The major pollution threats in the Chesapeake Bay region are excess nutrients , sediments, toxics or chemical contaminants, air pollution and landscape changes. Some nutrients, sediments and toxics occur naturally in the Bay system. However, the amount of nutrients, sediment and toxics reaching the rivers and the Bay has been amplified tremendously by human activities. The Chesapeake Bay program has set measurable goals to reduce the amount of pollution flowing to the Bay. Everyone is doing their part to meet these goals from farmers to business and industry.
Citizens play a vital role too in reducing and preventing pollution.
Each of the 15 million people in the Bay region lives just a few minutes from one of the more than 100,000 streams and rivers that drain into the Bay. Because things on land are easily washed into streams and rivers, our actions on land ultimately affect the Bay. These activities, including our use of cars, fertilizers and pesticides, toilets, water and electricity. To restore the Bay, we have to be concerned about what we do in our own communities, homes and backyards. Reduce the miles you drive by car pooling.