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CHESAPEAKE BAY PROGRAM

(CBP)

REPORTING GUIDANCE

For the

Chesapeake Registry

(Formerly called Chesapeake Action Plan/Activity

Integration Plan--CAP/AIP)

Reporting System

Version 3.0

January 2010

The information collection request for Chesapeake Registry is covered by Information 

Collection Request EPA ICR No. 2365.01, OMB Control No. 200908-2003-001

approved through 2/28/2010.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0 INTRODUCTION................................................................................... - 1 -

1.1 Purpose........................................................................................................................................- 1 -

1.2 Background.................................................................................................................................- 2 -

1.3 Who Has Been Invited to Report? ............................................................................................- 3 -

1.4 Schedule ......................................................................................................................................- 4 -

1.5 How Will the Information Be Used?.........................................................................................- 4 -

1.6 What Information Is Needed?...................................................................................................- 4 -

2.0 GATHERING THE DATA...................................................................... - 7 -

2.1 Getting Familiar with the Reporting Elements .......................................................................- 7 -

2.2 Organizing the data....................................................................................................................- 7 -

2.3 Some Basic Elements to Review................................................................................................- 7 -

2.4 Reporting Rules, Guidance, and Examples to Review Before Entering Data.......................- 8 -

3.0 PROCESS FOR RETRIEVING, ENTERING OR UPDATING 

INFORMATION................................................................................................ - 8 -

3.1 Accessing the System..................................................................................................................- 8 -

3.2 Retrieving Existing and Creating New Activities....................................................................- 9 -

3.2.1 Retrieving and Updating/Creating Activities using the According View........................-10-

3.2.2. Updating Existing Activity Information- Accordion View........................................-13-

3.2.3 Deleting Existing Activity Information- Accordion View.....................................................- 14 -

3.3 Retrieving Activities using the Activity Categories-Search Criteria ...................................- 19 -

3.3.1 Updating Existing Activity Information- Activity Categories-Search Criteria ..................- 20 -

3.3.2 Deleting Existing Activity Information- Activity Categories-Search Criteria....................- 20 -

3.3.3 Creating New Activity/Funding Information using Activity Categories- Search Criteria - 21 -

APENDIX A - DEFINITIONS ......................................................................... - 22 -

APPENDIX B – ACRONYMS ........................................................................ - 26 -
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APPENDIX C – EXAMPLES OF REPORTING DATA .................................. - 27 -

APPENDIX D – REPORTING HIERARCHY- UPDATE................................... - 1 -

APPENDIX E – REPORTING ELEMENTS ..................................................... - 1 -

If additional information is needed regarding the reporting application, please call the 

Chesapeake Registry Help Desk at 410-267-5736, or via email at 

cap@chesapeakebay.net. For subject matter assistance, please call your CBP Liaison.
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1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Purpose

EPA’s Chesapeake Bay Program Office (CBPO) has prepared this guidance for bay

stakeholders (respondents) to input information regarding Chesapeake Bay restoration 

and protection activities. The guidance includes new input for calendar year 2010 and for 

previous responders to update information reported for calendar year 2009 activities. 

The information is entered through a web-based application reporting system, entitled 

“Chesapeake Registry,” previously called the Chesapeake Action Plan/Activity

Integration Plan. The Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) partners approved the application 

in support of the Chesapeake Action Plan (CAP). The CAP, discussed in a report to 

Congress in July 2008 (http://cap.chesapeakebay.net/rtc.htm), provides a means to 

strengthen and expand partnerships in the watershed, enhances coordination of 

restoration activities, and increases the collective accountability for protecting the 

Chesapeake Bay. The CAP consists of: an activity integration plan, a strategic 

framework, an adaptive management process, and dashboards. 

The activity integration plan is the Chesapeake Registry database. Chesapeake Registry

is a comprehensive catalogue of the activities in which CBP stakeholders are engaged to 

protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay. The Registry provides information on: 

 the actual activities being implemented by the CBP partners and stakeholders; 

 the lead entity for each activity and any cooperating partners; 

 the amount and source of funding being used and, ideally, planned for use to 

accomplish each activity by all cooperating partners;

 the location of each activity; and

 progress toward the establishment realistic annual targets. 

The Chesapeake Registry reporting system is the mechanism to gather information on 

Bay partner activities to support development of an overarching operating plan for the 

CBP. Note: Only the originator of the funding source is allowed to report an activity. 

For example, if an organization receives a grant from a Federal agency, only the Federal 

agency reports the activity. However, the organization receiving the funding should 

report any matching funds it raises, in actual or in-kind. To ensure that information is not 

entered both by funding originator and recipient, a quality assurance plan is employed. 

The objective of the January 2010 data call is to strengthen data about Bay activities for 

better coordination among stakeholders, making informed decisions, considering new 

approaches, and providing program accountability. The January 2010 collection allows

respondents to either make changes to the information reported in 2008 for calendar year 

2009 or to enter new information for calendar year 2010 activities. 

The information will be used in several ways: The information will directly populate 

“ChesapeakeStat,” a web-accessible program management tool. The information will 
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also be used to update CBP dashboards (http://cap.chesapeakebay.net/dashboards.htm). 

The dashboards summarize and synthesize information from the CBP Chesapeake 

Registry and goal strategies. The dashboards allow program partners and stakeholders to 

view the progress that the CBP has made in key program areas. The dashboards include 

measures of progress, information about the resources CBP partners and stakeholders

have dedicated to the efforts described, and strategic analyses of what needs to be done to 

improve implementation. 

