Habitat Goal Implementation Team (GIT 2) Publications

Final report from the STAC workshop held April 25-26, 2018 in Richmond, VA. The workshop’s objective was to identify the necessary information and analytical approaches needed to assess the condition and vulnerability of fish habitat in the Watershed.

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A total of seven addendum documents have been published by EPA since April 2003. Four addenda were published documenting detailed refinements to the criteria attainment and assessment procedures (U.S. EPA 2004a, 2007a, 2008, 2010) previously published in the original April 2003 Chesapeake Bay water quality criteria document (U.S. EPA 2003a). One addendum published Chesapeake Bay numerical chlorophyll a criteria (U.S. EPA 2007b). Three addenda addressed detailed issues involving further delineation of tidal water designated uses (U.S. EPA 2004b, 2005, 2010) building from the original October 2003 tidal water designated uses document (U.S. EPA 2003b). Finally, one addendum documented the 92-segment Chesapeake Bay segmentation scheme (U.S. EPA 2008) after refinements to the Chesapeake Bay Program analytical segmentation schemes were documented (U.S. EPA 2005) building from the original U.S. EPA 2004 document (U.S. EPA 2004b). This 2017 addendum is the eight addendum document developed through the Partnership and published by EPA.

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The Living Resources Subcommittee (LRSc) is committed to the restoration, enhancement, protection and management of the living resources of the Chesapeake Bay. Living resources include fish, shellfish, birds and waterfowl, as well as the submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), wetlands, and other shoreline and riverine systems important to water quality and fish and wildlife habitats. In cooperation with Bay Program partners, the LRSc supports the restoration of streams, wetlands, Bay grasses (SAV) and aquatic reefs, and the opening of stream blockages for migratory fish passage. The subcommittee also guides the development of Chesapeake Bay-specific fish management plans. LRSc-directed policies and projects have enhanced fish and shellfish populations, helped improve water quality and increased wildlife habitat in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Ongoing biological monitoring and ecosystem modeling programs contribute significantly to the understand of the Chesapeake Bay's living resource and their relationships with each other, as well as the land and water.

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Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (SAV) Outcome: Sustain and increase the habitat benefits of SAV (underwater grasses) in the Chesapeake Bay. Achieve and sustain the ultimate outcome of 185,000 acres of SAV Bay-wide necessary for a restored Bay. Progress toward this ultimate outcome will be measured against a target of 90,000 acres by 2017 and 130,000 acres by 2025.

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Tree Canopy Outcome: Continually increase urban tree canopy capacity to provide air quality, water quality and habitat benefits throughout the watershed. Expand urban tree canopy by 2,400 acres by 2025.

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Forest Buffer Outcome: Continually increase the capacity of forest buffers to provide water quality and habitat benefits throughout the watershed. Restore 900 miles per year of riparian forest buffer and conserve existing buffers until at least 70 percent of riparian areas throughout the watershed are forested.

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Fish Passage Outcome: Continually increase available habitat to support sustainable migratory fish populations in freshwater rivers and streams. By 2025, restore historical fish migratory routes by opening 1,000 additional stream miles, with restoration success indicated by the consistent presence of alewife, blueback herring, American shad, hickory shad, American eel and brook trout, to be monitored in accordance with available agency resources and collaboratively developed methods.

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Brook Trout Outcome: Restore and sustain naturally reproducing brook trout populations in Chesapeake headwater streams with an eight percent increase in occupied habitat by 2025.

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Stream Health Outcome: Continually improve stream health and function throughout the watershed. Improve health and function of 10% of stream miles above the 2008 baseline for the watershed.

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Black Duck Outcome: By 2025, restore, enhance and preserve wetland habitats that support a wintering population of 100,000 black ducks, a species representative of the health of tidal marshes across the watershed. Refine population targets through 2025 based on best available science.

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