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#           Freshwater Flow into Chesapeake Bay      

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      By Chesapeake Bay Activities      July 8, 2019    

## Interactive Graphs of Monthly Mean Streamflow Entering Chesapeake Bay

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Explore resources here describing **estimates of freshwater flow entering Chesapeake Bay**.

The health of the Chesapeake Bay is greatly affected by freshwater flow from rivers draining its watershed. The amount of freshwater flow (also called streamflow) will:

• Change salinity levels in the Bay, which affect oysters, crabs, and finfish.

• Influence the amounts of nutrients, sediment, and contaminants delivered to tidal waters, which affects fisheries and submerged aquatic vegetation.

The USGS provides estimates of the monthly and annual amounts of freshwater flow into the Bay so scientists and managers can better understand effects on ecosystem conditions.

#### **Monthly Mean Streamflow Over The Past 2 Years**

View Media Details

**Figure 1**
**February 2024 **
**102,000**
**within**
**normal**
**February**
**February**
** 72,200**
**130,000**
**February**
**87-year**

####  

#### **Annual Mean Streamflow into the Chesapeake Bay**

View Media Details

**Figure 2**
**estimated annual-mean streamflow**
**most recent complete water year (2023)**
**65,649**
**79,000**
**67,250**
**88,750 **
**ten **
**six**
**two**
**two**

 

#### **Streamflow By Major Watershed **

View Media Details

**Figure 3.**
**The Amount of Freshwater from Different Watersheds: **
**February 2024**
**Section A,**
**50 percent**

 

View Media Details

**Figure 4. **
**Estimated monthly mean streamflow**

### Contacts

####             Scott Phillips (Former Employee)          

##### Chesapeake Bay Program Coordinator

Northeast Region

#### Ken Hyer, Ph.D.

##### Chesapeake Bay Coordinator

Chesapeake Bay Activities

kenhyer@usgs.gov

804-382-7111

#### Douglas L. Moyer

##### Associate Director for Studies

Virginia and West Virginia Water Science Center

dlmoyer@usgs.gov

804-261-2634

#### Samuel H. Austin

##### Hydrologist

Virginia and West Virginia Water Science Center

saustin@usgs.gov

804-261-2620

### Explore Search

                      - Nutrient, Sediment, and Flow
                      - Fish, Streams, and Water Quality
                      - Water

View All **

Below are resources describing Chesapeake Bay streamflow estimation methods, the history of programming the Chesapeake Bay Streamflow interactive website, and other science projects and research associated with Chesapeake Bay estimated streamflow, such as work characterizing Chesapeake Bay Water-Quality Loads and Trends.

link

July 8, 2019

####                 Chesapeake Bay Estimated Streamflow: METHODS              

Chesapeake Bay Activities

link

July 8, 2019

####   Chesapeake Bay Estimated Streamflow: METHODS

Learn More

link

July 8, 2019

####                 Chesapeake Bay Real-Time Streamflow Map              

Chesapeake Bay Activities

link

July 8, 2019

####   Chesapeake Bay Real-Time Streamflow Map

Learn More

link

July 8, 2019

####                 Chesapeake Bay Estimated Streamflow: METHODS              

Chesapeake Bay Activities

link

July 8, 2019

####   Chesapeake Bay Estimated Streamflow: METHODS

Learn More

link

July 8, 2019

####                 Chesapeake Bay Estimated Streamflow: WEBSITE HISTORY              

Chesapeake Bay Activities

link

July 8, 2019

####   Chesapeake Bay Estimated Streamflow: WEBSITE HISTORY

Learn More

link

January 1, 2016

####                 Chesapeake Bay Water-Quality Loads and Trends              

Chesapeake Bay Activities

link

January 1, 2016

####   Chesapeake Bay Water-Quality Loads and Trends

Learn More

The USGS works with the Chesapeake Bay Program and its many *partners to monitor streamflow throughout the watershed and into the Bay.*

 

Chesapeake Bay Program partners

#### Chesapeake Bay Program

Explore resources here describing **estimates of freshwater flow entering Chesapeake Bay**.