The data will also support Executive Order 13508, signed by President Obama on May

12, 2009. Section 203 of the Order directs that “federal actions to protect and restore the 

Chesapeake Bay are closely coordinated with actions by State and local agencies in the 

watershed.”

This guidance document outlines partners and stakeholders who have been asked to 

report information, what information is being requested, and how to enter the

information. Also, CBPO will conduct workshops throughout the data call on how to use 

Chesapeake Registry. If additional information is needed regarding the reporting 

application, please call the Chesapeake Registry Help Desk at 410-267-5736, or via 

email at cap@chesapeakebay.net. For subject matter assistance, please call your CBP 

Liaison. 

1.2 Background

Chesapeake 2000 is a bay protection and restoration agreement that outlines the 

commitments guiding bay restoration through 2010. In October 2005, the US General 

Accountability Office (GAO) recommended that the EPA Chesapeake Bay Program 

Office:

(1) Complete its efforts to develop and implement an integrated assessment 

approach;

(2) Revise its reporting approach to improve the effectiveness and credibility of 

its reports;

(3) Develop an overall, coordinated implementation strategy that unifies the 

program’s various planning documents; and

(4) Establish a means to better target its limited resources to ensure that the most 

effective and realistic work plans are developed and implemented.

In the 2008 congressional appropriations bill that includes EPA’s budget, Congress

directed EPA to submit a Report to Congress stating that the Chesapeake Bay Program 

has implemented GAO’s recommendation and to develop a Chesapeake Bay action plan 

for the remaining years of the Chesapeake 2000 Agreement. This plan must:

(1) Clearly articulate realistic targets the Chesapeake Bay Program expects to 

achieve in each of the remaining years;

(2) Describe the actual activities the Chesapeake Bay Program will implement in 

each year to achieve these annual targets;

(3) Identify the amount and source of funding that will be used to accomplish 

each of these activities; and
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(4) Describe the process the Chesapeake Bay Program will use to track and 

measure the progress of these actions.

The Chesapeake Action Plan, including development of the reporting system, is the 

product of the direction from GAO and Congress. The CAP outlined an integrated 

approach for assessing the overall progress toward reaching the goals established in 

Chesapeake 2000. Additionally, EO 13508 provides further directive. Section 203(d) of 

the EO directs EPA to identify the “mechanisms that will ensure that governmental and 

other activities, including data collection and distribution, are coordinated and effective, 

relying on existing mechanisms where appropriate. Section 204 of the EO directs that 

“federal actions to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay are closely coordinated with 

actions by State and local agencies in the watershed and the resources, authorities, and 

expertise of Federal, State, and local agencies are used as efficiently as possible.” The 

Chesapeake Registry provides the tool to coordinate activities among Bay partners and 

stakeholders, both federal and non-federal, in support of these directives.

1.3 Who Has Been Invited to Report?

The first two data calls included 10 federal, seven states, and two local stakeholders (see 

Appendix G). CBPO has received approval from the Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) to expand the January 2010 data call to more than 10 non-federal entities. OMB 

approved an Information Collection Request (ICR) for the Chesapeake Registry on 

08/17/2009 (OMB Control No. 200908-2003-001). Note that the Paperwork Reduction 

Act limits the collection of information to no more than10 non-federal entities without 

approval of an Information Collection Request (ICR) by the Office of Management and 

Budget (OMB). CBPO estimates 50 or more respondents participating in the 2010 data 

call and anticipates that number to increase each year. 

As noted above, the originator of the funding source is invited to report an activity. For 

example, if an organization receives a grant from a federal or state agency, the respective 

federal or state agency is invited to report the activity. Organizations receiving federal or 

state funding should only report matching funds it raises, in actual or in-kind. 

Entities raising funds of their own for a bay activity are invited to report information. 

CBPO is now reaching out to Bay agencies or organizations which might be interested in 

reporting information regarding their CB restoration and protection activities.

The information collection is focused on activity-based information supporting the 

programmatic areas (see Appendix D) for the Chesapeake Bay program strategic 

framework.
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1.4 Schedule

Table 1 illustrates the schedule for next reporting.

 Table 1: Reporting Schedule for January 2010 Data Call

DATE ACTIVITY

01/05/10 -02/05/10 Data Call

01/05/10 - 02/04/10 Webinar Workshops Conducted on How to 

Use Chesapeake Registry

(Contact CBPO liaison to schedule)

02/05/10 Data Call Closes

02/05/10-03-01-10 Data QA

02/05/10 -03-01/10 Draft data delivered to support development 

or re-development of the dashboards; 

ChesapeakeStat, etc.

03/01/10 Final data delivered to support development 

or re-development of the dashboards; 

ChesapeakeStat, etc.

1.5 How Will the Information Be Used?

The Chesapeake Bay Program partnership is undergoing transformational changes in the 

way it aligns strategy with operational decision making and resource use. The 

Chesapeake Registry reporting system (previously known as the CAP/AIP reporting 

system) was first implemented in the spring of 2008 as the primary source for input for 

the CAP report. The Chesapeake Registry will continue to be a vital part of transitioning

the Chesapeake Bay Program toward greater integration of partner activities and more 

efficient use of the limited resources available to achieve the program’s vision. 

Furthermore, it is anticipated that some respondents will be able to use the application 

reporting system as a key tool for their own management and planning of their efforts to 

protect and restore the bay.

The information from this data refresh will be utilized to update the dashboards. The 

dashboards include measures of progress, information about the resources CBP 

stakeholders have dedicated to the efforts described, and strategic analyses of what needs 

to be done to improve implementation.

