment and Reporting Team (STAR) listed the condition of the networks as “fair” during August 2020 SRS quarterly review to the Management Board. The PSC recognizes that monitoring is foundational to the CBP’s ability to assess progress toward its goals and outcomes and utilizing adaptive-management principles. In response to the status report, they requested information be provided on what is needed to improve the CBP monitoring networks, including: (1) an overview of current status and threats to the networks, and (2) what is needed to address the monitoring networks capacity shortfalls.

• Enhancing the Chesapeake Bay Program Monitoring Networks A Report to the Principals Staff Committee [PDF, 6.5 MB]
• Iii b summary of monitoring needs and investments pdf [PDF, 320.3 KB]
• Vi monitoring funding needs analysis presentation pdf [PDF, 1.1 MB]
• Presentation to the PSC_March 2022 [PDF, 1.8 MB]
• Presentation to the Management Board_February 2022 [PDF, 1.1 MB]
• 2021pscnovember23psc review monitoringneedsfinal pdf [PDF, 734.1 KB]
• Monitoring Networks Update_July 2021 [PDF, 534.0 KB]
• Monitoring Networks Update_June 2021 [PDF, 611.4 KB]
• Presentation to the PSC_June 2021 [PDF, 1.2 MB]
• Monitoring Networks Update_May 2021 [PDF, 385.1 KB]
• Discussion paper to improve cbp networks may 18 for psc pdf [PDF, 446.6 KB]
• Presentation to the Management Board_April 2021 [PDF, 1.2 MB]
• 03 02 21 psc monitoring pres pdf [PDF, 849.8 KB]

Strategic Science and Research Framework

The GITs, STAR and STAC have worked together to develop an approach that will identify, and help prioritize, both short- and longer-term science needs. The approach will result in a Strategic Science and Research Framework that will be an on-going, repeatable process that supports the SRS decision framework. The results will be used to help focus existing science resources, and leverage the research enterprise, to more effectively provide science to advance Chesapeake restoration and conservation efforts and decision making. All science needs are available on the CBP Science Needs Database.

• Strategic Science and Research Framework Briefing Paper Updated 8.15.22 [PDF, 947.1 KB]
• Moving Toward a Strategic Science and Research Framework presentation [PDF, 2.5 MB]
• List of potential project ideas for fy2020 git funding project by peter tango pdf [PDF, 141.2 KB]

Chesapeake Bay Dissolved Oxygen Profiling

Water quality impairment in the Chesapeake Bay, caused primarily by excessive long-term nutrient input from runoff and groundwater, is characterized by extreme seasonal hypoxia, particularly in the bottom layers of the deeper mainstem (although it is often present elsewhere). In addition to obvious negative impacts on ecosystems where it occurs, hypoxia represents the integrated effect of watershed-wide nutrient pollution, and monitoring the size and location of the hypoxic regions is important to assessing Chesapeake Bay health and restoration progress.

Chesapeake Bay Program direct water quality monitoring has been by necessity widely spaced in time and location, with monthly or bi-monthly single fixed stations separated by several kilometers. The need for continuous, real time, vertically sampled profiles of dissolved oxygen has been long recognized, and improvements in hypoxia modeling and sensor technology make it achievable. Recent results of Bever, et al. (2018) show that total Chesapeake Bay hypoxic volume can be estimated using a few analytically selected fixed continuous dissolved oxygen profiles.

The project is to pilot a cost effective, real-time dissolved oxygen vertical monitoring system for characterizing mainstem Chesapeake Bay hypoxia. The approach for this project is to use a lightweight, low-powered real-time inductive CTDO2 mooring with sensors at multiple vertical measurement levels. The reports provide details on the proposed tasks for this project and expected outcomes and deliverables.

• Cbtrust hypoxia presentation cmp [PDF, 1.4 MB]
• Chesapeake bay dissolved oxygen short [PDF, 703.5 KB]
• Hypoxia kick off minutes 7 18 19 [PDF, 102.7 KB]
• New chbay hypoxiaappendix b [PDF, 70.6 KB]

Cross-Goal Team Mapping Project January 2017

The Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement recognizes that “to be successful in achieving its goals and outcomes, progress must be made in a strategic manner, focusing on efforts that will achieve the most cost-effective results.” It further acknowledges that using place-based approaches, where appropriate, will help produce recognizable benefits to local communities while contributing to larger ecosystem goals.

STAR, with the CBP GIS Team, is supporting a cross-outcome mapping effort for the Goal Implementation Teams (GITs) to more effectively collaborate on inter-related outcomes, This project is helping to identify places where the CBP can more strategically make progress toward inter-related outcomes.

• Cross git collaboration mapping project 2017 update jan 18 [PDF, 925.9 KB]
• Revised management questions master 1 23 17 [PDF, 230.9 KB]
• 1composite maps 4 12 17 [PDF, 295.1 KB]
• 2conservation composite data inventory 4 7 2017 [PDF, 248.0 KB]
• 3opportunity threat overlays 3 20 17 [PDF, 113.6 KB]
• 4restoration composite data inventory 1 23 17 [PDF, 185.8 KB]