The health of the Chesapeake Bay is greatly affected by freshwater flow from rivers draining its watershed. The amount of freshwater flow (also called streamflow) will:

• Change salinity levels in the Bay, which affect oysters, crabs, and finfish.

• Influence the amounts of nutrients, sediment, and contaminants delivered to tidal waters, which affects fisheries and submerged aquatic vegetation.

The USGS provides estimates of the monthly and annual amounts of freshwater flow into the Bay so scientists and managers can better understand effects on ecosystem conditions.

#### **Monthly Mean Streamflow Over The Past 2 Years**

View Media Details

**Figure 1**
**February 2024 **
**102,000**
**within**
**normal**
**February**
**February**
** 72,200**
**130,000**
**February**
**87-year**

####  

#### **Annual Mean Streamflow into the Chesapeake Bay**

View Media Details

**Figure 2**
**estimated annual-mean streamflow**
**most recent complete water year (2023)**
**65,649**
**79,000**
**67,250**
**88,750 **
**ten **
**six**
**two**
**two**

 

#### **Streamflow By Major Watershed **

View Media Details

**Figure 3.**
**The Amount of Freshwater from Different Watersheds: **
**February 2024**
**Section A,**
**50 percent**

 

View Media Details

**Figure 4. **
**Estimated monthly mean streamflow**

### Contacts

####             Scott Phillips (Former Employee)          

##### Chesapeake Bay Program Coordinator

Northeast Region

#### Ken Hyer, Ph.D.

##### Chesapeake Bay Coordinator

Chesapeake Bay Activities

kenhyer@usgs.gov

804-382-7111

#### Douglas L. Moyer

##### Associate Director for Studies

Virginia and West Virginia Water Science Center

dlmoyer@usgs.gov

804-261-2634

#### Samuel H. Austin

##### Hydrologist

Virginia and West Virginia Water Science Center

saustin@usgs.gov

804-261-2620

### Explore Search

                      - Nutrient, Sediment, and Flow
                      - Fish, Streams, and Water Quality
                      - Water

View All **

Below are resources describing Chesapeake Bay streamflow estimation methods, the history of programming the Chesapeake Bay Streamflow interactive website, and other science projects and research associated with Chesapeake Bay estimated streamflow, such as work characterizing Chesapeake Bay Water-Quality Loads and Trends.

link

July 8, 2019

####                 Chesapeake Bay Estimated Streamflow: METHODS              

Chesapeake Bay Activities

link

July 8, 2019

####   Chesapeake Bay Estimated Streamflow: METHODS

Learn More

link

July 8, 2019

####                 Chesapeake Bay Real-Time Streamflow Map              

Chesapeake Bay Activities

link

July 8, 2019

####   Chesapeake Bay Real-Time Streamflow Map

Learn More

link

July 8, 2019

####                 Chesapeake Bay Estimated Streamflow: METHODS              

Chesapeake Bay Activities

link

July 8, 2019

####   Chesapeake Bay Estimated Streamflow: METHODS

Learn More

link

July 8, 2019

####                 Chesapeake Bay Estimated Streamflow: WEBSITE HISTORY              

Chesapeake Bay Activities

link

July 8, 2019

####   Chesapeake Bay Estimated Streamflow: WEBSITE HISTORY

Learn More

link

January 1, 2016

####                 Chesapeake Bay Water-Quality Loads and Trends              

Chesapeake Bay Activities

link

January 1, 2016

####   Chesapeake Bay Water-Quality Loads and Trends

Learn More

The USGS works with the Chesapeake Bay Program and its many *partners to monitor streamflow throughout the watershed and into the Bay.*

 

Chesapeake Bay Program partners

#### Chesapeake Bay Program