1.6 What Information Is Needed?

Reporting Requirements

The Chesapeake Registry includes detailed information on all activities undertaken by 

partner organizations to restore and protect the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed. 

Requested information includes the nature of the activity, responsible organization, and 

point of contact, resource levels, location, and major milestones. Responders are able to 
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retrieve the records created in the previous calendar year (2009) and update them, if 

needed. Or, they can create news records for activities not entered previously. See 

Appendix C for examples of the data being reported. This information is necessary to 

effectively document activities and to provide an accurate depiction of the program’s 

activities as a whole. Each reporting organization is asked to provide a sufficient level of 

detail to account for all of their Chesapeake Bay and watershed related activities and 

resources.

Reporting Hierarchy

The Chesapeake Registry system follows the Chesapeake Bay Program’s goal

hierarchy. In the hierarchy, goals represent broad programmatic areas. Each goal

contains many detailed topic areas. Figure 1, “CAP Activity Integration Plan Hierarchy,” 

illustrates the major reporting units.

Figure 1: CAP Activity Integration Plan Hierarchy

 

Figure 2, “Goals and Topic Areas,” displays the six goals and 31 topic areas represented 

in the Chesapeake Registry system. Each goal contains a support topic area. The support 

topic areas are for the resources that provide the support function for the entire goal. 

Each topic area contains several standard activity categories. The smallest reporting unit 

is an activity defined as an action which accomplishes a job. Activities are the 

foundation of summary reporting. It is important that activities are reported in the correct 

goal/topic area/activity category. It is equally important that the activities are 

documented in as much detail as reasonable. The information required at the activitylevel include activity responsibility (organization and staff), resources (funding and/or 

FTE’s by year), and detailed location. Each activity category may comprise many

activities. 

Figure 2: Goals and Topic Areas
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Note:

Forest Buffer related activities should be aligned to the Topic Area for Streamside and 

Tidal Shoreline Riparian Areas. For the purpose of this guidance, Forest Buffer is 

defined as wooded buffer zones along streams, rivers, and the bay. Future versions of the 

CAP Activity Integration reporting system may add Forest Buffer as a separate topic area 

for improved alignment of activities.

Activities that have previously been entered should be updated or “refreshed” in the CAP 

Activity application reporting system for 2007, 2008, and 2009. In addition, new records 

for 2007, 2008 and 2009 can also be added. To improve the efficiency of entering data, a 

cloning button is available on the web form. Clicking on this button will make a copy of 

the data for the next fiscal year, i.e., clone the 2008 data to create and modify a record for 

2009.

User ID and Reporting Method

The preferred method for entering information into the Chesapeake Registry application 

reporting system is through the Chesapeake Registry website available at: 

http://cap.chesapeakebay.net. Section 3.1 of this guidance provides details on how to 

access the system. User IDs and passwords have been established for each reporting 

organization. To obtain the appropriate user ID and password to the Chesapeake Registry

application, please contact the Chesapeake RegistryDesk at 410-267-5736 or via email at 

cap@chesapeakebay.net. 
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Each Federal agency will have a user ID and password. Each state will have one user ID 

and password for all state agencies within that state. Security measures have been 

established to track individual user interactions with the Chesapeake Registry application 

based on Internet Provider (IP) addresses. In addition, security measures have been 

established to protect the data you enter. Measures include: maintaining the data on a 

secure server, on a secure network; confirming the data with each reporting organization; 

and making only summarized data available publicly. Since each state will only have one 

ID and password to identify each organization’s record, it is recommended that an 

acronym for your agency be provided in the Activity Description section. For example:

VADEQ, MDDNR, EPAR3WPD, etc. See Figure 9 Modify Existing Activity & Funding 

Information.

2.0Gathering the Data

2.1 Getting Familiar with the Reporting Elements

The Chesapeake Registry application reporting system contains 21 reporting elements to

describe activities. In most cases, the reporting community will be entering information 

at the activity level, which contains 18 reporting elements, several of which are optional. 

Appendix D contains a graphical depiction of the reporting hierarchy, including the 

domains and data fields. Appendix E describes the activity reporting elements in more 

detail, including name, description, purpose, rules and guidance, and examples.

2.2 Organizing the data

Before you start accessing the database to retrieve, enter or update the information, it is 

recommended that you organize your data. We recommend that you separate the data 

into the Goal areas first, followed by the Topic areas and finally the Activity. It is 

important that you have chosen where you want to categorize the funding for each 

activity before you get started. Definitions of the Activities can be viewed in Appendix 

A of this document. Reviewing this information will make entering the data easier. An 

Excel data spreadsheet is available at 

http://cap.chesapeakebay.net/template/capv2template.xls, as a suggested method to assist 

you in organizing the data.

2.3 Some Basic Elements to Review

For the purposes of CAP Activity Integration reporting, the goals, topic areas, and 

activity categories, are standardized and have been pre-populated into the system. In 

other words, the reporting community cannot make changes to the goal, area, or activity 

category framework. However, the reporting community can choose “other” as an 

activity category if no activity category seems appropriate. If “other” is selected, then a 

proposed activity category should be entered into the activity description field and placed 

within parentheses. It should also be noted that each topic area is correlated to a group of 

specific activity categories. After this basic information is provided, users will begin 

entering information about the specific activity.
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2.4 Reporting Rules, Guidance, and Examples to Review Before Entering Data

There are several guiding principles associated with reporting activity elements contained 

in the Chesapeake Registry application. They are as follows:

It is very important to ensure the same data associated with a set of funds is not entered 

by different individuals. For example, if oyster data is entered by a subject matter expert

in an oyster workshop, the individual Federal / state reporting organizations should 

review the oyster data in the CAP application to ensure their data is not duplicating what 

already exists. In addition, the funding that one agency gives to another, should only be 

captured by the originating agency.

