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Student Data Sheet

Save the Reef!

Something is wrong in the town of Wando on a 

small river in the Chesapeake. This small town 

lies just on a river of the Chesapeake Bay not 

far from where the river reaches the Bay. 

There are about 4,000 people in the town. 

The big event in town, held annually since the 

Revolutionary War, is the annual oyster roasts 

that bring tourists to town in the fall. The

economy of Wando depends on oysters and 

tourists. Over the past 20-30 years, oyster 

harvests have declined deeply affecting the 

local economy. 

For the first time ever, local residents had to order oysters from hundreds of miles away to use 

in their traditional oyster roasts. 

Upriver is the town of Hamburg with a population of 10,000 residents. Hamburg is surrounded 

by heavily forested land, but there is a lot of new development occurring near the river. 

Can you help the good folks of Wando decide what regulations and actions that are needed to 

lessen the decline in their local oyster reef populations?

An understanding of what oysters need to reproduce and thrive may hold the key to bringing 

back the oyster reefs, allow sustainable harvesting again, and improve the local economy. The 

town is depending on you!

You will work in small groups assigned by your instructor. The data table below has records of 

selected water quality readings from the river at Wando and from Hamburg on June 1. Use the 

information that you have learned from previous activities and the records on your data sheets 

to review the water quality data below. Note whether the readings are within the ranges that 

oysters need to reproduce and grow. In the Comparison/Observation column, note possible 

reasons why the readings are different.
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Water Quality Measurements on June 1

Water Quality 

Measurements Wando Hamburg Comparison/Observations

Salinity 12 ppt1 8 ppt

Water 

Temperature 700 F 650

F

Dissolved oxygen 6.9 mg/L1 4 mg/L

pH 7.9 8.6

Turbidity High Very high

1

Measurements

ppt Parts per thousand

Mg/L Milligrams per liter

1. Is the water quality in Wando adequate for healthy oysters?

Your evidence:

2. Is the water quality in Hamburg adequate for healthy oysters?

Your evidence:

3. Which water quality measurements might be harmful to oysters or prevent oyster 

spawning?

Your evidence:
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Management Plan

In your small group list the potential management practices that could be put into place to 

improve water quality in Wando or Hamburg according to the parameters that you determined 

are a problem. 

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Discuss each potential management practice, and determine which ones would make a 

significant difference in the water quality and improve oyster populations. Then choose your 

top (2) or two practices, and write a regulation for each one. Be prepared to share your 

regulations with the rest of the class providing evidence of your decision. You can use images, 

video, or other multi-media to help your presentation. 

Regulation I.

What is the action?

Who will vote on this?

Who will enforce the regulation?

Regulation II.

What is the action?

Who will vote on this?

Who will enforce the regulation?