An organization’s activities entered into the Chesapeake Registry application should be 

consistent and total the organization’s budget. If an organization’s budget is not specific 

for the bay or watershed activities, ensure the budget associated with ear marks are 

entered in the Chesapeake Registry application. Prior to starting the data entry, it is 

recommended that the organization’s budget items be grouped by goal and topic area in 

order to make the data entry easier.

When entering different topic areas, be sure to go back to the main activity screen in 

order to change the topic area. To do this, use the “Return to Main Page” button located 

in the bottom of the screen. Do not use the back button on the browser; this will take you 

out of the system.

When conducting the data entry, be sure to have your entire budget data with you; the 

CAP application will time out after approximately 30 minutes, and you will be required 

to log back into the application.

3.0 Process for retrieving, entering or updating information

3.1 Accessing the System

The Chesapeake Registry application reporting system is available at 

http://cap.chesapeakebay.net. A user name and password are required to enter tasks into 

the system. Each reporting organization will report under a single user name and 

password. For quality assurance purposes, all entries will be associated with the user 

name under which they were entered. 

The user name and password will be provided to each reporting organization as noted in 

Section 1.3. Figure 3, “Chesapeake Registry Login Screen” displays the login screen. To 

retrieve forgotten user names and passwords, email cap@chesapeakebay.net. 

Figure 3: CAP Application Reporting System Login Screen
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3.2 Retrieving Existing and Creating New Activities

After successfully logging on to the CAP Activity Integration application reporting 

system, users will be directed to an Activities Categories- Accordion View screen (See 

Figure 4.) In this screen you will be able to retrieve the records for all the activities 

entered in the spring of 2008. The screen will give you two choices to retrieve or create 

activities: the Accordion View and the Activity Categories- Search Criteria View. The 

default view will be the Accordion View. To select the Activity Categories-Search 

Criteria View, just click on it. Stakeholders can use either view to modify, update, or 

create activities. However, the Search Criteria view will be more useful to stakeholders

who have previously entered data and are familiar with the system. The sections below 

will guide users on how to navigate the system using the Accordion View first, then the 

Search Criteria View.

 Figure 4: Activity Categories - Accordion View (Goals)
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3.2.1 Retrieving and Updating/Creating Activities using the Accordion View.

To view activities using the Accordion View, first click on the desired Goal. After 

selecting the goal, select a topic from the dropdown list. See Figure 5 below.
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Figure 5: Topic Areas

Once a Topic has been selected, a list will display at the bottom of the screen showing the 

activity categories for the selected goal, the number of activities in each category, and the 

total dollars/FTE for that category for 2008. See Figure 7 Below.
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Figure 7: Activity Categories 

Note that although this table shows the total funding for 2008, the list of activities in the 

next step will show the activities for all funding years for each activity. To see the 

activities entered in the spring of 2008 for each category, click on the View/Modify

button on the same line of the desired activity category. An Activity and Funding

information screen will be displayed showing all the activities for that category for all 

organizations. See Figure 8 Below. If you want to see the activities of your organization

only, click on the Show Only My Organization’s Records button at the top of the list.

Note: There are many activities in the Activity Category column—be sure to scroll 

through to see them all.
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Figure 8: Viewing Existing Task/Funding Information

3.2.2 Updating Existing Activity Information-Accordion View

On the Activity and Funding screen, each activity has on the far left side, a button 

showing either, View/Modify and Delete buttons, or a View button. The View/Modify and 

Delete buttons will be displayed only on your organization’s activities and the View

button on the other organization’s activities. You can only view other organization’s 

activities information. If you want to modify any information from any of your 

organization’s activities, click on the View/Modify button. An Activity and Funding 

screen will display showing all the information entered in the spring. See Figure 9 Below.

Make any necessary changes in this screen and click on Save. 
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Figure 9: Modify Existing Activity & Funding Information-UPDATE

3.2.3 Deleting Existing Activity Information- Accordion View

If you want to delete any activity entered in the spring, go to the Activity and Funding

screen and click on the Delete button on the line of the activity that you want to delete. 

3.2.4 Creating New Activity/Funding Information- Accordion View

To enter new activity/funding information, go to the Activity and Funding screen and 

click on the Add New Activity/Funding Source located at the bottom of the screen. An 

Activity and Funding Information screen will display. See Figure 10 below.
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Figure 10: Activity and Funding Information
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On the Activity entry form, the user will be required to enter the following information:

- Activity Description

- Lead Organization / Agency

- Point of Contact

- Status of funding

- Hard dollars allocated to activity

- Number of FTEs allocated to activity

- Year of funding

- Pertinent geography (one of the following: lat/long, state, watershed-wide)

- Pertinent C2K commitment

Additionally, the user also has the option of entering other activity-related information, 

including the following:

- Collaborating organization

- Performance measures/units

- Milestones

Refer to Appendix E for additional rules and guidance on the reporting elements listed 

above. 

Map: There is a map at the bottom of the screen that allows a user to document the 

location in which the activity occurred. Reporters can choose to enter location in any of 

the following methods

 A specific watershed

 A latitude/longitude
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 A specific location on a map*

 A state and county

 An NHD reach address

 Watershed or Bay-wide 

*For reporters to document a specific location on a map, they must first select 

“latitude/longitude” as their geography entry method. That will bring up a map 

centered around Greencastle, PA. Users my zoom in/out, and move the map as 

necessary to locate their geographic point. The Chesapeake Registry will then 

record the latitude/longitude. 

Cloning the Funding Record

There is a clone funding record option (at the bottom of the screen) that allows the user to 

create a copy of the current funding record for easy additions. This can be used if the 

Goal, Topic Area, and Activity Category remain the same for another activity or year. It 

can be very useful to clone an FY 2008 record to update for FY 2009. Cloning copies the 

following fields in the Activity and Funding section: Lead organization/Source/Program, 

Collaborating Organization, Point of Contact, Activity Description, and C2K 

Commitment. See Figure 11 below.

Figure 11: Clone Funding Record
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Milestone Field

The milestone field is used to identify a major event or subtask to be completed as part of 

the activity. See Figure 12 below. 

Figure 12: Entering Milestones
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Milestones are associated with Activity/Funding records. Multiple milestones can be 

associated with each Activity/Funding record. Refer to Appendix E for additional rules 

and guidance. There is also guidance available by clicking the More information icon 

located to the right of field titles. A new window will open with a table of data field 

guidance.

Required fields must be entered before a new activity/funding can be saved. There is 

also guidance available by clicking on the More information icon located to the right of 

field titles. A new window will open with a table of data field guidance.

3.3 Retrieving Activities using the Activity Categories-Search Criteria

To retrieve activities using the Activities Categories-Search Criteria- you will click the 

tab on the top right tab (see figure 4 for example screen view). Once you enter the 

Search Criteria screen, you will have the choice of obtaining a list of categories sorted by 

Goal, Topic Area, Organization, Funding year, or the complete list of categories from all 

the organizations (See Figure 13 below). To obtain the list sorted by any of the areas 

indicated, just select your desired criteria from the dropdown list for each area. After you 
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select your criteria, click on the Retrieve Results button at the bottom of the page. If you 

want a complete list of categories from all the organizations, do not select any criteria and 

click on the Retrieve Results button. After you click on Retrieve Results, a list will be 

displayed at the bottom of the screen showing a list of activity categories, the number of 

activities in each category, and the total dollars/FTE for that category for 2008. Make 

sure you scroll down to see the results.

Figure 13: Activity Categories – Search Criteria

3.3.1 Updating Existing Activity Information- Activity Categories-Search Criteria

To modify information from an activity, click on the View/Modify button at the far left

end of the line in of the category of your activity. After you click on that button, a 

Modify Activity screen will come up displaying all the activities (see Figure 8 above). 

If you desire a list of your organizations activities only, click on View Only My 

Organization’s Records button. To view and modify information for the activity, click 

on the View/Modify button on the far right end of the line of your activity. Once you 

click there, an Activity and Funding screen will display showing all the information 

entered for that activity in the spring. Make any desired changes and then click on the 

Save button at the button of the screen.

3.3.2 Deleting Existing Activity Information- Activity Categories-Search Criteria

If you want to delete any activity entered in the spring, go to the Activity and Funding

screen and click on the Delete button on the line of the activity that you want to delete. 
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3.3.3 Creating New Activity/Funding Information using Activity Categories- Search 

Criteria

If you want to create a new activity, on the Activity and Funding screen, click on the Add 

New Activity/Funding Source button at the bottom of the screen. An Activity and 

Funding screen will display. To enter information, follow the instructions in Section 

3.2.4 above.
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APENDIX A - DEFINITIONS

GENERAL:

Below are general definitions for some of the reporting elements contained in the CAP 

application reporting system.

Chesapeake Action Plan (CAP) – A report that outlines an integrated approach for 

assessing the overall progress toward reaching the goals outlined in Chesapeake 2000.

The CAP was developed to strengthen and expand stakeholders in the watershed, 

enhance coordination of restoration activities, and increase the collective accountability

for protecting the Chesapeake Bay. The CAP consists of four components: an activity

integration plan, a strategic framework, an adaptive management process, and 

dashboards. 

Chesapeake Registry – An information system designed to be a comprehensive catalogue 

of the activities in which CBP stakeholders are engaged to protect and restore the 

Chesapeake Bay. The system provides information on: the actual activities being 

implemented by CBP stakeholders; the lead partner for each activity and any cooperating 

partners; the amount and source of funding being used and, ideally, planned for use to 

accomplish each activity by all cooperating partners; the location of each activity; and 

progress toward the establish realistic annual targets.

Goal – A Goal represents a broad programmatic area and is based on the organizational 

framework of the Chesapeake Bay program. The goals are predefined in the application 

reporting system. The goal framework was developed by the Chesapeake Bay Program 

partnership in to organize activities and responsibilities for Chesapeake restoration. 

Topic Area – Topic areas are specific thematic program areas that are organized as a 

subset of goals. The topic areas are predefined in the application reporting system. Each 

goal contains several topics areas. In the context of the CAP, the topic areas represent the 

major program areas.

Activity Category – An Activity category consists of generic functions that support a 

topic area. Activity categories are predefined in the application reporting system. They

represent the general function performed in support of the topic area; it may not 

necessarily be the main activity of the topic area, but the support being provided for the 

topic area. 

Activity – An Activity consists of detailed functions that support the activity. The 

Activity Description contains specific details about the activity level, location, and 

number of units. It contains a sufficient amount of detail to distinguish the activity from 

one organizational element to another. It represents the smallest unit of reporting for 

CAP.
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ACTIVITY CATEGORIES:

Below are definitions for the activity categories that are predefined in the CAP 

application reporting system. 

Aquaculture -The cultivation of aquatic organisms (as fish or shellfish) especially for 

food.

Assessment - Organizing data to provide a judgment or classification of progress relative 

to set objectives.

Communication – The process of broadcasting information and guidance to the 

Chesapeake Bay partners, stakeholders, the public, the media, and legislators to build a 

broad base of public understanding of bay health and ecological issues.

Education – Providing information, both comprehensive and interactive for use by public 

and technical audiences to achieve public awareness and personal involvement on behalf 

of the bay and local watersheds. This also includes providing experiences, both outdoors 

and in the classroom for school children, grades K-12.

Enforcement – Assurance of compliance with local, state, and/or Federal regulatory

programs through inspection, monitoring and by returning violators to compliance, 

through civil or criminal means.

Engage Stakeholders- The process of working collaboratively with and through groups of 

people affiliated by special interest, to address issues affecting the well-being of those 

people. It often involves partnerships and coalitions that help mobilize resources and 

influence systems, change relationships among partners, and serve as catalysts for 

changing policies, programs, and practices.

Enhancement - Manipulation of the physical, chemical, or biological characteristics of an 

existing wetland (undisturbed or degraded) site to heighten, intensify, or improve specific 

function(s) or for a purpose such as water quality improvement, flood water retention, or 

wildlife habitat. Results gain in function, not acres.

Facility - Something that is built, installed, or established to serve a particular purpose.

Funding/Finance - The management of financial mechanisms, such as grants, to support 

environmental program activities. 

Grants/Contracts – Grants are sums of money awarded by the Federal government, 

States, and even the private sector for specifically designated purposes for which no 

repayment is required. Contracts are legally binding exchanges of promises or 

agreements between parties that the law will enforce.

Habitat – The ecological or environmental area that is inhabited by a particular species.
- 24 -

Information Management - The collection and management of information from one or 

more sources, and the distribution of that information to one or more audiences.

Land Conservation - Planning and managing land and its resources to prevent 

exploitation, destruction, or neglect.

Land Preservation - Land that is permanently protected from development with a 

perpetual conservation, open space easement, or fee ownership, held by a Federal, state, 

or local government or non-profit organization for natural resource, forestry, agriculture, 

wildlife, recreation, historic, cultural, or open space use, or to sustain water quality and 

living resource values.

Management Tool Development - The development of computer based tools, such as 

models to support environmental decision making.

Mitigation - The restoration, creation, or enhancement of resource lands to compensate 

for permitted resource or function losses.

Monitoring - To test or sample, especially on a regular or ongoing basis, keeping track of 

conditions systematically through the collection of data.

Program Management - The discipline of planning, organizing, and managing resources 

to bring about the successful completion of specific project goals and objectives.

Protection- Removal of a threat to or preventing the decline of, wetland conditions by an 

action in or near a wetland. Includes purchase of land or easements of 30 years minimum 

duration and does not result in a gain of wetland acres or function.

Regulation – The drafting and promulgation of regulations and the implementation of 

local, state, and federal regulatory programs.

Remediation - The removal of pollution or contaminants from environmental media such 

as soil, groundwater, sediment, or surface water for the general protection of human 

health and the environment.

Reporting - Giving an account of or describing a specified state by creating a written 

record or summary.

Research - Engagement in scientific investigation or experimentation at the discovery and 

interpretation of facts, revision of accepted theories or laws in the light of new facts, or 

practical application of such new or revised theories or laws.

Restoration - The return of an ecosystem to a close approximation of its condition prior to 

disturbance, through the manipulation of physical, chemical, and/or biological 

characteristics of a site.
- 25 -

Targeting – Prioritizing and directing implementation resources towards particular 

geographic locations and/or towards specific sets of prevention/reduction practices and 

restoration activities. 

Technical Assistance - Professional technical advice or help in the installation of 

structural and non-structural practices directed toward reducing/preventing excess 

hydrology, nutrient, and sediment loads to local streams and the bay.

Technical Support – The conduct of statistical data analysis and interpretation, geospatial 

analysis, model simulation and evaluations diverted toward assisting program 

implementation.

TMDL Development - The calculation of the maximum amount of a pollutant a water 

body can receive and still meet applicable water quality standards (accounting for 

seasonal variations and a margin of safety), including an allocation of pollutant loadings 

to point sources (waste load allocations) and non-point sources (load allocations).

Trading/Credit – As an alternative to command-and-control regulations, a market-based 

approach is used to comply with regulations to achieve pollution abatement goals at 

lower costs to society. Environmental credit trading allows regulated firms to meet their 

obligations by purchasing pollution abatement services (credits) from lower-cost 

providers.
- 26 -

APPENDIX B – ACRONYMS

CAP – Chesapeake Action Plan

CBO – Chesapeake Bay Office

CBP – Chesapeake Bay Program

CBPO - Chesapeake Bay Program Office

COE – Corps of Engineers

EAID – Environmental Assessment and Innovation Division

EPA – US Environmental Protection Agency

FY – Fiscal Year

GAO – US General Accounting Office

NOAA - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

NPS - National Park Service

NRCS - Natural Resource Conservation Service

SME - Subject Matter Expert

USFWS - United States Fish and Wildlife Service

USFS – United States Forest Service

USGS - United States Geological Survey

WPD – Water Protection Division
- 27 -

APPENDIX C – EXAMPLES OF REPORTING DATA

C.1: Managing Point Source Data
- 28 -

C.2: Conducting a Feasibility Study
i.

APPENDIX D – REPORTING HIERARCHY
- 2 

-
i.

APPENDIX E – REPORTING ELEMENTS (Needs Review by Nancy/Greg)

Activity Reporting Elements

Reporting 

Element

Description Purpose Rules & Guidance Examples

Goal An identifier that 

specifies the name of the 

goal under which the 

activity is undertaken

Overarching 

framework and broad 

categorization of 

activities and related 

tasks

Listing of all activities 

and tasks by goal; 

summarize funding for 

activities and tasks by

goal

Allows for the 

aggregation and 

summarization of 

activities by goal.

One goal for each activity

Select the goal that best describes 

the activity. In some cases, 

several goals may be appropriate, 

select the one that is most 

appropriate.

This is a required field.

Goal 1: Restoring 

Healthy Waters

Goal 2: Restoring 

Healthy Habitats

Goal 3: EcosystemBased Fisheries 

Management

Goal 4: Maintaining 

Healthy Watersheds

Goal 5: Fostering 

Chesapeake 

Stewardship

Goal 6: Partnership, 

Leadership & 

Management

Topic Area An identifier that 

specifies the name of a 

specific topic area under 

which the activity is 

undertaken

More detailed 

framework for 

categorization of 

activities and related 

tasks

Listing of all activities 

and tasks by topic area; 

summarize funding for 

One topic area for each activity

Select the topic area that best 

describes the activity. In some 

cases, several goals may seem 

appropriate; select the one that is 

most appropriate.

This is a required field.

Wastewater 

Treatment

Oysters

Forest Buffers

IT Support
- 2 -

Reporting 

Element

Description Purpose Rules & Guidance Examples

activities and tasks by

topic area; summarize 

measures by topic area

Allows for the 

aggregation and 

summarization of 

activities by topic area.

Activity

Category

A short title that 

describes the nature of 

the activity

Generic function to 

categorize related 

activities

Link activity with 

associated topic area

One or many activities for a topic 

area

Click the View/Modify button to 

select an activity category

Select the activity category that 

best describes the support 

provided for the topic area. 

If an appropriate category does not 

exist, select “other” to add a 

proposed new title. Add the title 

to the Activity Description field, 

enclosed in parentheses.

This is a required field.

Monitoring

Assessment
- 3 -

Activity & Funding Reporting Elements

Reporting Element Description Purpose Rules & Guidance Examples

Activity Description A detailed 

narrative 

description of 

the activity.

Main reporting 

element that links 

all other elements 

in the activity and 

funding area

Identify the specific 

role of the activity

category

Enter a description of the activity

in the text box; include sufficient 

detail to distinguish from another 

organizational element.

Maximum characters allowed for 

this field is 500.

This is a required field. 

Publish 11 issues of 

the Bay Journal.

Lead Org/Source/Program An 

abbreviation 

for the 

program that 

has the lead 

for the 

specific 

activity

The source/program 

field allows for the 

aggregation of data 

by program. This 

field is also useful 

for data 

verification, 

ownership and QA.

Links activity to the 

specific 

organization 

leading the activity

Select from the pick list the 

funding organization or program 

that conducts the activity. 

One for each activity.

This is a required field. 

EPA/CBPO
- 4 -

Reporting Element Description Purpose Rules & Guidance Examples

Point of Contact The first and 

last name of 

the staff 

person within 

the lead 

organization 

that is 

responsible 

for the 

activity

The lead staff is 

required for 

accountability

purposes.

Link activity to the 

individual 

responsible.

Enter Point of Contact first and 

last name in the text box. 

Maximum characters allowed for 

this field is 500.

This is a required field. 

Joe Smith

Jane Doe

Collaborating 

Organization

A list of 

organizations 

that are 

contributing 

resources to 

the project

This field will be 

used for additional 

data verification.

Link activity to the 

organizations 

collaborating with 

the lead 

organization.

Enter collaborating organizations 

in the text box. Maximum 

characters allowed for this field is 

500.

Use standard terminology to assist 

with reporting by organization.

This is an optional field.

CRC

Status An identifier 

that specifies 

the status of 

the activity

The status field 

allows for 

aggregation of 

activities and 

associated funding 

by current or 

planned activities.

Link with the 

funding year.

Select the activity status from the 

pick list. Current=2008, 

Planned=2009 and beyond, 

Completed=2007.

Cancelled is used when previously

entered dollars/activities for a 

future year do not get funded; 

change the status to Cancelled.

This is a required field. 

Current 

Planned 

Completed

Cancelled
- 5 -

Reporting Element Description Purpose Rules & Guidance Examples

Geography Longitude The longitude 

in decimal 

degrees that 

represents the 

location of the 

activity

These fields will be 

used to designate, 

as accurately as 

possible the 

pertinent center 

point of the 

geography for the 

funding to be 

allocated.

One of the 

Geography fields 

must be entered.

Enter a numerical value in the text 

box

This is an optional field

-79.12345

Latitude The latitude in 

decimal 

degrees that 

represents the 

location of the 

activity

Enter a numerical value in the text 

box

This is an optional field

39.12345

State An identifier 

of the state in 

which the 

activity is 

performed

Select the appropriate state from 

the pick list if the activity is not 

watershed-wide.

If more then one statue, use the 

watershed-wide button or make 2 

records for each portion of the 

budget tied to a state.

MD

WatershedwideAn identifier 

that indicates 

if the activity

is ubiquitous 

across the 

entire 

Chesapeake 

Bay 

watershed

Select Yes/No radio button as 

appropriate.

watershed-wide
- 6 -

Reporting Element Description Purpose Rules & Guidance Examples

Primary C2K 

Commitment

An identifier 

that specifies 

the primary

commitment 

from the 

Chesapeake 

2000

agreement 

under which 

the activity is 

performed.

Link activities and 

their associated 

tasks to specific 

C2K commitments

Listing of all 

activities and tasks 

by C2K 

commitment; 

summarize funding 

for activities and 

tasks by C2K 

commitment; 

summarize 

measures by C2K 

commitment

Allows for the 

aggregation and 

summarization of 

activities by C2K 

commitment.

Select a C2K commitment from 

the pick list. Choices will vary

based upon the goal. One C2K 

commitment can be selected for 

each task. 

In some cases, several 

commitments may seem 

appropriate; select the one that is 

most appropriate.

If an activity does not fit a C2K 

commitment, select other and enter 

text in the blank field to describe 

the activity. For example, if the 

activity supports all commitments, 

select other and enter “supports all 

commitments” in the blank field.

This is a required field. 

2.3.2.1- By 2010, 

achieve a net 

resource gain by 

restoring 25,000 

acres of tidal and 

non-tidal wetlands.
- 7 -

Reporting Element Description Purpose Rules & Guidance Examples

“Hard” Dollars Total Dollars 

allocated by 

the 

organization 

for the 

activity

The “hard” dollars 

field is used to help 

estimate the total 

cost of the activity.

Enter the total dollars allocated to 

the activity by the listed 

organization for the specified 

funding year. 

For 2009, Federal funding is based 

on President’s budget (projected). 

Entering 2010 funding is optional 

at this time.

Do not enter dollar signs, commas, 

or cents. You can enter FTEs as 

dollars here. If FTEs are being 

entered, do not enter the dollars 

here that are associated with the 

FTEs. Enter “0”

This is a required numeric field. 

$563,365
- 8 -

Reporting Element Description Purpose Rules & Guidance Examples

Total FTE’s The total 

number of full 

time 

equivalent 

employees 

dedicated to 

the activity

The total number of 

FTEs will be used 

to help estimate the 

total activity cost.

Enter the FTEs allocated to the 

activity by the listed organization 

for the specified funding year. 

FTEs can be expressed as whole or 

partial numbers.

If an individual supports more then 

one activity, estimate the 

percentage for each activity.

It is recommended that dollars be 

entered instead of FTEs at this 

time; the number of FTEs can be 

entered in the description field.

If not entering FTEs, enter “0”

This is a required numeric field. 

0.25, 0.5, 1.0

Funding Year An identifier 

that specifies 

the fiscal year 

in which the

funding was 

provided for 

the activity

The funding year 

allows for the 

aggregation of 

activities and 

associated funding 

by major activity

functions.

Select from pick list. There can be 

planned funding for 2009 and 

2010 and current funding for 2007 

and 2008 for the same activity.

To capture the same activity

category and activity data for more 

then one year, use the “Clone 

Funding” button after you have 

entered the data on the current 

form.

2007

2008

2009

2010
- 9 -

Reporting Element Description Purpose Rules & Guidance Examples

For 2009, Federal funding is based 

on President’s budget (projected). 

Entering 2010 funding is optional 

at this time.

This is a required field. 

Measure A numeric 

measure of 

the actual 

activity

expressed as a 

linear, area or 

numeric 

measure

Quantitative 

summary metric

Enter the measure for the activity

for that year only. This should 

include the number of “on the 

ground” practices occurring for 

this activity; this does not include 

the number of events or reports.

This is an optional free text field.

50

Units The units of 

the measure 

Further defined 

measure

Select units of measure from the 

pick list.

This is an optional field.

Acres

Miles

Pounds per year

Unit Description A textual 

description of 

the unit of 

measure.

Further defined unit Enter additional information to 

describe the unit of measure if 

needed.

This is an optional free text field.
- 10 -

Reporting Element Description Purpose Rules & Guidance Examples

Milestone A short 

description of 

a major event 

for the 

activity

The milestone field 

is used to identify a 

major event or 

subtask to be 

completed as part 

of the activity.

Used to show future 

completion of an 

activity.

0, 1 or many milestone 

descriptions for each activity; 

milestone date must coincide with 

milestone description.

This is an optional field.

Launch New Website

Milestone Date The date 

related to the 

major event as 

identified in 

the milestone

The milestone date 

field is used to 

identify the 

completion of the 

specific milestone.

0, 1 or many milestone dates for 

each activity; milestone date is 

related to milestone description.

A milestone date must be entered 

in order to save the milestone.

This is an optional field.

1/12/2006
i.

Appendix G

Respondents to 2008 Data Call for Calendar Year 2009

Federal Agencies:

US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Chesapeake Bay Program Office

US EPA Region 3 Environmental Assessment and Innovation Division

US EPA Region 3 Water Protection Division

US EPA Region 2

US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) / Baltimore

USACE / Norfolk

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) / Chesapeake

Bay Office

Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS)

US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)

US Geological Survey (USGS) / Baltimore

National Park Service (NPS)

US Forest Service (USFS)

Federal Highway Administration / US Department of Transportation

US Department of Defense (DoD)

USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA)

States and Districts:

Delaware

District of Columbia

Maryland

New York

Pennsylvania

Virginia

West Virginia

Chesapeake Bay Commission

Non-governmental Organizations

Chesapeake Bay Trust

Ducks Unlimited